I applied online. The process took 4 months. I interviewed at US Air Force (Sheppard AFB, TX)
Interview
There are different levels of interview: Immediate Supervisor, Unit Superintendent, Group Superintendent, and the Command Chief of the installation. Essentially, you will be ranked against other peers in order to receive a recommendation up to the Major Command.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What makes you a great fit for the First Sergeant Position?
I applied in-person. I interviewed at US Air Force (Abilene, TX) in Mar 2023
Interview
Interviewed by Senior Leaders to ensure I was a good fit for the position. Once I passed through that interview, my records were reviewed by Air Force First Sergeant Leaders to ensure I was a good fit for the position.
I applied in-person. The process took 6 months. I interviewed at US Air Force (Ramstein-Miesenbach) in Apr 2020
Interview
I was hired through the old process, but now there is a panel, psych test and some other pre-submission requirements. Remember when you interview, be honest. The First Sergeants I have met who were not happy were those who did it for promotion, who thought they could change "the Air Force" or those who had a chip on their shoulder. Its HEAVY people involved, and if you aren't a people person, the job really is difficult to do.