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    The US Companies and Tech Giants with the Longest and Shortest Interviews

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    You’ve had the interview, and you’re pretty sure you smashed it. Now you’re just hanging on for the callback to let you know whether the job is yours.
    It can be an agonizing and frustrating experience. And, as this latest study from career.io shows, how long you have to wait depends on the company you want to work for. Using data collected and analyzed from Indeed, it ranks how long it takes many of the top US companies, tech giants, and restaurant chains to offer a job to interview candidates.
    Let’s take a closer look.
    US Companies with the Longest and Shortest Interview Processes
    It takes just under 40 days (39.27, to be exact) to land a dream job as an agent at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). That’s the longest interview process of any US company or organization included in the career.io study.
    And as well as being one of the longest interview processes, it’s also one of the toughest. Aspiring recruits are interviewed by a panel of three senior FBI agents. They must answer a series of behavioral and scenario-based questions designed to highlight their decision-making and ethical judgment.
    This is followed by a written test, an extensive background check, a physical fitness test with a 1.5-mile run, and a comprehensive medical exam.
    Pass all these, and you might get a shot at flashing that FBI badge. But you’ll have to be absolutely exceptional. The FBI acceptance rate for new applicants is under 5%.

    McDonald’s sits right at the other end of the scale. On average, no-experience-required jobs have an interview process that takes 5.32 days. So someone interviewing Monday could be flipping their first burger by the weekend.
    How long is the interview process at top US tech companies?
    Candidates applying for tech-based roles at Uber, Amazon, and Netflix get final answers less than 10-14 days after their first interview.
    NVIDIA is another company that has a swift selection process. Candidates interviewing at the hottest company in the world right now find out their fate within 15 days of the initial recruitment call.
    Then there are the big-tech names where things move a little slower. It takes candidates over 20 days to get hired at Google. It’s a complex and challenging interview process designed to test their behavioral and technical competencies. And, because it’s Google, interviewers like to throw in a few curveballs to identify the candidates who know how to think a little differently. Google interview brain teasers in the past have included questions like “How many golf balls can fit in a school bus?

    There are similar interview times at Apple and Oracle, where candidates can expect their interview journey to last between 22 and 25 days.
    So what’s the hold-up? Aren’t these the companies that like to move fast and break things?
    Well, not anymore. Or at least not when it comes to recruiting.
    Companies like Google and Apple started life as start-ups, but they’re now fully-blown corporate entities. That means they have to sift through a huge number of applicants, conduct comprehensive background checks and multiple interview rounds, and the final yes for new staff often requires multiple layers of approval.
    Interviewing for Jobs at US Restaurant Chains
    Restaurant chains live and die on how fast they can serve their customers. And they apply the same approach to hiring new staff, because this is one industry where hiring always happens quickly.
    Candidates who interview at Papa John’s, Jimmy John’s, and Subway usually get an answer within five days.

    Even restaurants with a longer interview process, like Starbucks and In-N-Out Burger, like to inform their candidates whether they have got the job within just over a week.
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      in Employer

      The Best (and Worst) US Companies to Work for as a Junior Employee

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      Does how long you work for a company affect how happy you are at that company?
      It’s the big question that inspired this latest research from the employment experts at resume.io. They analyzed thousands of Glassdoor reviews of the top 54 US companies and then created charts comparing job satisfaction levels among junior and senior staff members.
      Let’s take a look at the results.
      The best and worst companies for junior staff
      According to Glassdoor reviews, tech companies are creating the best environments for their junior staff. Big tech names like Salesforce, Google, and Microsoft top the list of best places to work for career newbies, with average Glassdoor reviews of 4.6 stars out of 5 from current or very recent junior staff.
      Other top scores include familiar names like Dell Technologies, Meta, and Apple.
      Tesla also made the top 10 list despite Elon Musk’s rather demanding management style. Musk banned all remote/homework opportunities at Tesla, telling staff who complained that they “could go and pretend to work somewhere else.” According to one rumor, he once threatened to fire a whole intake of interns for waiting too long in line for coffee.
      The food and beverage service industry is notoriously tough, especially for new starters. So it’s no surprise to see several well-known food/drink service brands on the list of the worst places to work as a junior staff member. McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Burger King scored poorly, with average Glassdoor ratings of 3.5 stars.
      How junior employee satisfaction compares to senior staff workplace satisfaction
      Next up, the study compared junior and senior levels of job satisfaction.
      They found a notable difference in companies like Tesla, Santander, and Oracle, where Glassdoor reviews show that the level of satisfaction among junior-level staff is markedly higher than that among senior staff.
      There’s a different story coming out of McDonald’s and PepsiCo, where senior members of staff report higher levels of workplace satisfaction. But that’s not a bad thing. In fact, it suggests that new employees staying at these firms can expect a longer and happier career in a work environment that supports them in the right way.
      The companies with the happiest junior employees
      Google has the happiest junior staff members. Analysis of its Glassdoor reviews from new staff members shows an average junior employee rating of 4.53 stars.
      “We move at the speed of light,” reads one review posted by a junior UX designer at Google. “But the work is exciting, meaningful, and never dull. Plus, we get tons of support and a never-ending supply of coffee and donuts.”
      Google’s values and culture also align with what many young people want to see in the workplace—more diversity and inclusion. A survey by the World Economic Forum found that over half of Gen Z workers would refuse to work for a company without a diverse leadership team.
      Tech companies where junior staff are happier than senior staff
      Tesla is a great company to work for as a junior member of staff. But stay too long, and you might start to feel a little jaded. That’s because Glassdoor reviews of the firm score far higher when posted by newer staff members. Overall, they are around 0.77 stars higher than reviews by senior staff at the electric car manufacturer.
      There’s also a similar sentiment at Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft, where junior staff report much higher levels of workplace/job satisfaction via Glassdoor reviews.
      Long-term job satisfaction for junior employees in the USA
      The last part of the study created a timeline of job satisfaction for junior employees, demonstrating how it changes over a five-year period.
      And it seems like new job enthusiasm is a very real phenomenon. An analysis of over 20,000 Glassdoor reviews posted between 2020 and 2024 reveals a steady decline in job satisfaction among new starters, falling from an average of 4.15 to 3.92 stars.

