The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian organization that responds to the world’s worst crises, helping people to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, IRC operates in over 40 countries, making an impactful difference through various aid programs.

Becoming a Business Analyst at IRC usually requires adeptness in data analytics, critical thinking, and a strong passion for humanitarian causes. This role involves working on diverse projects, contributing to strategic decisions, and utilizing data to drive efficiency and effectiveness in crisis response.

For those aspiring to join IRC, Interview Query offers a detailed guide to the interview process. This guide will help you understand the types of questions you might face and provide practical tips to prepare effectively. Dive in to discover how you can join a leading humanitarian organization and make a global impact.

Submitting Your Application

The first step is to submit a compelling application that reflects your technical skills and interest in joining International Rescue Committee as a Business Analyst. Whether you were contacted by an IRC recruiter or have taken the initiative yourself, carefully review the job description and tailor your CV according to the prerequisites.

Tailoring your CV may include identifying specific keywords that the hiring manager might use to filter resumes and crafting a targeted cover letter. Furthermore, don’t forget to highlight relevant skills and mention your work experiences.

Recruiter/Hiring Manager Call Screening

If your CV happens to be among the shortlisted few, a recruiter from the IRC Talent Acquisition Team will make contact and verify key details like your experiences and skill level. Behavioral questions may also be a part of the screening process.

In some cases, the IRC Business Analyst hiring manager stays present during the screening round to answer your queries about the role and the company itself. They may also indulge in surface-level technical and behavioral discussions.

The whole recruiter call should take about 30 minutes.

Technical Virtual Interview

Successfully navigating the recruiter round will present you with an invitation for the technical screening round. Technical screening for the IRC Business Analyst role usually is conducted through virtual means, including video conference and screen sharing. Questions in this 1-hour long interview stage may revolve around IRC’s data systems, ETL pipelines, and SQL queries.

In the case of business analyst roles, take-home assignments regarding product metrics, analytics, and data visualization are incorporated. Apart from these, your proficiency against hypothesis testing, probability distributions, and machine learning fundamentals may also be assessed during the round.

Depending on the seniority of the position, case studies and similar real-scenario problems may also be assigned.

Onsite Interview Rounds

Followed by a second recruiter call outlining the next stage, you’ll be invited to attend the onsite interview loop. Multiple interview rounds, varying with the role, will be conducted during your day at the IRC office. Your technical prowess, including programming and ML modeling capabilities, will be evaluated against the finalized candidates throughout these interviews.

If you were assigned take-home exercises, a presentation round may also await you during the onsite interview for the Business Analyst role at IRC.

Quick Tips For International Rescue Committee Business Analyst Interviews

• Understand the Mission: IRC places significant emphasis on its humanitarian mission. Understanding their goals and how your role can contribute to them will set you apart.
• Be Analytical: Prepare for questions that assess your analytical skills, including data interpretation and problem-solving scenarios. Review business analysis frameworks and tools.
• Technical Preparedness: Brush up on your technical skills, particularly SQL and data visualization. Ensure you are comfortable with data analysis and ETL processes.

Typically, interviews at International Rescue Committee vary by role and team, but commonly Business Analyst interviews follow a fairly standardized process across these question topics.

• How would you set up an A/B test to optimize button color and position for higher click-through rates? A team wants to A/B test multiple changes in a sign-up funnel. For instance, they want to see if changing a button from red to blue and/or from the top to the bottom of the page will increase click-through rates. How would you set up this test?

• Why are job applications decreasing despite a steady number of job postings? You are analyzing metrics of a job board. The number of job postings per day has remained constant over the last few months, but the number of applicants has been steadily decreasing. Why might this be happening?

• Can unbalanced sample sizes in an A/B test result in bias towards the smaller group? You need to analyze the results of an A/B test. One variant has a sample size of 50K users, while the other has 200K users. Can the unbalanced sizes lead to bias towards the smaller group?

• How can you check if assignment to A/B test buckets was truly random? In an A/B test, how can you verify that the assignment to various buckets was truly random?

