TL;DR -- if you are interviewing at IPI, I highly recommend asking for clarity in the interview/hiring pipeline at the START of the process. Note that I was ultimately *not* offered a position, so do with this review what you will. Remember, though, that no matter the strength of your candidacy, you are deserving of honesty and respect <3
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FAQ: **Is this all just sour grapes?** A: Partially yes, and partially no. While I’m a bit disappointed by the outcome (and VERY disappointed by the process itself), I believe it’s an important data point for potential applicants be aware of. And if anyone at IPI stumbles upon this, consider it “constructive” ;) feedback for the recruiting team.
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OK, let’s proceed.
THE GAUNTLET:
For a manager-level title, I had 9 separate interviews (the penultimate one being on-site). The overall disorganization was maddening.
The staff performing interviews were friendly overall, but each had a drastically different understanding of what this role would entail. This lack of consensus regarding my potential role/responsibilities made the interview process challenging.
Higher-ups framed the role as a director-level one, wherein I would be shaping the strategy of education overall; conversely, some of the staff scientists/team leads thought my role would primarily entail logistics (setting up the catering for educational programs was explicitly mentioned, for example (lol)). By the end, I was left with more questions than answers regarding what the hell I would actually be doing day-to-day.
(Also, one of the interviewers asked a question related to my potentially being “too young” for this role which: 1) I’m pretty sure is illegal; 2) I’m in my thirties (lol).
Probably 4 - 5 of these interviews had nearly identical questions and were therefore redundant. (I guess by the 5th time I had really ironed out my answers, though?) It begged the question: why not consolidate these into a single panel interview? This would have saved both parties significant time (*bombastic side eye*). Also, it would have alleviated some of the staff as well, whom I could tell were not sure what to ask me on several occasions.
A STRANGE LOOP:
The total number of interviews was unclear from the very start. After every 2 - 3 interviews, I would get an email from the recruiter asking to set up additional (1 to 2 to 3) meetings. Simply bizarre. I had so many interviews that I thought this education manager role might actually in fact be the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
I was constantly left guessing as to what the next steps would be. It hinted at a lack of a formal interview pipeline on their behalf, which felt frustrating and made me concerned about the organization of the company overall.
A FINAL, *VIBRANT* RED FLAG:
After my final interview with the CEO, I did not hear back for a week—UNTIL *I* FOLLOWED UP. At this point, I was told that a decision would be made after the Thanksgiving holiday. Sure, that’s understandable.
After Thanksgiving break, I received another email. . .AT LAST, A DECISION? Nice try, sweetpea.
Instead, I was reminded of the “very positive feedback” (rolling my eyes at this point) from my interviews and informed that a decision would be delayed by *another* 3-4 weeks. I was asked if this timeline worked for me. When I kindly stated that I needed a decision sooner, I was immediately rejected. Another candidate had been selected.
It’s of course understandable that I wasn’t the final choice. However, the sheer lack of clarity and the way decisions were repeatedly punted down the road were insulting. This was especially frustrating because I had been told multiple times that my interviews had gone well and that IPI remained “very interested in [my] candidacy” (even in the email just before my rejection!). I was strung along.
THAT’S LIFE:
I don’t have any pithy summary for this experience, but can confidently say this: when applying to IPI, demand clarity upfront. Go in with your eyes open. And don’t let the same thing happen to you! <3
