20 MDRC Interview Questions and Answers

MDRC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit social policy research organization dedicated to learning what works to improve the well-being of low-income people. They design and evaluate programs and policies to improve the economic and social conditions of low-income families in the United States.

If you’re interested in working for MDRC, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions about your qualifications, experience, and goals. In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of sample MDRC interview questions and answers to help you prepare for your interview.

MDRC Interview Process

The interview process at MDRC can vary depending on the position you are applying for. For Research Assistant positions, the process usually begins with a phone screening, followed by one or more in-person interviews. For Technical Research Assistant positions, the process may also include a technical exercise. The entire process can take several weeks to months.

1. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing education today?

This question can help the interviewer get a sense of your passion for education and how you might approach challenges in the field. When answering, it can be helpful to highlight specific issues that are important to you or that you have experience with.

Example: “I think one of the biggest challenges facing education today is making sure students from all backgrounds have access to quality teachers and resources. I’ve worked with several organizations that aim to provide equal opportunities to underserved communities, and I believe this is an issue we need to address at every level. In my last role, I helped develop a program that provided free tutoring services to low-income families.”

2. How would you describe your research style?

MDRC is a research organization, so it’s important for employees to have the right style of working. This question helps interviewers understand how you work and what your strengths are. Your answer should include an example of a project you worked on that required this type of research.

Example: “I am very organized when I do my research. I like to create checklists with all the steps I need to complete before starting a project. I also find it helpful to use different colors to separate each step. For instance, I might use blue for literature review, green for data analysis and red for writing up results. This helps me stay focused and ensures I don’t miss any steps.”

3. Describe a time when you were able to successfully communicate with someone who was difficult to understand.

An interviewer may ask this question to assess your communication skills and how you interact with people who have different backgrounds or experiences than you. When answering, it can be helpful to describe a specific situation where you had to work with someone who was difficult to understand and the steps you took to ensure that you understood them and they understood you.

Example: “I once worked with an older gentleman who spoke very slowly and sometimes mumbled his words. I made sure to always speak clearly and repeat myself if he didn’t seem to understand what I said. I also asked him questions so that he could practice speaking more clearly. After working with him for several weeks, he began to speak much more clearly and we were able to communicate effectively.”

4. Tell us about a time where you had to make an important decision without having all of the information available.

This question can help the interviewer understand how you make decisions and whether or not you have experience making important choices. Use examples from your previous work to highlight your critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities and ability to make quick decisions.

Example: “In my last role as a research analyst, I was tasked with analyzing data for a project that focused on improving education in low-income areas. The client wanted us to focus our efforts on one specific area of improvement, but I knew we needed more information before making such an important decision. I presented my findings to the team and recommended we expand our scope to include multiple areas of improvement. My colleagues agreed, and we were able to provide better solutions to improve education in these communities.”

5. Do you have experience conducting interviews and surveys?

Interviewers may ask this question to see if you have experience with conducting interviews and surveys. This can help them determine whether or not you are qualified for the position. If you do have experience, share a time when you conducted an interview or survey and how it helped your team.

Example: “I have done both in my previous role as a research analyst. I was responsible for interviewing parents of children who were enrolled in our program. I also surveyed teachers to get their feedback on the program’s effectiveness. Both experiences helped me understand what we needed to improve and how we could make our program more effective.”

6. If hired, what is something you would like to work on at MDRC?

This question is an opportunity to show your interviewer that you have ideas for how you can contribute to the company. When answering this question, it’s important to be specific and highlight a skill or quality that you feel makes you a good fit for MDRC.

Example: “I would like to work on improving our communication with clients. I think it’s important to keep them informed about what we’re working on and when they can expect results. If I were hired here, I would create a monthly newsletter that informs clients of new projects and updates on current ones.”

7. Would you be comfortable working in a team setting?

MDRC is a collaborative environment, and the interviewer may want to know if you’re comfortable working with others. This question can also help them determine whether your personality would fit in well with their team. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention how much you enjoy collaborating with others and what makes teamwork so enjoyable for you.

Example: “I love working in teams because I find that collaboration helps me learn from my colleagues and provides more opportunities to develop new ideas. In my last role, I was part of a small project team where we worked together to create solutions to our client’s problems. We each brought different perspectives to the table, which helped us come up with unique solutions.”

8. Are you familiar with Microsoft Office Suite?

The interviewer may ask this question to see if you have experience using the software they use at MDRC. If you are not familiar with it, consider asking them what type of software they use and how often you would need to use it in your role.

Example: “I am very comfortable using Microsoft Office Suite. I used it throughout my undergraduate studies and during my internship at a hospital where we used it daily. I also completed an online course on Excel last year that helped me learn more advanced functions.”

9. Why do you want to work here?

This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your interest in working at MDRC. They want to know what you like about their organization and how it fits with your career goals. To answer this question, think of two or three things that really stood out to you when researching MDRC. Try to focus on positive aspects such as awards won or innovative projects they are involved in.

Example: “I was drawn to MDRC because of its reputation for being an innovative research organization. I am passionate about finding solutions to social issues, so I would love to work here to help develop new ways to improve people’s lives. Another reason I’m interested in working here is because of the company culture. When I read through employee reviews, everyone seemed happy and excited to be part of the team.”

10. Can you tell me about a time when you worked on a project that did not go as planned?

This question is a great way to see how you respond to challenges and adversity. It’s important to be honest in your answer, but also show that you learned from the experience.

