I was working at BMS through a contracting company, when my Manager realized on the first day that I would be perfect for a different full time position that I had applied for two months previous. I neer heard anything back on the original application. The Manager contacted the Manager for the other position, and she came up from a NJ site the next day to meet with me. She asked if I would come to a NJ site to be interviewed by the team I would be working with, and I accepted. I went to NJ and interviewed with a great group of people as well as the Departmental Director. Questions were asked in both interviews about my skills, and some behavioral questions. It was professional and completely appropriate. They were very welcoming.
When the Manager I would be reporting to asked the HR Department why they never called me for an interview originally, they told her that my resume and application got "lost" in their system. They actually found it when they were asked to locate it.
I was called a week later by the Manager I would report to and she asked me if I would accept the position, and laid out the starting salary and basic benefits information, as well as the detailed requirements of the position. I accepted over the phone, background checks and reference checks were performed, and I began that position two weeks later on a Monday.
I didn't think I should have had to drive 3 hours each way to have the panel interview. That could have been done via video-conference just as effectively.