I applied online. I had a short phone call to set up an in-person interview. The CEO was very clear that that was in in-person-only position, as the editor would need to "watch over and guide all the freelancers there." The first thing I noticed when I walked in for the interview was that there was only one other person there. I thought that a little odd. Where are all these freelancers that would require me coming into the office every day?
The first thing I did was take an AP style test, and there was also a test on grammar and structure, where one needed to identify appositive phrases and the like.
In the actual interview, the CEO returned from lunch, as did one other person (who was not a freelancer). I then talked with the CEO, who would ask questions like what are the most important elements of a story, and how would you figure out your job if the lead editor left all the sudden. It felt like they were searching for some weird correct answer, and they clearly weren't pleased with whatever it was I said.
In the end, they said they were going to make a decision real soon. And then I never heard from them again. No phone call or email to even tell me they moved on with someone else. I thought about touching base, but I also didn't really want to work there after checking it out, and now that I have read other reviews (something I didn't do before my interview), I am glad they ghosted me.
Based on my off vibe I got and the other reviews, I think it's not the freelancers that need watching by the editor, but the editor that needs watching by the CEO. Very much an environment where the employees can't be trusted to get their job done without the oversight of Big Brother in the office. Bullet dodged.
