Farm Credit East Interview Questions
& Process

So I met them first at a career fair, then applied and got called in for an in person interview with a branch manager and the HR rep. If that goes well, you then meet with a regional manager. The interview itself was pretty chill, and both interviewers were super laid back and friendly. They seem to really want people who are into farms/agriculture and have some experience in that area. I heard the company has pretty high turnover though, so they might wanna rethink how they hire people. Honestly surprised I didn't get picked since I had banking experience and knew more about the industry than some folks they hired. It wasn't the right fit for me anyway, so no hard feelings.

I interviewed with two HR hiring managers for the Career Development Program. They seemed okay at first, but they came across as snobby and unfriendly. One of them didn't even crack a smile. The interview started out pretty standard with questions like 'tell me about yourself' and 'why are you interested in this role.' However, I noticed they focused a lot on my weaknesses and didn't seem to look for any positives. For instance, they asked if my lack of a farming or agriculture degree would be an issue, which was odd because the role is finance and credit-focused, not farming-related. The next day, I got an email saying my skills weren't a good fit. It felt like a waste of time.

If you're fresh out of college with no prior internships at the company, expect a committee interview. Do your research on the company and the person you're meeting, and you might steer the conversation away from personality tests and towards your knowledge, skills, and abilities. They want to see if you're a good long-term fit, not just someone they'll train extensively only for them to leave later. For context, new hires go through a two-year training program with internal classes and on-the-job training.

The hiring process here takes quite a while because they are very careful in selecting the best candidate for the long run. I applied back in April and didn't hear back until October. The actual interview part was pretty quick, and I got my answers to them within a couple of weeks. It started with a phone interview, then an insurance interview, and finally an interview with the branch manager. I'd suggest talking to someone who currently works in insurance there to get their take on things before you decide to accept.