Questionnaire and Phone Interview The phone interview was not a positive experience because the interviewer was doing much of the talking. It was not a Q&A type interview, but more of a "how can I up you with my knowledge and background" type conversation. I would have to consistently butt into her continuous ramblings of the company, position, and her own background and experience in order to relay my own experience and background. The only question I remembered was: 1) what type of positions are you currently applying for. For the most part it was her telling me what they were looking for and me having to butt into to tell her how I met those qualities. I honestly was not intimidated by the "Senior Acquisition Manager", but left thinking wow, there needs to be quality control system implemented with the interview system. Judging from the other reviews, it seems like their interview protocol/style needs much revision! At the end, she was talking about salary and how I would probably start in the high end, but the salary range was not something I was looking for.

I went through a long interview process for Cognella, for the position of Project Editor. Phone interview, thorough questionnaire, two in-person interviews. Everyone I spoke with at the company was friendly and accessible. I felt like Bassim (CEO) went out of his way to make himself available and answer any questions. They kept stressing honesty and their company culture throughout. I was very honest with them throughout the process, and they admitted that I had a solid skill set, but didn't hire me because of a "gut instinct." They also require 40-45 hr/wk 8 months a yr and 45-60 hr/wk 4 months a year (busy season), so even though the salary seems competitive for the industry, when you do the math and break it down hourly, it's really not that great. Their benefits package also doesn't cover spouses, offers only a PPO, and they wouldn't tell me the name of the provider. During the interviews, I was surprised at how shabby some of the people interviewing me were dressed, while others looked like they were dressed to go shopping on NYC's 5th Avenue. Again, everyone was friendly, and I harbor zero resentments about not getting the job; I actually trust their gut instinct. I have a new baby and honestly need a job that pays more per hour for it to be worth my time. This seems like a company of mostly young people, probably recent grads who are just getting their feet wet, and I couldn't help feeling overqualified for the position. I would recommend this company to recent college graduates who are looking to break into publishing. Everyone here seems really friendly and willing to go out of their way to help. Best of luck to you, job seeker, and to you, Cognella. I'm optimistic about this company's future and wish them only the best.