EADS North America Interview Questions & Reviews

Interviewed Jan 2012 (took 2 days)

I applied early January 2012 online via EADS NA website. The job was originally posted mid-December 2010. I received a call from one of their HR Recruiters (14 days after I initially applied online) asking me to interview the next day. I went in the next day and met with the Recruiter and her boss, the Director of HR.

They were both very pleasant and personable. I felt an instant connection with both of them. Their offices in Herndon were ultra modern and occupied several floors (including the top floor) of a 9-story building that (from the reception area) overlooked Dulles Airport; really awesome. The questions were pretty standard, "Tell me about your background", "Why are you looking for another job?" Everyone I came into contact with was really nice and greeted me with a smile. After about 30 minutes, I was asked to come back the next day to meet with the executive I would be supporting (if offered the position).

One thing to note, their building has no special markings on it. Their name is not even on it; it is just a tall, plain building. The parking structure is located next to it so you have to walk outside to get to their building. Also, neither their office building nor the parking structure have the street address anywhere on the outside of them. You just have to park and walk into the building and hope you have the right one. Once you step inside, there is a large rug that contains their street address, but you don't know that until you park and walk and go in.

Anyway, the next day I met with the Recuriter for a brief minute and then was escorted to the executive's office. While we waited outside his door (he had someone in with him), the Recruiter said that they were going to make a decision the next day and that they wanted the person to start the following day (a Monday) so they were going to act quickly to finalize a candidate - "you know" she said, "I'll call and tell you we're doing the background investigation and that we are checking your references...", etc.

While standing outside the exec's office waiting, I noted that the whole floor (although cube-farmed) was virtually empty. There was a lot of wide open space and the cubes were larger than standard and spaced wide apart. I also noticed that there were 2 cubes occupied outside the exec's office bearing their names atop a large nameplate situated high at the top of the cube.The cubes did not have high walls all around - only 1 wall with glass panels at the top. However, I found it odd that directly underneath their nameplates, the word "(TEMP)" was noted in large, bold font in all caps. (No mistaking THEIR status.) I felt a little embarrassed for them. Personally having been a 'temp' at various points of my career, nothing makes you feel more disconnected and disrespected than a company who publicizes your status, which only serves to discourage anyone from getting to know you or make you feel welcome into 'the family.'

The executive was ready about 10 minutes later so I went in and we sat down. His first question was "Why are you here?" Probably the hardest of all of his questions. He did most of the talking, which was fine since i was nervous. Having been in my field 20 years, I had seen and survived the good, the bad and the ugly, but I cannot recall a time when someone was as blunt as this man. He stated on several occassions that he was "not a social person". People thought he was always "angry". He said he was "difficult, complicated and did not give much direction." He didn't care HOW you completed a task, just go do it. At one point I said, "I am not afraid" - trying to break the ice and lighten the atmosphere. It sorta worked because we then engaged in an in-depth conversation about some of the issues that he is passionate about. He told me a few stories and gave me some advice. At the end, he said it was a real pleasure talking to me and he really enjoyed our meeting. I was escorted out and that was that.

Because they were going to make a decision the next day, I decided to first email my thank you letters to all those I met with. I then followed up with a short thank you note (to each) and sent in the mail...

It is now 5 days later and nothing... Now, I am not upset that I did not get the job, it just wasn't meant to be. But I am a bit surprised and disheartened by the fact that they didn't even send me a "thank you, but no thank you, we've chosen someone else" email, letter, text or phone call (kidding about the ladder two). Even though it is an 'employer's job market', I think it is very unprofessional and disrespectful not to follow up with those candidates who were not chosen, especially if they sent you a thank you note. To not even acknowledge your follow up after the interview is just wrong.