I was invited to interview by phone; there was no follow up interview in person. The interview took place midday with two managers on the line. They alternated to ask scripted questions and took time to record my response. There was no feedback and the lack of face-to-face interaction didn't allow me to gauge how well I was answering. Questions were clear and direct. They started with common questions like: "Why do you want to work for the Department of State?" and moved on to more challenging behavior-based questions that asked you to describe times in which you solved problems, used discretion to make a difficult decision, etc. The question that was perhaps most important is "Are you okay with doing a monotonous job that requires the same activity repeated over and over each day?" This job is tedious and is designed like a production facility. You are still applying and interpreting the law, but you are required to do so at a measured speed within predetermined rates of error. It can be stressful. After the interview, I was contacted a month later with an offer from DC. The job requires a background check like nothing in the private sector; it took months to complete. I was finally able to start working six months after my interview and eight months after first applying.

Interview was fairly short, about an hour. Interviewed with three different hiring managers with varying roles in the department. Interview was virtual. Questions were of STAR nature and seemed to assess a candidates character, analytical reasoning, and overall ability to contribute to a team.