The interview process is often a full day, referred to as a "Power Day," and is divided into two parts: Technical and Behavioral.

Technical Interview

The technical interview is conducted by one or more senior technology experts. Questions are often highly detailed and directly relate to the requirements of the role. For example, for a Java role using Spring, you might face pointed questions about Inheritance versus Composition, and the differences between Service, Component, and Repository. Failing to answer correctly can result in a poor score. This approach is effective for hiring contractors who need to deliver a specific skillset. However, for permanent employees, the goal is to find individuals who are adaptable and can quickly learn new technologies. Capital One espouses this philosophy; yet, their interview process remains very focused and narrow. Furthermore, candidates without Computer Science degrees are typically excluded.

Behavioral Interview

The behavioral interview aims to identify candidates who "just won't fit in" and is highly subjective. Questions often include prompts like, "Think of a time you disagreed with your boss's decision. How did you feel? What did you do?" Capital One has a well-deserved reputation for inclusiveness, provided you are the "right kind of person" to be included. While a diversity of races and nationalities may be present, the company is generally conservative. Liberal or innovative thinking is not encouraged, and introverts are often not welcomed. They appear to favor type-A personalities who are bombastic and driven. Quiet, contemplative individuals are unlikely to be selected, and if hired, may not thrive long-term.

Despite stressing innovation, truly novel ideas are often quickly suppressed. For instance, proposing an alternative to Test-Driven Development (TDD) or Unit Testing in favor of only Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) could lead to a low score. In nearly all cases, for both technical and behavioral interviews, conventional wisdom is favored.

Post-Interview

After the interviews (typically three interviewers for each part), the interviewers convene to compare notes and ensure consistency in candidate narratives. They will rate candidates as "Recommend," "Unsure," or "Do not recommend." If a candidate is rated "Unsure," interviewers will be challenged to defend their assessment. The hiring manager has the final decision but will heavily weigh the interviewers' opinions.

If it's a Java role using Spring, you may get pointed questions about inheritance versus composition and the differences between Service, Component, and Repository.