W.W. Norton Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 89 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
15 roles · 89 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at W.W. Norton.
W.W. Norton
Sales Representative
Entry Difficult Positive experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite Presentation
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
The interview process was really long and took a while, with interviews happening online, locally, and in New York. Everyone was super nice, and I really liked the team; I enjoyed talking to them all. Even though I'm not sure the job was the right fit for me, I really wanted to work for this company.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you describe how you would approach a sales call?
W.W. Norton
Intern
Intern Average Positive experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call
Interview formats
Behavioral
I met with the editor and editorial assistant who managed the Norton Critical Editions summer internship. We chatted about my past experiences with my college literary review and what books I've read lately. The interview was around ten to fifteen minutes long and was conducted on Microsoft Teams, with time for my questions at the end.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Could you describe your responsibilities with the literary review and how they'd prepare you for this position?
W.W. Norton
Editorial Intern
Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Group Panel Presentation
Interview formats
Behavioral Group Presentation
I was interviewed by 4 different Assistant Editors, each looking for their own intern. The interview was conducted over Zoom, and all 4 interviewed me at the same time. It's a bit tricky because each Assistant Editor focuses on a different niche/genre, which means you can't really tailor your answers to each interviewer. For instance, if you mention enjoying literary fiction, you might lose the interest of the editor who handles cookbooks.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- What books are you reading right now?
- Can you describe a challenge you've faced and overcome in a work setting?
W.W. Norton
Editorial Assistant
Entry Average Negative experience Decline offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Technical screen Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
I had applied for a role on the digital team before and wasn't selected, but the recruiter from that process referred me for this one. I skipped the initial recruiter call (probably because I'd already been screened). The process started with a skills test which was pretty straightforward: I had to gather feedback from reviewers on a chapter and then write a letter to the author summarizing the proposed edits. A few days later, I was invited for an onsite interview. This consisted of three 30-minute back-to-back interviews with the current person in the role and two senior editors. A really uncomfortable situation arose during the onsite: one of the interviewers consistently avoided eye contact and stared at my chest the whole time, which still makes me feel uneasy. The whole team vibe felt awkward and the conversations were stilted.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Can you share an instance of how you've handled interactions with difficult individuals in your previous job?
- What are your ideal working conditions for your workspace?
W.W. Norton Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from W.W. Norton interview reports.
“Who are two deceased individuals you'd invite to dinner and why?”
Read reports →“What was the most recent musical event you went to in the city?”
Read reports →“Would you rather be an eagle that can't land or a monkey that can't climb, and what's your reasoning?”
Read reports →“If it were raining and your car was parked far away, and you had a list of professors to visit, what would you do?”
Read reports →“Who would you choose to meet, any historical figure, living or dead, and what's your reason?”
Read report →“What changes would you propose for the academic textbook publishing industry?”
Read report →“Can you tell me if you've read any W. W. Norton books, and if so, which ones?”
Read report →“Could you build a React application following the given mockup?”
Read report →“Can you explain the bonus plan and how it relates to rookie reps?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 89 W.W. Norton interview reports.