University of California Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process kicked off with an unexpected phone screening by the supervisor for the Event Manager role. After a quick chat covering two questions, I was prompted to arrange an in-person interview. This second interview was pretty standard, but near the end, a heads-up was given that collaborating with the Executive Director could be quite challenging and frustrating at times. Following that, I was asked to set up a final interview, which included a pre-interview administrative test. Upon arrival for the final interview, I tackled the admin test first. Unfortunately, I was asked to leave after making 2-3 mistakes on a proofreading task that had about 40 errors in total. The Executive Director didn't end up meeting with me, even though I was told earlier that this test was just a formality. A candidate with double the required experience was dismissed due to a few errors on a proofreading test. All in all, it felt like a really unfeeling and shortsighted approach to potential hires. My brief experience with the organization suggests it might be a rather tough and painstaking work environment.

The interview process was pretty straightforward and professional. There were two onsite interviews. The first one was with the Hiring Manager and another Business Analyst. It covered typical Business Analysis topics like gathering requirements, documentation, and prioritizing tasks. They gave me different scenarios, both technical and professional, to figure out. The second interview was with the Sr. Director of the department. It was a standard HR interview, asking things like 'Why is this a good position for you?' and 'What will you bring to this position?'. I also had to submit some work samples and provide two professional references.

I was initially contacted for a phone interview with HR. After doing well, I was invited for an in-person interview within a couple of days. Since I lived far away, it was difficult but I went anyway. The second interview was a group interview with six managers and staff, where they asked questions in turns and were very friendly. I felt I was a good fit and they showed me the culture I was looking for. Finally, I completed a skills test involving internet research and writing mock emails to professors and students. I was confident in my research and email composition. Even though I had already made travel arrangements, they never responded after the interviews. I sent follow-ups via email and voicemail, but received no response.

For the first year, there's no interview; you just need to meet some basic application criteria, have a research proposal, a mentor's support at a UC campus, and three recommendation letters. To get renewed for a second year, you submit a personal progress report, explain why you need the renewal, and get a report from your mentor. Sometimes, people get a 1:1 or small panel interview for renewal, but other times, they just get approved after the application review, no interview needed.