3 rounds of interviews-phone, group interview, and teach back. The phone interview was standard. The second interview was a conversation with the Director. The final interview involved creating a presentation and teaching a lesson to current members of the staff.

I was contacted by a Per Scholas (PS) recruiter in the Fall of 2021. The opportunity sounded interesting, offering a chance to be part of PS one of their expansion locations. We had a good first conversation and my resume was forwarded to the hiring manager. Unfortunately, I was out of the country for about 10 days but I maintained contact with the hiring manager and recruiter, with both (especially the hiring manager) continually stating how they wanted to be sure they set up interview at a mutually convenient time upon my return. The second interview was with the hiring manager and another high ranking person in the organization. The interview (virtual) went on for almost two hours and I thought everything was going well. However, I was asked some job research/networking info, the kind of info and data one would use for this fundraising specific job. The high ranking person appeared to take detailed notes on this during the interview. All parties continually re-iterated their immediate need to fill this position and the two interviewers did seem overworked. I was told next steps included some sort of thought/performance exercise and more virtual interviews “in a few weeks” (the preferred ghosting phrase of many employers). About one week later, the recruiter contacted me to take a short personality test (PI), one I have taken for other jobs. Then, NOTHING… I contacted the recruiter “a few weeks” later for a status update and was told that since it was December, next steps would not occur until the 2nd or 3rd week in January. But, it is now March and nothing…not even a form letter/email style rejection. I was initially impressed by this organization and its people and mission. But now, I am extremely disappointed in Per Scholas and its hiring practices. Perhaps since they have partnered with the NFL (ads shown during the playoffs), their need for fundraising has decreased, or maybe some friend of a senior staff member needed a job (as I have been told for other jobs I interviewed for at other non-profits), or maybe they were just using me and other candidates to fill interview quotas or glean information about potential donors in their new location. Or better yet, they have re-structured the position with the same duties but at a more junior level, so they can save money on salary. I DO NOT recommend interviewing here unless you really enjoy being strung along and ghosted.