I met with a local FA in my area. They helped me start my application and I went home to finish the rest. After that, a hiring specialist contacted me via email to pick a time and date for a phone interview. The phone conversation was about 90min. The first 20min was a general overview about my resume; basically, just have me explicate some of my education/job experience. The remainder was the actual phone interview. This aspect is a behavioral interview. With questions like, "tell me about a time...." I would google behavioral interview questions before the phone interview. Once that is done and you pass (they tell you at the end of the phone interview if you will more forward--if they say they will be in contact, you didn't get it), they submit a background check (email you a form you fill out and fax/email back). Once your criminal side is done, you are sent on your survey. They ask you to pick a number and you go out and meet people to get their name and phone number. I would advise you do MORE than you say. Also, expect it to take some time (a full day at least). I went in the morning then again in the evening (catch the people that were gone during the day). This is a good exercise because this is what you will be doing if hired. You have to make 25 contacts a day (name and # = 1 contact). After you do this, you go in for a final face-to-face interview with a local vet FA. They drill you with a bunch of questions like "how will you grow your business" and "what makes you stand out from all the other applicants" etc, etc,. Once the face-to-face interview is done, your hiring specialist will contact you within 5 days to let you know if you have an offer (which is based on your phone interview, survey, face-to-face, and background check--they check EVERYTHING!!! From work and credit to education they will contact each job you went to to verify your position, pay, duties, dates worked, and if they would hire you again. As for education, they will contact your schools to verify dates and graduation. It's very tightly regulated, so don't lie or you're dead in the water with no offer. This goes for any firm however.
If you are granted a position (congrats!), there are many more steps, but they will fill you in on that when they do a "welcome call" to offer you a job. At which point you pick your location (since your base pay for the first year depends on your location). You pick 2 locations within 45min of each other. After that you are given a date to start studying. Expect it to be about 1 month away from the time they call you to offer you the job. Just expect to be very very busy for the first few years as you grow your business. Honestly, 6 days a week at around 65-70hrs.
Overall, It's long and a bit tough. They are very tight and will know if you're lying. They ask about 5 follow-up questions to every question they ask during the interview. I mean, only 10% of people get hired. Just be prepared and don't lie and you will do fine. If you have any criminal record what so ever--you're done. If you have over $1000 collections--you are done. If you lie about months worked--you are done.. Very very well researched process.