I applied to a few positions online, and after a couple weeks I applied to a couple more (some of the job listings were vague in description). From there I initiated contact and called the recruiting manager which started the process. From there I received regular emails and updates, the recruiter was very involved and certainly expressed interest in giving candidates plenty of guidance and advice.
My first interview was on the phone, the standard "getting to know you" and "tell me about yourself" talks, pretty straightforward. A week later, there was an on-site interview, about 3 hours of 2 on 1 interviews with various groups; these were more focused on gauging your technical skills, interest and knowledge of the company, and overall personality fit. Pretty long session, but very relaxed conversational atmosphere.
Not long after, I got a call back from the recruiter saying my interviewers thought I was over-qualified for the position and that I'd get bored. Much to my surprise, the recruiter himself researched and presented me with another position (how often do you get 2nd chances during interviews??). I approved and was scheduled another on-site interview with another team.
This interview was much more involved: I was given a challenge assignment to complete with a sample dataset and open-ended directions. The main focus was to test your strengths in data mining and story-telling given minimal direction. I started the day with a presentation of my findings, and rounded out the remainder of the session with lunch and final interviews.
I was ultimately informed that they made the offer to another person and he/she accepted. Overall, it was a lengthy and tiring process, but I can certainly appreciate their efforts to find the right talent.
