Applied to a job that required "1-2 years admin experience with experience in HR or recruiting preferred, degree in HR preferred but not required". Basically it is the most entry level position in the HR/Recruiting function. I had recently completed a degree with HR management concentration and had about 2 years experience working in an HR department, some of that experience doing recruiting and hiring. I also had about 5 years of general admin experience. Before I'd gone back to school to change my career to HR, I'd worked in the sciences for 8 years. I figured that Thermo Fisher being a scientific laboratory supplier, that background before my career change it would would only help rather than hurt me to mention it. Right after I applied, I had a phone interview and initially good follow up communication by a "recruiting coordinator". The only thing off was that she told me the hiring rate was $2 per hour less than the low end of the rate advertised online. About one week later, had a phone interview with a Regional HR Director. Follow up by her 2 days later, telling me the interview was very favorable and I'd be getting a call from the local HR Manager to schedule an onsite interview. Then silence for a few weeks. Then more follow up by the regional HR person, saying that the manager was "very busy, but definitely would call me". She did mention something about how the local HR Manager was "concerned about my scientific background, she was looking for someone with only an HR background". I mentioned that my scientific background was before a complete career change, that I had no plans to go back to my old career, and that over the last five years I'd worked exclusively in admin and HR positions and even completed a second college degree. The regional manager said that yes, she agreed I was very qualified for the position being offered. That day someone from the company viewed my LinkedIn profile (which strongly highlighted my recent degree in HR and also listed all of my past employers from both careers). About a week later, the regional manager called again to tell me that the interviewer would be scheduling with me within a few days, and to emphasize my HR education and experience in the interview. She also told me something about TFS being a global company and to ask questions about that. That day I wrote the recruiting coordinator with a question about the company culture. She gave me an answer that did not relate to my question, then I never heard from them again.

There was a phone interview only. I was contacted by a Staffing Agency from NJ for a job here in NY. The team called me and conducted a phone interview and decided to make an offer the next day. The background check took 10 days to complete. I started two weeks later.