Urban Institute Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 100 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
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16 roles · 100 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Urban Institute.
Urban Institute
Communications Coordinator
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The whole hiring process took about two months, mainly because the team needed to review other applicants. It involved three interviews: first, a 30-minute phone screening with HR, then a 30-minute phone interview with someone from the communications team, and finally, a 30-40 minute in-person interview with two members of the communications team.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Could you introduce yourself and describe your background?
- What makes you a good fit for this position?
- What draws you to this particular role?
Urban Institute
Project Manager
Mid Average Neutral experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite Take home Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
It was a pretty long interview process, a phone screen, one round with the hiring manager, a second with a panel, and then a writing exercise. I went through all of these stages over about three to four months and then just never heard back about a final decision, which was weird being left in the dark after getting through everything. I also never got feedback on the writing exercise that I submitted when I did the final panel interview. When I asked HR for an update, they told me to hang tight because a selection hadn't been made yet. I never heard back after that. I was really hoping to get the role because the organization does important work. The hardest part was not being told anything after all that effort and preparation. Oh well.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Lots of behavioral questions were asked.
- It was helpful to have the STAR method down for having real examples ready.
Urban Institute
Talent Acquisition
Entry Easy Neutral experience No offer 5 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Technical screen Onsite Panel
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The hiring process took a fair bit of time, involving 5 distinct conversations. While the people I spoke with were pleasant and welcoming, the outcome and how it was communicated were disappointing. After multiple interview stages, I had to follow up myself since their promised timeframe for a decision passed. I was then informed they had selected another candidate, only to discover the role was re-posted soon after. It felt frustrating to invest so much time and effort, especially after having a positive interview experience, only to be met with what seemed like a misrepresentation.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you describe your background and professional experience?
Urban Institute
Research Analyst
Mid Average Negative experience No offer 7 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
It was a really long interview process. I had to talk to about 7 researchers in the department I was applying to. Most of the interviewers asked pretty similar things. The interviews were all scheduled for the same day, but they didn't schedule any breaks between them. After all of that, they never even sent me a rejection email, and I only found out by checking the application portal weeks later.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Can you walk me through your research process?
- Describe a challenging research experience and how you handled it.
- What specific research areas pique your interest?
Urban Institute Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Urban Institute interview reports.
“Can you create a chart that lists the numeric variables?”
Read reports →“What was the methodology for collecting the data for this dataset?”
Read reports →“How would you go about debugging a slow website?”
Read reports →“What are the policy implications stemming from the 'xyz' research project?”
Read reports →“Could you explain the statistical tests you'd use to identify a correlation?”
Read report →“What's a recent issue that has caught your attention?”
Read report →“How do you ensure you remain unbiased and nonpartisan in your research?”
Read report →“Could you perform some data analysis using the provided data file, demonstrating your understanding of correlational and experimental designs?”
Read report →“How would you balance doing research versus writing about it?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 100 Urban Institute interview reports.