You might think companies that are the most popular to work for, like Google, Amazon, Apple and Disney, would put job seekers through the most rigorous interview process, but not so, according to recently released research. It’s the lower-profile, highly specialized niche firms that are the most difficult to get into. Consulting firm McKinsey and Company, based in New York City, tops the list.

Glassdoor.com, a website that fills you in on what companies and positions are paying in your area, and also gives you inside information on the firms themselves, examined thousands of interview reviews shared by job candidates in the past year to find out what companies have the most difficult interview processes.

With competition so fierce for the best jobs, companies can afford to be more stringent than ever to find the best fit for their needs. Still, popular companies like Google, which has a historically rigid interview process, failed to make Glassdoor’s Top 20 list, coming in at No. 21, probably because they’re looking to hire 6,300 people and have reportedly relaxed their interview process.

Still, with as much bad press as a company like BP has received recently, they’re not loosening up on their interview process — they rank No. 10 on the Glassdoor list. Other high profile companies on the Top 20 most-difficult-interview list include Proctor & Gamble at No. 12, Altria at No. 14, Amazon at No. 18 and eBay at No. 19. Gallup comes in at No. 20.

So what makes the interview process so tough at companies like McKinsey, Jane Street Capital, Cree, Bain & Co., and Boston Consulting — the top five on the list? Multiple interviews that start out with phoners and go from there, that include everything from brainteasers, extremely technical questions and case study analysis. One wrong answer can apparently eliminate you at any point in the process, no matter how well you did on numerous interviews leading up to that point.

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