I responded to an online posting by submitting my resume and cover letter. I was contacted 1 week later to schedule a phone screen, which took place the following day. I spoke with an HR coordinator and was asked basic questions about experience and goals, and why I wanted to come to Brookings. One week passed and I was contacted to come in for an initial in-person interview, which I scheduled for the following week. I spoke with the person who had filled my role most recently, and a senior member of another team with whom I would be working quite closely. Beyond, "Tell us about your experience," and, "Why Brookings?" they had very few concrete questions. This seems to be common, so if you are interviewing at Brookings, remember that you will have greater latitude to control the conversation here than with other employees, and use that to your advantage. I asked many very specific questions about current goals and challenges, and was able to propose solutions to address both. After the first in-person interview, I was asked to complete an MS Word assessment and a writing assignment, both of which I was instructed to complete within 24 hours. This was absurd, and frankly disrespectful to demand of a working professional, so I negotiated for the time I needed. At the same time that I was invited to complete assessments, I was also contacted to come in for a 2nd round interview a few days later. I met with the person who would be directly supervising this role, and the head of the program. Again both conversations were extraordinarily open-ended and collegial. I was impressed that regardless of the title, record or prestige of the person interviewing me, I was treated as a serious administrative professional with valuable skills to offer, which is not the ordinary experience for an EA in DC. After the 2nd interview, I was asked to complete an official application and submit references by 5 PM that day. Again ridiculous, so again I had to negotiate for a reasonable timeline. I submitted the requested materials and then waited 2 weeks before emailing my HR contact to request an update. I was contacted a few day later and invited back for a third interview, this time to meet the rest of the team in a more relaxed social environment. I met with the team several days later, after which I was contacted within 24 hours with an official job offer, which I accepted, and instructions to complete a background check. The background check took a full week to complete, and my HR contact reached out to let me know my background check was complete, and to schedule my start date. I asked to wait 2 weeks to start, so that I could give my employer notice, and my start date was set for 2 weeks later. One note: If you have interviewed in person several times, it has been a few weeks since you've heard anything, and you are anxiously awaiting an update, please keep in mind that decision makers are often travelling, and that it can be difficult to get everyone in a room together to finalize a decision. Don't be afraid to reach out for an update. If you've made it that far, you're a serious contender, and it serves you well to indicate your continued interest.