US Institute of Peace Interview Questions
& Process

I applied and a few weeks later, I got an email for a phone interview. After that, I came in for an in-person interview several weeks later. The in-person interview was a panel and lasted about 45 minutes. The questions they asked were pretty normal and fair. What was disappointing was the post-interview process. They gave me a timeline at the end of the interview when I asked, but I never heard back from my contact person or the HR person. My follow-up emails about the job status were never answered. It was really unprofessional, which is a shame because it's a common bad habit with HR outside of the private sector.

After applying online, I was contacted about a month later for an in-person interview. As the date approached, there was a potential government shutdown that could have affected the organization. My contact kept me updated via email about what would happen with my interview if the shutdown occurred, which I really appreciated. The shutdown happened for one day, so my interview was postponed. That evening, my contact called to see if I could interview the next day when the office reopened. We rescheduled, and I went in. My contact was very welcoming and friendly. I met with two staff members from the department, and the interview lasted about an hour. It felt engaging, and we both seemed invested. They gave me their cards. My contact walked me out, and he said he'd let me know. However, after that, there was complete silence. No one informed me about the decision on my candidacy. It was surprising and disappointing given how hospitable and communicative everyone had been, especially my initial contact. It felt like they only considered their own needs throughout the process and were quite selfish in how they handled the end of the interview cycle, leaving me without any closure.

After applying four months ago, I got a call asking if I was still interested. I said yes, and the HR person sent some time options. I told them my availability and followed up the day of because I hadn't gotten meeting details. They replied the next day, apologized, and asked to reschedule. An hour before the new time, I again asked for the meeting info, which they sent 30 minutes before. I wasn't told what to expect, so I was surprised it was a panel interview with three staff, lasting over an hour with several rounds of questions. They said I'd hear back the following week. I sent a lot of follow-up emails but never got a response after that.

I started with the Institute as a contractor on specific projects. A friend introduced me to the head of the group. Projects changed over time, but our connection grew. After two years, the group I was working with launched a big project needing a full-time manager, and I was asked to take the role. There wasn't really a formal interview process for it.