Example: “I once worked on a project where we were trying to increase sales for a local business. We had been working with them for several months, and they weren’t seeing any results. I decided to go into the store myself to try to figure out what was going wrong. After talking to the owner, I realized that he wasn’t using our strategies at all. He thought we were just giving him advice about his marketing plan. Once I explained everything more clearly, he started implementing our strategies and saw immediate results.”

11. When was the last time you had to deal with a difficult client or situation?

This question can help the interviewer get a better idea of how you handle conflict and challenging situations. It’s important to show that you’re willing to take responsibility for your actions, learn from mistakes and move forward with your career.

Example: “In my last position as an assistant manager at a restaurant, I had a difficult situation where one of my servers was consistently late to work. This led to other employees having to cover their tables, which affected our ability to provide quality service to all of our customers. After talking with the server about her tardiness, she informed me that she was pregnant and experiencing morning sickness. She also told me that she would be able to adjust her schedule so that it wouldn’t affect her job performance.”

12. What type of work environment do you thrive in?

MDRC is a fast-paced environment, and the interviewer wants to make sure you’re comfortable with that. They also want to know if you have any experience working in an open office setting or collaborating with remote teams. Your answer should show your ability to work well under pressure and collaborate with others.

Example: “I thrive in a collaborative work environment where I can bounce ideas off of my colleagues. In my last role, I worked remotely for two weeks at a time while traveling to different locations across the country. This was challenging at first, but I learned how to communicate effectively through video conferencing software and email. I’m looking forward to applying these skills again.”

13. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your manager, how did you handle it?

This question can help the interviewer understand how you handle conflict and disagreements. It can also show them how you work with others to find solutions. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a time when you were able to come to an agreement or compromise with your manager.

Example: “When I first started working at MDRC, my manager asked me to complete a project that was due in two weeks. However, I had another project that was due in one week. I spoke with my manager about the situation, and we decided that I would focus on the shorter deadline while still making progress on the longer one. This helped me avoid any stress of having too much work.”

14. Give an example of a time when you were successful at getting a large donation.

This question is a great way to show your ability to work with donors and sponsors. It also shows the interviewer that you have experience working in fundraising, which can be an important part of this role. When answering this question, it’s important to highlight your communication skills and how they helped you secure the donation.

Example: “In my last position as a fundraiser for a local nonprofit, I was able to secure a $100,000 donation from a wealthy benefactor. This was a huge accomplishment because we had been trying to get this donor to donate for years. I used my interpersonal skills to build a relationship with the donor. Then, I presented them with information about our organization and what we were doing to help people in the community. After hearing more about our mission, the donor decided to make the large donation.”

15. Have you ever been in a position where you needed to convince people to believe in something they didn’t initially?

This question can help interviewers understand how you might approach a challenge at MDRC. Your answer should show that you are willing to take on challenges and convince others of your ideas or opinions.

Example: “When I was working as an assistant manager, my team and I were tasked with creating a new marketing campaign for our company’s product. We had several different ideas we wanted to try out, but the CEO only approved one of them. My team and I needed to come up with a way to convince him to approve all of our ideas so we could test them out and see which ones worked best. After some discussion, we came up with a compromise where we would implement two of our ideas and then use the results to determine which idea was most effective.”

16. What areas of education interest you most?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have a passion for education and how it relates to their organization. If you are applying for an educational research position, your answer should reflect that interest. You can also use this opportunity to show your knowledge of MDRC’s work in education by mentioning one or two projects they’ve completed.

Example: “I am passionate about helping students who struggle with reading comprehension. I think there is so much we can do to improve literacy rates among low-income families. In my last role, I worked on a project that helped teachers develop strategies to teach reading comprehension skills to students at all grade levels. This was especially helpful for students who were struggling to understand what they read.”

17. What was one thing you learned from a previous job that helped you succeed at your next job?

This question can help the interviewer get to know you better and understand what skills you’ve developed over time. It also helps them see how your previous experience might be applicable to this job. When answering, think about a skill or quality that helped you succeed in your last role.

Example: “In my last position as an assistant manager at a restaurant, I learned how important it is to delegate tasks effectively. One night when our head chef was out sick, I had to take on all of his responsibilities. This included delegating tasks to other kitchen staff members so we could still serve customers their meals. I learned that delegation is key to managing multiple projects.”

18. What kind of connections do you have with the community? How involved are you?

MDRC is a nonprofit organization, so it’s important that you have some kind of connection to the community. This question helps employers see if you’re willing to get involved in your local community and how much time you’ll be able to dedicate to MDRC. In your answer, explain what kind of connections you have with the community and how often you participate in events or volunteer opportunities.

Example: “I’m very active in my community. I’ve been volunteering at the local food bank for five years now, where I help organize donations and serve as an event coordinator. I also coach my son’s soccer team, which has helped me make many new friends.”

19. What process and planning would you do to prepare for an upcoming class you were teaching?

This question is a great way to show your ability to plan and organize. It also shows the interviewer how you would prepare for an upcoming project or task. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention specific steps you would take when planning for a class or event.

Example: “I always start by researching what my students are currently learning in their other classes. I find that having a good understanding of where they’re at helps me better explain concepts and ideas. Next, I create a lesson plan with objectives and activities that will help students learn the material. Finally, I make sure all materials needed for the class are ready before the first day.”

20. What is your approach to handling sensitive issues?

MDRC is a nonprofit organization that works with government agencies and private companies to address social issues. Your answer should show the interviewer how you handle sensitive situations, such as conflict resolution or addressing ethical dilemmas.

Example: “I believe it’s important to be honest when working with clients. I would never sugarcoat my answers or give them false hope. If I had to tell a client that their project was not going well, I would explain why this is the case and what we can do to improve it. This approach has helped me build trust with many of my clients over the years.”