HR screening, then several 30-minute remote interviews comprising one round. A mix of behavioral and think aloud questions. Communication was not ideal about the process and timelines; I received one of my interview invites 10 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Panel type interviews. Asked me a lot of good questions and the recruiter gave great feedback afterwards. However, my interview path was cut short by the unforeseen 2025 FINRA hiring freeze.

I've interviewed with FINRA on three separate occasions, and the typical interview format is: Round 1: Initial screening with HR Round 2: Interview with the hiring manager Round 3: Joint interview with the hiring manager and their superior, with questions focusing on skills and core competencies. While the process appears thorough, I would caution prospective candidates for the following reasons: -The interview timeline can be excessively lengthy and stretching over several months. - In my experience, HR has not adhered to promised update timelines. For instance, after a final-round interview, I was told by the hiring manager that HR would reach out with decision information "soon." However, two weeks passed without an update and, my follow-up email went unanswered. When I called to check on the status, I was informed that I had been declined and, the lack of communication was due to technical issue with their HR software. In all instances, I did not receive feedback on why I wasn’t selected from HR. However, during final round interviews, I sought feedback on my suitability for the role and received only positive responses which led me to believe I would receive an offer. After the interview process concluded, and I waited over two weeks for an update I was declined. Furthermore, through independent research I discovered that ALL the positions I interviewed for were filled by an internal candidate. FINRA HR team, if you are considering improvements to the hiring process, the following adjustments may enhance candidate experience: -If an internal candidate is preferred, consider posting the role on an internal job board exclusively for a defined period (e.g., two months). After this window, open the position to external applicants only. Based on my experiences, I perceive that external candidates are engaging in the interview process to meet procedural requirements, rather than for genuine opportunities. -Recruiters should honor their timeline commitments and provide constructive feedback, even for those not selected. - If a candidate requests feedback from a hiring manager, it would be helpful for responses to remain neutral or informative and avoid statements that might unintentionally convey false confidence.