I had a phone screen with HR, which I thought went well. They were easy to talk to and seemed happy enough with my qualifications to continue to the next stage. The next stage was completing an assessment to evaluate my ID skills. At this point I had not spoken to anyone in the department I applied to, only the HR recruiter. I was told the assessment would take 2-4 hours. In my opinion that's excessive, especially considering I know nothing about the position aside from what the job description and recruiter said. The other ID interview post on this site indicated that after this 2-4 hour assessment there is still three rounds of interviews. And that’s if they were happy about the results of this assessment. At this point, I decided against continuing in the hiring process. My suggestion to MATC, if they should read this, is to modify your hiring process. Assessments in this field are rare, and typically only occur for senior level hires (this position was entry/mid level). Most employers will ask for a portfolio instead, and follow up if they have any questions. If you do insist on an assessment, consider moving it towards the end of the hiring process when you are down to only a handful of candidates. Asking someone to give you 2-4 hours of work before the hiring manager will even speak to them (which is not even guaranteed) gives the impression you do not respect candidates’ time.

Initial Screening: A phone or video call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss your background, experience, and interest in the role. They will ask general questions to assess suitability and provide more information about the company and role. First-round Interview: A detailed conversation, in person or via video conference with the hiring manager and instructional design team member. Expect questions about previous work, projects, instructional design approach, and familiarity with relevant tools. Behavioral questions may also be asked to evaluate problem-solving skills. Skills Assessment or Presentation: Next is a skills assessment exam. This is two parts. First is a proofreading exam and the second is to create a sample module Storyline to showcase abilities in analyzing learning needs, designing effective learning experiences, and presenting information clearly and engagingly. Second-round Interviews: Additional interviews with instructional design team members, other department stakeholders, or senior leadership. They will explore technical skills, teamwork experience, and understanding of company goals and culture.