I was contacted by a LinkedIn HR rep a few weeks after submitting my resume at a conference. He was really enthusiastic and clearly loves his job, which initially peaked my interested in working for LinkedIn.
I had one phone interview, which was pleasant and went well. About a week later I was invited to attend a Linkedin Invitational, which I gather is LinkedIn's new approach to the gruelling, all day long interview process. Basically, I arrived at the LinkedIn office, along with about fifteen other Software Engineering candidates (all new grads, like me), to participate in an all day long event which included not only four hour-long, one on one interviews (three technical, one management), but also included Q&A sessions with a group of recent hires, the director of Engineering and the CEO himself, as well as a campus tour, and a fancy dinner in San Francisco. LinkedIn put us up in a great hotel in downtown San Francisco that night, and I gladly took the opportunity to spend the rest of the night on the town with the other candidates (it was a Friday after all).
Overall, the experience was overwhelmingly positive. How could I not want to work for LinkedIn after that? Especially after talking to so many current LinkedIn employees who clearly loved their jobs and were genuinely excited to talk to us candidates. If a company cares so much about treating not just their employees well, but even their candidates well, I think it bodes well for a future career with them.
Anyways, a week later I was contacted by my HR rep again, this time to offer me a job with a very good salary and hefty relocation bonus, as well stock options, great benefits, free CalTrain pass, etc. It took all of about two seconds to decide I was going to take the job.
