Extensive and very organized interview process. First, I was phone screened by HR. Then I had a call with the hiring manager. I then took a personality test and had a day of in-person interviews - with the ability to meet with multiple team members and obtain a true feel for the role, the company as well as the client/client challenges and opportunities. After the in-person, I took a test and then received an offer.

I expected a tough interview process for a senior-level position with an agency like Edelman. It turned out to be challenging only because of their disorganization and toxic culture. For example, they vacillated back and forth on whether or not they were allowed to share the primary client the role was intended to support, which added unnecessary awkwardness throughout the process. In one interview I had to pretend that I hadn't already been told the name of the client, only for the next interviewer to then reintroduce the client by name. In the absence of thoughtful or specific questions, they assumed an "interview me" posture that (at first) appeared friendly and conversational but (I ultimately discovered) was actually intended to suss out my willingness to engage in shallow flattery of them and the agency. At the conclusion of the process — with zero basis in reality, or in any of the interviews — they bashed my character to an outside recruiting firm, playing on biased and bigoted tropes. The job looked great on paper, but I feel like I dodged a bullet in avoiding this toxic team.