I applied online. The process took 2 months. I interviewed at Westat (Rockville, MD) in Mar 2011
Interview
First off I want to say that everyone I interacted with was very nice and polite. In all I had two interviews and an informal "interview" from HR (asking basic questions like "why do you want to work at westat", "how did you hear about westat" and some questions about previous employment). When I arrived for my in person interview is when I was told I would be in a group interview. All went well, except half way through I was told this was a general interview b/c a variety of positions was open. I thought that wasn't a big deal, and later that day I was called in for a second interview. It took about a month to get everything scheduled (westat does not do job interviews on Friday's, which made it a bit tricky since I was coming in from out of state). Needless to say when I got to the SECOND interview I was finally told what the position I was interviewing for. Unfortunately, I had no interest in the position they thought was a good fit for me. Too bad they wasted my time and their own. HR at Westat really needs to work on their communication skills. I will never reapply for any position in this company.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
None were difficult or unexpected. It was a cookie cutter interview.
There were 4 rounds of interviews with various members of the research team that asked about my experience that was relevant to the role. The first interview with with the HR representative and the rest of the interviews were with 1 or 2 members of the research team.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses?
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Westat
Interview
Typically 3-4 calls, 15-45 minutes each. HR screening, hiring manager, panel of 2-3 people in peer roles, sometimes upper management. Questions aimed assessing your experience and thought process. Generally pretty straightforward, nothing tricky.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Tell us about a research project you've worked on.
I met with several, friendly managers and directors. I had the chance to tell them more about myself, learn more about the company, and answer specific questions about potential roles.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Can you tell us about your familiarity with Excel?