It was a very concerning experience. They didn't ask questions that concern poverty, the motivation for why you want to join the project. I don't feel they are enthusiastic about solving poverty issues.
They began by asking: 'What do you know about this project?', 'Why do you think you're the best candidate?', and 'Where did you hear from us'?
After answering, they immediately jumped into 'fundraising is a requirement for this project and how you should do it'. It's not that I don't know how to do fundraising, but that you jump straight into it without be concerned with writing and advocacy makes you sound begging for money. I immediately called out, too, that fundraising is not a requirement but one of the criteria for the weekly assessment. They insisted it was a requirement despite not saying it in their website.
My questions to them were mainly about their feedback and support for us. It was completely unsatisfactory. They don't seem to be able to give us the journalists some insightful advice for us to advance in the industry. There's no punishment if you mess up, which sounds very unserious even for a NPO.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
'What do you know about this project?', 'Why do you think you're the best candidate?', and 'Where did you hear from us'?
I interviewed at The Borgen Project (Baltimore, MD)
Interview
They just asked me what I was looking to gain, and a little bit about myself. I thought they wouldn't get back to me because I did the interview in the middle of a restaurant, but I got an offer letter the next day.
I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at The Borgen Project (London, England) in June 2025
Interview
The interview was very brief, and the questions were fairly straightforward. It was a more laid-back and casual interview rather than something more formal, which is not a bad thing.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Will you be able to fit the internship hours into your week?
Tell me about yourself.