I found the position posted in the ABA Tax Law Section on LinkedIn. Within hours of applying, I was called for an interview. I lived over 500 miles away from BNA's location in Arlington,VA. HR told me that if I wanted the position, I would have to interview at the BNA office within the next few days and travel there at my own expense. I thought it was inconsiderate of HR to demand that I travel so quickly at my own expense. But it was the height of the recession and I was desperate for a job. So off I went to the BNA office. The interview consisted of a test (which had a multiple choice section and 2 mini essays) and then an interview with the manager. I asked the manager the time frame of when I could expect a response regarding filling of the position. He said that there several other candidates but that he personally would ensure that I would be told the result within a month. It really rubbed me the wrong way that the company demanded that I drop everything and travel at my own expense when they planned to interview numerous candidates after me. But there was that desperation again. Three months went by of my consistently following up with HR and the manager/interviewer. Not because I wanted the job, but because I was desperate for any job. There was radio silence at BNA. HR finally told me that the position was given to a temp already at BNA. HR said that it was company policy to hire temps before recruiting from the outside for full time positions. Then why did you post the position on the internet and have me travel at my own expense to interview? A few weeks later I got a phone call from HR. They said that the company wanted to hire an additional person and they offered me the job. HR told me the salary and it was so low that I seriously doubted that I could afford to live in the DC area. HR said the position was a great alternative to practicing law but that if I needed extra money, I could practice law on the side (How is that not a contradiction?). HR then said that I would have to relocate at my own expense and start the job within the next week. I asked for a few days to think about it and HR wasn't pleased, saying that a decision had to be made by the next day. I thought about my entire interview experience and declined the next day.

1) Initial interview with HR 2) Phone interview with specific department 3) Written test (2-3 hours) 4) In person interview with manager and people in specific department The written tests vary per department. State and Local Tax is a 2 hour written test which was an analysis of 1 supreme court case and 1 proposed regulation. International Tax is 20 multiple choice questions on international law for 1 hour and update an existing memo with a new regulation for 2 hours. Executive Compensation is 20 multiple choice questions on federal tax law (minimum 15 correct needed) and 2 hours of writing.