Business Analyst - Procurement

ATK posted a job on my university's career website (non campus sponsored / non OCR / non ATK Target).

Submitted resume and received an email ATK recruiter about 2 weeks later invited to interview, over the phone, with a current Business Analyst. A few days later, had the phone interview. It went well, mostly behavioral, and how past internships related to ATK (I had done a sophomore summer with a F100 company that was using ATK as their operations / post merger consultant). A few days later, received an email that the conversation went well and that I would have another phone interview. Talked with an associate (who started as an analyst) - same behavioral type questions. A week later, i received an email from HR that I was invited to a super day in their Chicago HQ. It detailed the day (interviews in the morning - test in the afternoon). Booking for travel was through their corporate travel services / american express.

2 weeks later, I was on a plane to Chicago (Thursday night). The night before the interviews, all the candidates were put up in a hotel across the street (2 minute walk to the office). Next morning (Friday), roll call was 8am, intro was 830 and interviews started at 9. People in the interview varied from schools and experience: Some with 2 years consulting experience, some with none (like myself), some from Ivy/Target, some from non-target.

Introduction was from HR/recruiter I had been in conversation with past month. We all filled out applications together and learned about benefits, culture, etc.

At 9, interviews started. Each person was brought to a different room. Interviewers ranged from analyst (entry) up to principals and engagement mangers. There were 4 interviews, each about 45 minutes (until noon).

Behavioral questions were similar between interviewers. More senior members seemed to be more interested in sector knowledge and what sectors / expertise areas interested you most. Younger interviewers asked brain teasers (how many international flights in/out of ORD during the time of this interview) and case studies (a manufacture acquires a competitor and they hire you find synergies - what would you do?) There were no 45 minute case studies like other firms (Bain and Accenture) - just quick 5-10 minute (see where DC's are, check capacity - no calculations).

After morning interviews, brought back to conference room where we started our day and had a buffet style lunch where people that interviewed us, along with senior partners, joined. There was no plan - I think they just wanted to see how you would interact. Would you be shy and eat lunch by yourself? Or, would you take charge and talk with people? Personally, talked to a partner (didn't interview with) and engagement manger (did interview with) because it was in a sector / expertise I liked. MBA associates interviewing that day where also there.

After, from 1-5, there was a technical analysis test (MBA Associates had to give a presentation - analyze data, make recommendation, build a power point and sell management). The technical interview had to do Excel, VBA and Access. Some questions are "why would you use X?" Others were "open up file XYZ.xls. Determine where you could find synergies by taking data given to you by client in this access database." It test knowledge of basic excel functions (vlookup, sumif, etc) up to managing data in access and analyzing in Excel. The past summer, I was working for a Quantitative Research group at a bulge Bracket bank - and the test was hard.

After, we were informed that the head of the group was on an engagement and couldn't interview us, but we would have a phone interview with he/r the following week.

After, we were thanked for our time and people headed back to the airport to fly home. Before flying, however, we all joined a "Facebook Conversation" where we planned to keep each other in the loop. After our interview with group head, a few people in my group were "cut." A few days later, the remainder, minus me, were cut. So, from my super day, I was the only one in contention. I was contacted by HR and they told me they would get back in 2 weeks and that there were 2 other super days (one more in Chicago, one in Cambridge, Mass).

2 weeks flew by - no response. Emailed a follow up. Told another week. Another week (now in December with process that started in September with application) followed up...another week was needed. After a week, I had another interview with department head (not sure why - maybe they forgot about each candidate).

Finally, on Christmas Eve, I received a phone call from department head apologizing for the time explaining that it had to do with bad economy (remember, this was 2008) and company revising headcount and campus recruiting for 2009 starts.

Explained that I had already taken a job elsewhere. Only process that took longer was a lateral/experienced hire with Credit Suisse in 2013 that took 6 months from start to finish.