I applied online. The process took 7 months. I interviewed at CS Stars (Chicago, IL) in Nov 2012
Interview
Applied online, was called about a week later to schedule a phone interview. After the phone interview, about two weeks passed before I was asked to schedule an interview in Chicago. After completing that interview, I waited a while and didn't hear anything back. I e-mailed the hiring manager and was told they wanted to hire me, but they would have to wait until January (I applied in November) when they would decide on the position. January came and I was told I would have to wait until February, but they did want to hire me. I was told the same thing in February and again in March and April. This company has no problem stringing you along and does not keep in contact. In May, I was informed that the program wouldn't exist anymore, but that they would like to hire me for another position and would get a hold of me shortly. No one ever did. Be wary!
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 4 months. I interviewed at CS Stars
Interview
To start, know that STARS requires a college degree to even be considered. If you apply, and if you hear back (it has gone as long as three months to less than a week for me), STARS hiring process starts with a logic test. You fail this test, you don't move forward. You pass, you get passed on from recruitment to the manager over the position you're interested in. From there they will recruit any number of internal colleagues at higher levels (usually 3-4) to phone interview with you (assuming they like you or want to talk, which isn't guaranteed). This process may take as long as two weeks depending on their schedules. You may also never hear back or not hear back consistently. Your follow up with the recruiter will go a long way toward keeping you in the loop. Remember names and ask for deadlines to help keep folks on their toes. Any good employer is going to like those traits anyway. Overall, the process was very typical of the big corporate world - overly complicated, long and drawn out, sometimes aimless. They kept bringing me in to find a place for me though, so after 4 interviews and months of back and forth I finally landed a job.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Nothing unexpected at any interview. All standard stuff - tell me about a significant accomplishment, tell me about a time you resolved a difficult problem, tell me about a time you failed and what you would do differently. It was pretty boring and routine. It will depend on the people you talk to - some are more laid back and straight shooting and others not so much.
I applied through university. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at CS Stars (Chicago, IL) in May 2011
Interview
The interview was only behavioral questions. However, I felt like the interviewer was quite new to the game. She paused quite a bit and did not provide feedback on my answers. I never got a reply from her after the interview even though she said she would be back to me within a week either way. I did send a thank-you follow up so I found it quite odd she did not respond. Overall, it was not a hard interview just akward. One of the questions asked was "How do you make decisions?"
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How do you deal with a conflict with a superior?
Name a time you made a goal. Did you achieve it? How?