My overall experience with Eli Lilly’s interview process was unfortunately disorganized and confusing. While I appreciated that they offered an informational session beforehand to help candidates understand what to expect, there was very limited interview scheduling flexibility. I received notice of an interview less than 72 hours before my interview, and at the time of my notice, I was only given one interview date to choose, with no alternative options.
The interview itself lasted about 30 minutes and was conducted by two interviewers who alternated asking questions. They were punctual and professional, but it was difficult to build rapport since they were primarily focused on taking notes and they came across as robotic. I found that many of their behavioral questions were overly complex and wordy, to the point where I had to ask for clarification multiple times. Because the questions were highly specific to narrow scenarios (for example, see question 3 below), it was challenging to identify an appropriate STAR example on the spot. Candidates were told to expect a decision within 1–3 weeks.
A week after my interview, I was informed that I had been “selected to move on to another interview round,” even though the initial communication indicated there would only be one round of interviews. Some of the interview dates they offered had already passed the date that I was notified, which left me with more limited options to choose. However, this follow-up interview request was later retracted without explanation. I was very confused as to what my application status was, or if the application/selection process changed without prior communication to candidates. Despite multiple attempts to get clarification, I received no response except for a generic rejection email about a week later.
Eli Lilly used to be a company I respected a lot and saw myself working for. However, the lack of organization, transparency, and respect for candidates’ time reflects internal chaos and poor management that is masked by expensive marketing and branding of a reputable and 'organized' company on the outside. In hindsight, I consider my rejection as dodging a bullet, as there were many red flags throughout this process. I care deeply about contributing towards the healthcare sector and I wouldn’t want to work for a company that showed such little regard for candidates’ time, respect, and autonomy.
