I applied online. The process took 5 weeks. I interviewed at Epic (Madison, WI)
Interview
I applied online. Shortly after, I was invited to take a personality test. They notified me one week later that I would have a telephone interview. The phone interview was with a project manager and started out with me asking the questions. It finished by him asking some very basic questions, none harder than, "What's one experience on your resume that has best prepared you for this position?"
Then I was invited to take the skills testing at a Pearson center. You have to sign a confidentiality agreement, so I won't go into what was on the test. But you can't study for it and it isn't all that difficult.
One week after I took the test, I was invited to Madison. At Madison, there are a bunch of informal activities that don't seem to weigh on their decision. You have dinner with two employees the night before, lunch with an employee and a handful of other candidates, a tour and a product demonstration. It doesn't seem like the employees at these times are really assessing you as a candidate, but obviously, be on good behavior.
There is a ridiculously easy case study. You'll be taking it with one other candidate, so be sure you brush up on your group interview skills before you go out to WI. There's also a 1:1 interview with a project manager. I really enjoyed this interview. They pick a few things out from your past and you talk about it for a half an hour. It was very laid back, but at the same time, I think a very useful interview for them. There's also an HR interview, which is filled with the usual fluff questions: "What are five things you're not?" "What's a negative and positive thing each of your references would say about you?" "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
There's also another testing session that day. I won't go into it, because I can't, but I thought it was significantly harder than the pre-interview testing.
I didn't get an offer, which wound up being a good thing. Living in Madison just isn't for me. While it's a nice little city, it's a little city nonetheless and I'd be very bored living there.
A few things struck me. The dress code is very lenient -- one of my interviewers hadn't combed his hair and was wearing a t-shirt that almost looked dirty. You'll be most comfortable interviewing in khakis and a polo shirt or a dress shirt without a tie.
Another thing was the discordance between the people in the job and the candidates. The candidates mainly came from state schools, while the people that interviewed us tended to go to highly ranked private schools. I'm not sure how much stock Epic puts in your alma matter.
It was also clear that this was a temporary position. It's really clear why people don't stick around for long. The hours seem very long and the travel sounds like it'd get burdensome. Most of the people interviewing me had been there for fewer than two years, some less than a year.
Good luck!
I applied through a recruiter. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Epic (Verona, WI) in Jul 2012
Interview
I was contacted by an Epic recruiter who had found my resume online. After reading the email and doing some research on the company, I filled out a formal application. About four days later, I received an email that they wanted me to do some a personality profile, which was slightly more difficult than I imagined. A few days after that, I was emailed to set up a phone interview. That interview was very simple. They asked basic questions about work experiences and how I dealt with them, etc. A week later, I received another email that they wanted me to do some assessments through a proctor sight, and I should let them know when I'd be available. We scheduled the test for just two days after. It wasn't incredibly difficult. There was a math portion which was incredibly simple, and a "programming" portion, which was very difficult. I've heard that most people have a lot of trouble with that part. Another week later, they wanted me to do a written assessment, as they had also decided to consider me for a writing job. The same day they sent an email about setting up my on site interview. We set it up for the following week.
The on site interview was very hectic. I was flown to Madison, and my first flight was first class. They put me up in a very nice hotel with a private room and a king sized bed. They paid for all of my meals, taxis, etc. If it weren't for the nerves of the pending interviews, I'd have had a lovely time!
The interview day was very long and consisted of two job overviews, a case study, two 1:1 interviews, two tours of the Epic campus (because it was too big to do in one), a demonstration of the product, a presentation, and three more assessments (two of which I did immediately upon arrival in Madison the day before).
I didn't get a particularly warm feeling from the company, and I was one of MANY applicants the day of. I was told by an employee that every day is like that.
I am currently waiting to hear back about an offer and am undecided if I will accept the offer if it's made. Personal reasons mostly, I'd have to relocate pretty far.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What is one question I haven't asked you yet that I should have?
I applied online. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Epic
Interview
Given the growth of the company in recent years, Epic's success hinges on the continued recruitment of capable project managers. As the majority are recent and relatively unproven college graduates, Epic institutes a pretty rigorous interview process, which includes a phone interview, personality survey, aptitude tests, and an all-day onsite interview. So yes, Epic takes recruitment very seriously, one upside of which is the decisiveness of the HR department - I went from phone interview to job offer in just under three weeks, and from offer to to start in two.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
You will interview with several current employees and HR reps, most of whom just want to get to know you. There is one interview in which you simulate a project management scenario - no right or wrong answers so long as your logic is good.