Matt,
I worked for the last year and a half as a customer service and ramp agent at KAZO. I worked for an express carrier at a non-hub so my hiring situation was a different than what you may go through. I was interviewed by the station manager and was hired the next day. I am not sure how the "mass" interviews or information sessions are conducted. My interview was pretty basic, just focused on a lot of customer service issues and any type of aviation related experience I had.
I was recently furloughed from that job since the station was closed because of low passenger volume. Overall, I enjoyed my time working for the airlines. Here are some of my pros and cons of the ramp job:
Pros:
Working hands on with the aircraft
A great view of the airport from the ramp
You see all aspects of airport operatoins
Driving the equipment
Marshalling the aircraft
Dynamic work envrionment
Good physical workout when loading baggage
Interaction with the flight crews
Flight benefits with your airline - the best perk!
Cons:
Having to work the early hours (5am or earlier)
Having to work the late hours (11pm or later)
Having to work the late hours, then the early hours the next day = very little sleep
Having to work holidays
The low pay
Cancelled flights = unloading all the luggage you just loaded
Constant loud noises are a pain when you are tired or have a headache
Dealing with the weather - downpouring rain, snow, and nasty winds can take all the fun out of working on the ramp.
Equipment breaking down
Bags coming open on the ramp, luggage falling off cart
Dealing with air cargo shipments - one time in particular I remember unloading cricket larvae (small worms) in boxes that were damaged so the worms were all over everything.
Stress of multiple flights arriving within a short time due to delays, etc.
Overall it was a great job. My experiences were a little different since I worked at an outstation (non-hub) and we had to perform both the customer service and ramp duties. We checked in passengers and also loaded the aircraft, added to the stress but was still fun. The only part that really got to me was the early mornings...I was taking classes in college and working on my flight training too. When I had to be up by 4 am to go to work, the rest of the day wasn't always that productive and I sure didn't feel like doing classes or going flying. You do get used to it though and can survive on very little sleep after your body adjusts.
Let me know if you have any more questions. I know there are quite a few people on these forums that worked as ramp agents too. They were most likely working for the mainline carriers so their experiences might be more similar to what you can expect. Good luck!
Happy Flying!