I applied online. The process took 4 months. I interviewed at FDNY
Interview
You get your certification and pay money for a "exam score" then are put on a list until you are called off that list based on how high you scored (based on experience only) then you get called for a medical, physical, agility, psych, loads of paper work and then are called for an academy.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
No formal interview. Just you meet with your investigator and give them all your filled out paperwork
I applied in-person. The process took 12+ months. I interviewed at FDNY (Brooklyn, NY) in Mar 2012
Interview
Very long process with multiple times returning to headquarters over a year period, detailed background check/investigation, about a weeks notice to return summoned by mail. Tax information, address information. They discovered information about me I did not know was available to them