I got a lead for this opportunity through a friend who knew someone leaving this position. She put me in touch with the guy and he liked my resume and said he felt like I had a good shot at the job. He then passed me on to one of his counterparts and this guys sent me a link to apply for the job. I filled out the online app and waited about 2 to 3 weeks for the phone interview. The lady who interviewed me asked me several situational based questions and passed me through to the 1:1 interview with the district sales manager. She told me to be prepared for the STAR method inteview questions i.e. "tell me about a time when you failed to get an order. What did you do to turn the situation around?". I had the 1:1 interview the following week with the District Sales Manager from New Orleans. He interviewed me for 1 hour and 15 minutes and it was pretty intense. I did the best I could and felt like I interviewed well, but at the end of the interview I could tell he was probably not going to hire me by some of the things he said and his body language. Then...it was crickets for the next 3 freaking weeks. I finally called the lady in Chicago who I'd phone interviewed with and she informed me they were moving forward with another candidate. It turns out they headhunted the position and hired a 24 year old with a masters degree away from UPS. I didn't appreciate being left twisting in the wind for that amount of time. I also have heard they are going after a younger demographic, so that would've been nice to know since I am 41. I was told that the DM felt like I was more of a manufacturers rep and didn't have the right kind of experience selling solutions, but they put you through a 14 week training program, so I think I would've had to learn how to do it their way anyway. Such BS...I wasted a lot of time and lost a lot of sleep waiting for some sort of feedback, and if I hadn't called myself I may never have formally learned I didn't get the job. I never received a formal letter or email telling me 'thanks, but no thanks'. This is a huge company, and since this is a down economy they can pick who they want. I've heard that people who've worked there for years have left because things are changing for the worst and they weren't happy.

The hiring process was a pretty smooth transition, I had an email sent to me by a recruiter, I replied to the email and the recruiter called me by phone around 11a and set up a phone interview later that day by 4p with the recruiting specialist, she loved our call and passed me on to the next step. Which was an in person panel interview for the next day with the sales manager, the regional sales manager, and the recruiter I had my initial phone interview with, it was the typical STAR interview questions, but I did well, because I was prepared and I know my experience well! They of course loved me, because I had everyone laughing in the interview! The total interview lasted 40 minutes! Was called that same day by 6:30p and was extended an offer! I accepted!