I applied online. I interviewed at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Washington, DC)
Interview
Initial interview round consisted of interviews with several panels within the division. They use a structured interview model, so interviewers are required to only use questions from the official interview book. This makes the interview somewhat stiff and it's harder to make a personal connection. On the other hand, it's intended to ensure a fair interview process, so it makes sense.
It took FOREVER before I got a call for the final interview (several months). I had assumed I just didn't get the job. The final interview was with two supervisors and followed the same structured interview format.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Explain a time when you had to research an entirely new topic and describe your research process step-by-step.
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Washington, DC) in Mar 2021
Interview
It was a two (2) part interview. The first interview was with two people who would likely be colleagues. The second interview was with directors or people who serve in more supervisory roles. The interviews were within a few weeks of each other. Both rounds were behavioral "Describe a time when...". The first round was the easiest because I expected the behavioral questions. I did not expect the same to happen on the second round. They did not stray from the questions even if I answered the question with a prior answer, which made it frustrating. You don't know if you didn't answer clearly or if they were just dead set on following the script.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Typical behavioral questions, both rounds.
Describe a time when...