      Ashley Murphy of Resume.io graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Manchester. He began working as a freelance content writer in 2015. He specializes in technology, higher education, current affairs, the arts, and entrepreneurship.
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      in Workplace

      The RTO Tug-of-War: Large Employers Grapple with Return-to-Office Mandates

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      The post-pandemic return to work continues to be a battleground, with large employers caught in the middle.
      A recent trend – Return-to-Office (RTO) mandates – is seeing companies require employees to return to the physical office for a set number of days per week. While some see this as a necessary step to rebuild company culture and collaboration, others worry it disregards the benefits of remote work and risks driving away valuable talent.
      Many companies are implementing Return-to-Office (RTO) mandates, requiring employees to spend a certain number of days in the office. Here are some notable examples:
      Technology Giants

      Amazon: Requires most corporate employees to be in the office at least three days a week.
      Apple: Mandates employees to work in the office three days a week.
      Meta (formerly Facebook): Requires employees to be in the office at least three days a week.
      Microsoft: Has a hybrid work model but encourages employees to be in the office for in-person collaboration.

      Other Industries

      Disney: Has implemented an RTO policy for its corporate employees.
      Barclays: A UK-based bank, has mandated a return to the office for most employees.
      Asos: An online fashion retailer, has introduced an RTO policy for its staff.
      UPS and Boeing: Have implemented strict five-day-a-week RTO mandates.

      The Push for In-Person:
      Proponents of RTO mandates argue that in-person interaction fosters creativity, innovation, and a stronger sense of team spirit. Companies like Dell point to the value of spontaneous brainstorming sessions and mentoring opportunities that are difficult to replicate virtually. Additionally, concerns exist around maintaining company culture and ensuring effective communication when employees are scattered geographically. However, a recent report by the Stanford Graduate School of Business suggests that these concerns may be overstated, with studies showing that remote teams can be just as effective at collaboration when equipped with the right tools and processes.
      The Employee Exodus:
      However, many employees, especially those who thrived during the remote work era, are pushing back. A recent study by Time Magazine cited research showing a significant exodus of senior employees from companies with strict RTO policies. These employees cite factors like work-life balance, childcare challenges, and increased productivity at home as reasons for preferring remote work options. This talent drain can be particularly damaging for technology companies, which rely heavily on skilled professionals.
      Companies that lose talent due to RTO face significant consequences:

      Loss of institutional knowledge: Departing employees take valuable experience and knowledge with them, impacting the company’s expertise and innovation.
      Difficulty filling open positions: Finding skilled replacements in a competitive job market can be challenging, especially if the company’s RTO policy is seen as inflexible.
      Decreased morale and productivity: The remaining workforce might experience lower morale and decreased productivity due to feeling undervalued or facing increased workloads.

      Companies like Buffer and Automattic, once known for their successful remote-first models, saw significant talent departures after implementing RTO mandates. These cases highlight the potential cost of disregarding employee preferences for work flexibility.
      Finding a Middle Ground:
      The answer may lie in a hybrid model that allows employees to split their time between home and the office. This approach offers a compromise, balancing the benefits of in-person interaction with the flexibility and productivity gains of remote work. However, crafting a successful hybrid model requires careful consideration of factors like role requirements, team dynamics, and employee well-being.
      Microsoft offers a flexible approach, allowing employees to choose their work style based on their role and needs. They have designated “focus days” where in-person collaboration is encouraged, but also allow for significant remote work flexibility. Microsoft emphasizes clear communication and utilizes technology to ensure all employees, regardless of location, feel connected and included.
      The Future of Work:
      Who will thrive? Companies that can strike a balance between remote work flexibility and the benefits of in-person interaction are likely to succeed in the future.
      The future of work is not an either/or situation regarding WFH or RTO. A flexible, hybrid model that prioritizes employee well-being and fosters a productive and inclusive work environment is likely to be the most successful approach for companies in the years to come.
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