What it tests

Content creation quality, strategic thinking behind community decisions, and ability to apply data analytics to community and content strategy

Format

1Candidate receives a take-home assignment after two phone screens (recruiter call + hiring manager call) — typically a content creation exercise tied to the company's community and audience
2Candidate has 48-72 hours to complete and submit the assignment
3On-site interview (7 rounds) includes a dedicated 45-minute session where hiring manager runs a deep dive on the thought process behind the take-home — why they made specific choices, what data would validate those choices, what they'd change
4Separate session with Director-level interviewer focuses on how the candidate applies data analytics when crafting content and community strategy

What to look for

Can they articulate WHY they made creative choices — not just what they made, but the strategic reasoning behind format, tone, and targeting?
When asked 'what data showed this approach might fail?' — do they have an answer, or do they deflect to 'I haven't seen the data yet'?
Do they distinguish between vanity metrics (likes, shares) and signal metrics (returning members, DM-initiated conversations)?
Does the take-home show authentic voice and brand alignment, or does it read like a generic content brief?

Adaptation guide

Replace the take-home topic with a real content brief your team is working on — a product launch announcement, a community welcome series, or a re-engagement campaign. Evaluate not just the output but the strategic memo candidates attach explaining their reasoning.

Full description

Format:

Candidate completes a content creation take-home assignment after passing two phone screens
48-72 hours to submit — the brief mirrors real community content your team produces
On-site includes a dedicated deep dive: hiring manager walks through the take-home with the candidate, probing the strategic reasoning behind every choice
Second session with a senior leader focuses on how the candidate would apply data analytics to validate and iterate on the strategy

Time: 72 hours (take-home) + 60 minutes (on-site debrief)

What to look for:

Can they explain the WHY behind every creative choice — not just what they made?
Do they know which metrics signal community health vs. which are vanity?
When their take-home approach is challenged, do they defend with logic or fold immediately?
Does the work show real voice and brand understanding, or generic content instincts?

Adaptation: Use a real open content brief from your team as the take-home prompt. Ask candidates to attach a 1-page strategy memo to their submission explaining audience assumptions, channel rationale, and success metrics.