• How would you assess the validity of an A/B test result with a 0.04 p-value? Your company is running a standard control and variant A/B test on a feature to increase conversion rates on the landing page. The PM finds a p-value of 0.04 in the results. How would you assess the validity of this result?

• What are the key differences between classification models and regression models? Explain the primary distinctions between classification and regression models, focusing on their objectives, output types, and typical use cases.

• What happens when you run logistic regression on perfectly linearly separable data? Describe the behavior and potential issues of logistic regression when applied to a dataset that is perfectly linearly separable.

• When would you use a bagging algorithm versus a boosting algorithm? Compare the use cases for bagging and boosting algorithms, providing examples of the tradeoffs between the two approaches.

• What’s the difference between Lasso and Ridge Regression? Explain the differences between Lasso and Ridge Regression, focusing on their regularization techniques and effects on model coefficients.

• How does random forest generate the forest, and why use it over logistic regression? Describe the process of generating a random forest and discuss the advantages of using random forest over logistic regression in certain scenarios.

• What are time series models and why are they needed over simpler regression models? Explain what time series models are and discuss why they are necessary when simpler regression models might not suffice.

• What happens when you run logistic regression on perfectly linearly separable data? Given a dataset that is perfectly linearly separable, describe the outcome of running logistic regression on it.

• What is the probability of rolling at least one 3 with 2 dice? You are playing a dice game with 2 dice. Calculate the probability of rolling at least one 3. Also, generalize the probability for (N) dice.

• Can unbalanced sample sizes in an AB test result in bias towards the smaller group? Analyze the potential bias in an AB test where one variant has 50K users and the other has 200K users due to the unbalanced sample sizes.

• What happens to the target metric after applying a new UI that won by 5% in an AB test? If a new UI tested on a random subset of users wins by 5% on the target metric, predict the expected change in the metric after applying the new UI to all users, assuming no novelty effect.

What is the average salary for a Business Analyst at International Rescue Committee?

Q: What is the interview process at the International Rescue Committee for the Business Analyst position?

The interview process at the International Rescue Committee typically includes several stages: an initial phone screen with HR, followed by one or more technical interviews with the hiring team, and a final round which may include a mix of behavioral and situational questions to assess cultural fit and problem-solving abilities.

Q: What are some common interview questions for the Business Analyst position at the International Rescue Committee?

Common interview questions for this role include behavioral questions, technical questions related to data analysis and reporting, and situational questions to understand how you approach problem-solving. Examples might be, "How do you handle tight deadlines?" or "Can you describe a time when you improved a business process?"

Q: What skills are required to work as a Business Analyst at the International Rescue Committee?

The key skills required for this position include proficiency in data analysis tools like SQL and Excel, strong problem-solving abilities, excellent communication skills, and a solid understanding of business processes. Experience with humanitarian or non-profit organizations is a plus.

Q: What is the company culture like at the International Rescue Committee?

The International Rescue Committee has a mission-driven culture that values diversity, collaboration, and a dedication to humanitarian principles. Employees are encouraged to be innovative, compassionate, and committed to making a positive impact on global communities in crisis.

Q: How can I prepare for an interview at the International Rescue Committee?

To prepare for an interview at the IRC, it's essential to research the organization's mission and recent initiatives. Practice common interview questions and review your technical skills in data analysis. Utilize resources like Interview Query to simulate the interview process and gain confidence.

As you prepare for your interview with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for the Business Analyst position, remember that thorough preparation is key. If you want more insights about the company, check out our main IRC Interview Guide, where we have covered many interview questions that could be asked. We’ve also created interview guides for other roles, such as software engineer and data analyst, where you can learn more about IRC’s interview process for different positions.

At Interview Query, we empower you to unlock your interview prowess with a comprehensive toolkit, equipping you with the knowledge, confidence, and strategic guidance to conquer every IRC Business Analyst interview question and challenge.

You can check out all our company interview guides for better preparation, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Good luck with your interview!