I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Westat (Rockville, MD)
Interview
My initial communication with HR was very pleasant and professional. A few weeks later, I had an in-person interview which was delayed because one of the people I would be working with was out of town. A phone interview was set up with this individual for the day after my in-person interview. In the biggest display of unprofessional behavior that I have ever seen, not only was I not called at the specified time by this individual, but when I called and emailed HR that day to let them know what happened, I never received a response from them either. Situations like these communicate a lot about the culture of a company and the respect they have for their potential and current employees.
I applied online. I interviewed at Westat (Rockville, MD) in Jul 2012
Interview
I got a phone call from someone in HR wanting to ask "preliminary questions", but clueless as to which position she was calling about (I'd applied to more than one position there). The rep asked me about 6 questions and the phone call lasted about 10 minutes. She was very cheerful and polite. She ended by saying she would forward my information to the hiring manager and if like me, they'd contact me to schedule an in-person interview.
The next day, the rep called back saying they would like to interview me in a week and a half. The call was followed by a detailed but ambiguous email with directions and instructions (they asked me to bring my reference page). I went to the interview (still not knowing what position I was interviewing for because the rep still didn't know). I met with 5 different people and the entire process lasted three hours. They said they would contact me for a second interview if I was a good fit. Two days later, I found out (from my references) that they were checking my references.
Two weeks later I got a letter in the mail...rejected.
The interview questions were based on my resume about my past positions and experiences. The people I interviewed with were very warm and friendly.