I applied in-person. The process took 6 months. I interviewed at FAA (Binghamton, NY)
Interview
The interview process includes a psychiatric questionnaire, a drug test and a background check. All of this takes an inordinate amount of time. The interview itself is conducted by the local air traffic manager and isn't extremely important to the hiring process. It does help you get a feel for the job and the expectations if you are hired.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
The actual interview isn't difficult nor is it really as important as passing the AT-SAT exam and making the hiring list. It's more of a formality.
The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at FAA (Montgomery, AL) in Dec 2011
Interview
I met with a gentleman who was the manager of the control tower facility nearest to me. It was a casual, friendly conversation, with many of the questions consisting how I handle pressure, times in my life where things didn't go my way, my hobbies, why I want to go into this field, etc. Post-interview communication went through FAA human resource specialists. Mine was very helpful in keeping my abreast of my application status.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Name a time working in the tower where you saw a potential conflict. How did you solve it?