A few weeks after applying for two openings pre-screeners called and grilled me with questions regarding which position and location would be most interesting to me. Some of the questions were technical in nature, which surprised me, but worked well to vet candidates for the positions. The screeners required information about my current salary or salary expectations, which seemed understandable, but may have been a mistake for me to give them my most recent gross income. About five weeks after the pre-screen I was contacted for a phone interview. It was explained to be an informal interview lasting up to two hours. The hiring manager and one HR representative conducted the interview. I was asked to confirm my salary at a MUCH LOWER figure than I earn and had given the pre-screeners. I was still assured my current salary was not going to be difficult to meet or exceed. Bonuses and the benefits of the position were explained and touted as being "very generous". The remaining questions were mostly formal, although several questions seemed unscripted. I was asked if anyone would be joining me for a potential on-site interview, expecting perhaps the company covered expenses for a spouse or partner (or children as implied in the question, asking "how many" would be traveling with me). Having experienced disappointment with other opportunities falling through or being offered below market packages, I was beginning to think FCX was not simply looking for Purple Rabbits at bargain rates. Excitement was high on my end despite having no contact from the company and little feedback on one inquiry over the previous five weeks. About three weeks later, I was contacted for an on-site interview. No offer to have my spouse join was made. The company did agree to book us together if I provided payment means for her expenses. The company also offered to pay for an extra two nights in the hotel so we could check things out in the area. No other plans were made our visit, so we made arrangements with a realtor ourselves, to get a good tour of the area. Planning was difficult, as HR did not know if I would have further interview requirements over the weekend or how long the interview was expected to last. We booked a flight for the next week, and I paid for my wife to come check things out. Arriving on site, I needed to fill out a lot of the application information that I had filled out earlier despite entering this twice before and providing paper copies as instructed. During this process and the interview I was reminded several times to be completely candid about my history (work, pay, background, residences, etc.). The on-site interview was very formal and professional for the most part. The only interviewers were the hiring manager and the same HR rep as the phone interview. The first hour was formal STAR questions of significant difficulty, really pulling from my experiences. The second hour was primarily technical questions (my weakness), some of which were obviously "stump the dummy" questions for which no preparation was given and "I'm not sure, I'd have to look it up and get back to you", was not an acceptable response. The hiring manager appeared to really know his stuff, and gave me more confidence in the organization than HR had so far. Following the interview, I had a tour of the mine and the offices in which I would be working with an engineer who would become my subordinate if hired. He was currently acting in the role for which I was interviewing that day. He was very professional and well informed. He didn't seem to mind much that I was his competition, and by the end of the tour I believed we had started a good relationship if I were to be successful. Despite fumbling the technical side of the interview, I felt pretty good about where things were left off. HR explained that if an offer were to materialize it would take some time, as the background check may take some time. During the four week wait for news on my candidacy, I submitted my expenses for reimbursement (rental car, fuel, meals, etc.). I received no response. After a week, I inquired again and was told my scans were not legible. I resubmitted them with no response. After another few days I inquired again and was asked to fax them. Instead I changed the file format and resubmitted. A few days later I got a call from finance that I would get a Visa debit card for my reimbursement. The amount was less than I submitted without any explanation (not sure if they didn't pay for my wife's expenses, for any alcohol I had with a meal, or why it was less). Oh well, it was something. The card arrived and in the fine print I read about all of the fees charged for using it, activating it, etc. It will still cost at least $2.00 to use my reimbursement. Oh well, still better than a poke in the eye.