I applied through a recruiter. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at Capital One (McLean, VA) in Mar 2019
Interview
My first interaction with a Capital One recruiter was in Oct. 2018 when a recruiter reached out via LinkedIn for a role in Capital One Labs. Labs looks 3-6 months into the future to create new products and services. I was asked: How would you hire a developer? What would your coworkers say you do best? What would your coworkers say you can do better? If you could do one thing at work what would it be? If you never had to do one thing at work what would it be?
After that interview I was passed to another recruiter who told me about Power Day. These are interview days that they schedule 2-3 days per month. During Power Day you stay for up to 8 hours. There is a business case, product case, and design challenge. They provide you lunch. There can be hours long gaps between interviews. Luckily, I interviewed in Tyson's and could walk to the mall.
The Business Case was challenging. I think the key was to ask questions and allow them to see how you think. I struggled through the business case but the interviewer was great about it and helped me along.
I then had a role fit interview which was more of a conversation with the hiring manager. He asked about how I got into product management and told me about his background.
I thought the product case was fun and challenging. It lets you flex your creative muscles and solve a product challenge. It helps if you're familiar with the CIRCLES method and can identify the customer for the product.
The design challenge was also fun for me. It does require some advance prep. You need to research one of the topics they give you. You can conduct primary research or use secondary research. They really let you decided and I think the purpose is to see how you think about problems.
I felt that the product case and design challenge really gave me an opportunity to shine, more than a regular "Tell me about a time..." interview.
I passed Power Day but was told, unfortunately, another recruiter had filled the role but my resume would be on reserve for other opportunities.
My next interaction with Capital One was in March 2019 when a recruiter reached out to me via LinkedIn. I told her I had passed Power Day. When she went to look for me in the system she found that the last recruiter had never submitted my information for me to be considered for other roles. Once she verified I had passed Power Day we had a conversation. She asked me am I actively looking. (I was not.) Why Capital One? What do I want in my next career move? She told me they were identifying talent for new roles in product and she would socialize my resume with the hiring managers.
From socializing my resume I landed 2 interviews with hiring managers. One of the managers asked me to come in. Since I had passed power day I had more meet and greet meetings with team members and was given a tour of the building. I received an offer by June 2019.
I applied through college or university. The process took 6 weeks. I interviewed at Capital One (McLean, VA) in Oct 2019
Interview
I applied through my graduate program and heard back within a week or so of my application that my application was under consideration, with information on the process. I then did a 30-minute product interview in person that was very rushed and impersonal, which might have been a red flag, but I chalked it up to them being short on time for the day. I then was asked back to second round interviews in person at their McLean campus. My recruiter was very unresponsive, even though she offered to chat with me over the phone to prepare for the interview, which was helpful once we could actually schedule. When the in-person came, I had three interviews: a business case, product case, and a product "workshop" case. The product cases were fairly straightforward, but the business case was very long and convoluted. My interviewer was disorganized and the case was much more complex and specific than the recruiter had made it seem, so I felt under-prepared. I was told that I would hear back within a week, then did not hear anything for almost three weeks even after an email to touch base. I got a voicemail that my recruiter wanted to chat, but she ghosted me, even after calling her back twice. Incredibly frustrating experience - I came in expecting to really like them, and that really tarnished my perception of the firm and the brand.
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Capital One (McLean, VA) in Sep 2019
Interview
Starts off with a video face-to-face interview. Questions about yourself and a small case. Then you are called onto the McLean Campus for three case studies. The case studies include product case, design case, and a business analytical case.
Interview questions [2]
Question 1
Example: Look at these reviews and information about the DMV. Brainstorm ideas and talk us through what you would do to bring your product idea to market.