I knew someone inside the company, and she recommended a specific position for me on the day that it was posted. I thought it was great, and I was very excited to join the company because they are an excellent company and have great opportunities to learn and advance my career.
Sometime in at the end of June, I received a call from the recruiter. The first interview with the recruiter was very standard. She asked about me, about my history, what I wanted in the position. I was honest with her and she was honest back, saying that the company was looking for someone with more experience than I had, but because this was an entry level position it might not be a major problem.
I was called into the regional office, where I met one of the regional data systems managers and one of the senior analysts. Both of those guys were fantastic, and they got me really excited to work with and for the company by talking about all of the stuff that they were about to unveil, the work that they were doing and the growth that they were experiencing. I left with stars in my eyes, and I thought that it would be a great position for me.
That was in mid July. I kept following up, every week, and was told that the process was delayed or that they were still waiting to hear back from the manager.
In the beginning of September, I was contacted for a second round interview, this time with an analyst manager from their home office in DC. The interview was actually postponed due to the Navy Yard shooting, and happened a few days afterwards. He talked with me about the company and about my experiences, then letting me ask him a couple of the questions that I had prepared for the interview. We thanked each other and hung up.
It is right now January. I have not yet heard back from them; reaching out to the HR representatives would receive delayed responses telling me that "they were working with some stuff" or that "they were very busy".
Needless to say, I've given up. (I have had 2 positions during the time I was waiting, one for a short time and now a more permanent position doing something Edelman Berland believe initially I lacked the experience for). Everyone was pleasant enough, but the fact that I had to wait for so long when almost every other company I applied to turned around employment answers in days rather than months (or flat out ignored me) should really be embarrassing.