I applied online. The process took 5 weeks. I interviewed at Capital One (McLean, VA) in Oct 2019
Interview
I applied online and received an unscheduled call from a recruiter. He asked me a few questions about my background and after a quick conversation indicated that he'd like to move me forward to the next round.
The first case interview was a 30-minute phone call that consisted of a case that was a bit more difficult than the practice case they give you. There was almost no time spent on behavioral questions and they allowed me time to ask them questions at the end. During this case, I made a mistake and got lost in the math a few times but was able to correct the course. I got a phone call a few hours after this interview notifying me that I was invited to the Power Day in Virginia.
Capital One gave me a date about two weeks out and paid for my flight and hotel. The interview day was very structured and organized. All of the candidates were led into designated rooms where various interviewers come in and out to administer the rounds. I had two case interviews, and then a product interview.
Each round was one hour long and started off with a 10-15 minute behavioral component where they ask you a question and take notes. The case interviews were of a similar caliber to the initial phone interview and the practice case interview... and the math component will have some mix of algebra (e.g. turning fixed and variable costs into an algebraic equation so you can find a breakeven point) and weighted averages. I made a small mistake in both of my first two case interviews. I hadn't slept and would make small errors like adding instead of subtracting. If you do this, try to notice it beforehand and regain composure and solve it confidently. Luckily this did not preclude me from receiving an offer.
The product interview is interesting and there really isn't anything you can do to prepare for it. They'll be testing your brainstorming skills and common sense. If you really want to practice, think of a few common household objects (e.g. a backpack) and start quickly listing ways you would improve them. They'll go deeper into your suggestion list and ask how you'd implement these features and how you'd measure the success of these implementations.
After the interviews, we were led on a tour of the campus. Once you're done, you're taken back to your room and asked to wait for someone to give you an update. The two people in the rooms adjacent to mine left campus but a recruiter asked me to stay for another case interview. This case interview was more casual and not nearly as structured. The interviewer spent about half of the time selling me on the job and working at Capital One. I'm not sure what the reason behind the fourth interview is. Some say that the fourth interview means you're in, while others say it's administered if they're on the fence about you. I can say that of the three people I toured the campus with, I was the only one to receive an offer and the only one to receive the fourth interview. Another person who interviewed around the same time I did also received a fourth interview and an offer.
After my final interview, I waited about a week and a half to receive an offer. I know the candidates who did not receive offers heard back in two to three days.
Overall, I had a great interview process and it was actually one of my primary reasons for accepting. Capital One invests a lot of time, money, and resources into not only employees but job candidates. You'll feel like a priority while interviewing and the HR team is incredibly competent and timely in giving you updates.
When it comes to the case interviews, preparation is key to a good experience - this goes for both the interviewer and interviewee. However, in the first 60 seconds of my case interview, my interviewer admitted outright that they did not read the case file, and in fact, they did not even have it with them. So, I sat on the phone while they went to find it. Once they returned to the line, as you would expect, the interview felt rushed, disjointed, and at times, awkward. Given the amount of time invested in preparing, as well as a genuine interest in the company and role, it was very discouraging to receive the proverbial thumbs down following this experience. I realize this experience may be an anomaly. However, it’s worth noting that for at least some of BA management, this is the level of care they place in finding ‘the right fit’ and giving each candidates a fair shake.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Basic behavioral questions and a profitability case.
I submitted application online. The first round conducted in Hackerrank with 4 questions. Two database questions, and two programming questions. Then followed with a phone interview. After the phone interview is a case study, which needs to finish in 7-10 days.