FHLB Des Moines Interview Questions
& Process

The whole interview process wrapped up in about 3 weeks. I had 3 interviews back-to-back in the first week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), then nothing the second week, and got my decision around the middle of the third week. Started with a 30-min HR screener, just a casual chat about me, the job, and what they're looking for. Next was a 30-min chat with a Director, mostly digging into my resume and skills, and how I might use them or gain from the internship. The last interview was a 30-min one with the Team Lead. It started with going over my resume, then they asked some technical stuff about SQL and Qlik, plus some soft skills and situational questions.

I had the worst experience with this company. After 2 rounds of interviews, they went silent. It was difficult to get any feedback. They seem like a weird company that plays with interviews instead of being serious about candidates. It felt like I was in an episode of The Office, where the interview is their entertainment. I imagine they mocked and made fun of me as I left the building. I don't recommend them because while it's okay to be rejected, it's not okay to make someone feel low, and these guys excel at that. You never forget how someone makes you feel.

Applied online for the job which was posted all Spring. Heard back in April. The whole thing took about two weeks. Started with an informational phone interview, then an interview at their Des Moines office. The in-person was with two people from the department who mostly asked about my resume and previous work, as well as the project I would be doing that summer. After that, I had an interview with the HR rep, where I was asked typical, easy interview questions. Also asked about my Excel skills and knowledge of VBA. Overall, the process was comfortable and not too bad. They gave me plenty of information along the way like "how to find us in Des Moines and where to park". Little things like that add up and show that the company cares, and I got that feeling with FHLBDM.

the job description wasn't really specific and didn't match the interview much. the interview involved specific questions about fixed income, pricing, and so on. they expected a really thorough understanding of concepts. it's better to know the exact definitions of finance terms. the people seemed methodical and not too demanding on technical skills.