Alcoa interview questions

Initial process started with a phone screening with a hiring agency that Alcoa contracts with. The questions were general, walk me through your resume type questions. One week later, I received an e-mail to schedule a face to face at the office. I met with the HR manager, Controller, and Finance Director. After meeting with the Controller, I knew the position wasn't for me. Alcoa seemed stretched out with initiatives and not enough people. They were very lean, but I sensed they were not operationally efficient. I sensed alot of nervousness from the controller when I asked about the work-life climate. The hesitation in his answer fired off warning sirens--sweat shop and long hours. Thinking my signals may be too sensitive, I asked my ACE question: What stems the opening in this position? The current employee has chosen to pursue other interest. Now, who is opting to pursue other interest in this economy? An acceptable answer would have been Growth or Restructuring of the group.

This was an initial interview. The process was to just run through my resume/professional history. There was a chance for me to engage with questions and comments about the company. There was good follow up to the process. I was able to learn about the strategy for the function, some of the history of the hiring site, and about the recruiter's experience with the company.