Interview process was easy and friendly because I have highly specialized skill sets that perfectly matched with the position. I had also been referred by two people internally, both of whom were much higher up on the org chart that the person who interviewed me. What I want to point out is that after the first interview (in which the interviewer said she wanted me to talk to the her boss the next day) the interviewer emailed me to say that I couldn't even be considered for the contract position specifically BECAUSE I had been referred by other Intel employees. She said she found out there was a rule against hiring contractors who were referred internally. I was quite shocked because I'd worked as a contractor for Intel in the past and that was a referral. I explained this to her in an email but she never responded. I asked the people who had referred me what they knew about this. Obviously, they wouldn't have referred me if they thought that would negate my chances. They said they'd never heard of this new rule either. I still don't know if there actually is a new rule at Intel that prohibits internal contractor referrals or if the person who interviewed me was confused, or if she just made that up because she changed her mind. I'd like to know for the future.