I was shortlisted for the Communications Manager role in the UK, it took 3 weeks to hear back after submitting my application. I was asked to complete an intensive assignment involving several detailed tasks as part of a communications campaign. While I understand the importance of assessing candidates thoroughly to determine their suitability, the amount of work required for a pre-interview stage was quite extensive, especially without any guarantee of an interview. Unfortunately I did not move forward to the interview stage, but the feedback implied that my application was strong. Given the scope of the assessment and how time-consuming it is, I feel that it would be more appropriate to do this after an initial interview. It’s quite disappointing to see nonprofits requesting significant unpaid work upfront, especially from candidates who have already demonstrated their suitability.

The interview process was fair, thorough, and relatively quick. Questions were largely standardized with previous experience prioritized. Met with hiring manager, colleague panel, and director. Offer was fair for the industry.

It was long, with many rounds over many months. This also included preparing work for the interview, which took a while, but was also fine as I was super motivated about the role. The interviews took place over a long period, which is a good part of the process for others to be aware of. I'm not sure if all teams or departments are the same.