Grand Canyon University

Application

I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Grand Canyon University in February 2017.

Interview

I had an odd experience applying here, overall. I usually send in a "dummy" resume first, something very similar to my job experience but with a spoofed identity to see what they do or don't respond to. It was very nearly immediately rejected - something like a few hours passed before I got a "no thanks" email.

I looked for things the employer might be biased against to edit out. I dropped my first two jobs, which were in a more manual labor/service environment based on previous experience helping friends doctor their resumes for Grand Canyon and other similar "Sales, but we call it something different" jobs. Bingo! Grand Canyon is biased against people who had labor jobs, Lord knows why, but pretending I never broke a sweat while making money snagged a phone interview right away with identical practical experience.

This is where it gets pretty weird: I got the regular screening email. It's "can you work this shift, is this pay acceptable, can you commute to our location" stuff. It's designed for very basic answers, and it's pretty much binary. Either you are willing to take the job as it is, or you aren't. I filled out the form in a very basic, unobjectional way.

One day later they sent me a rejection letter. It was in fact the identical form rejection letter they sent my first "dummy" resume. Something turned them off, I guess? It would be useful to know what for future interviews, so I sent a letter asking what red flag had popped up and disqualified me. I was very politely told to screw off.

I've been rejected at first application before, plenty of times. I've been rejected less times at the interview stage. I've never had a screening call cancelled for no apparent reason before, though. Just overall very weird.

Anyway, tips! I have a few friends who have interviewed here before, so here goes:

They absolutely prefer you to either have a degree or be working on one. I had a friend get to the interview stage who had to explain his medically necessary year-long hiatus from his degree program, and that was enough to get a "We would rather have someone who is *actively* pursuing a degree, but thanks." rejection.

Grand Canyon hates people who had jobs they view dumb people to hold. If you want an office job, may moses bless you if you were a police officer or a carpet cleaner at some point. The base assumption made is that those people couldn't have done those jobs and still be capable typists or salespeople. Again, don't ask me why, because it's not my culture, but just edit those references out.

One friend who lived a few miles away was rejected for wanting to commute on a bike. He explained after being told that they needed "reliable transportation"(he lived a mile away and had a $1000 bike) that he also had a car, but preferred to bike for exercise when possible. It apparently soured the interview. He related that it had a very "bikes are for poor people" feel.

TL:DR; Grand Canyon set up and then reneged on a phone interview for reasons they refused to explain and were terse and unhelpful when asked why. Grand Canyon hirers for "desk jobs" will, based on the experience of me and a handful of friends, reject anyone who lists any kind of manual labor or service industry experience. One bicyclist friend was rejected for what appeared to be "bikes are for poor people" bias. Gaps in college education, even if well explained, will net you a rejection - pretend you are current and hope they don't check. Basically don't be poor, and don't have been poor at any time.

Interview Questions