As with all Epic candidates, I took three online tests. The first test was a personality test that involved ranking scenarios and completing analogies. The second test involved learning Epic's "homemade" code and applying principles of logic and computer programming. The third test was their "homemade" version of the GRE/LSAT.
I initially applied for the Trainer position, so my first interview was with a Training Manager. The conversation lasted about 45 minutes and topics ranged from my past work experience, to Epic's culture, to relocating to Madison. I asked about other similar roles, so we talked about the Project Manager role too.
I received an invitation to come on-site. Epic sent me instructions for the on-site interview. One part of the Trainer interview required me to give two presentations.
Two days before I was supposed to fly out to Madison, I received a call from Epic telling me that all the Trainer positions have been filled due to "an influx of candidates," so they're going to interview me for the Project Manager role. Unfortunately, this role required that I give a 10 minute presentation on any topic. All the preparation I did for the other two presentations went to waste. Just two days before the interview, I had to start from scratch again and prepare a new presentation. I rolled with the punches and made another presentation, but the timeliness of the news put a bad taste in my mouth.
Epic takes care of all your lodging and travel expenses to Madison. The night before the interview, I went out to dinner with other candidates and a host from Epic. It was a great environment to candidly ask questions about Epic's culture.
The interview process began the next day and lasted roughly 5 hours. The itinerary was as follows:
Company Overview & Software Demonstration
(Basic Powerpoint presentations given by two individuals. Both presenters were not enthusiastic at all.)
Project Management Overview
(Intimate conversation with a Project Manager. She clearly broke down the various responsibilities and expectations for the PM role. She answered questions.)
Project Management Case Study
(Assessment based activity. Candidates are given a case study and 10 minutes to complete it. After the case study is completed, a PM enters the room and asks you questions about how you would prioritize tasks and solve hypothetical problems.)
Break
Lunch
(Lunch is free and delicious. Epic gave us a host during lunch, so take that opportunity get a better feel for the other employees.)
Project Management Interview
(One on one interview with a Project Manager. The questions weren't particularly difficult. Use this time to ask specific questions about the role.)
Presentation
(I presented to three individuals. They just sat there with little reaction during the whole presentation. However, they did have plenty of questions to ask at the end.)
HR Interview
(The HR recruiter asked questions that did not seem conducive to the whole interview process. They seemed more like cocktail party, small talk questions. I found that the HR recruiter could not answer my questions. She gave evasive answers, or she sidetracked the conversation completely.)
I interviewed the second week of September. I received no updates on the selection process, but I wanted to give them time and space to make their decision. Finally, I decided to call my HR recruiter the first week of October to follow-up on the process. When I called, the line disconnected. I sent an email to her and received a "Fail to Send" message from Gmail. I called Epic's main number and ask for her private line. The receptionist couldn't find her immediately. Turns out that my recruiter was on the "Departed" list at Epic. I was furious. I was not given up a follow-up contact or anything. The receptionist encouraged me to send an email to the generic "careers@epic" address. Since I had no other avenues of communication, I sent an email. I didn't receive any response within that week. I placed two more calls to Epic's reception desk asking them to connect me with ANYONE in the HR department. The receptionists told me they couldn't connect me and encouraged me to wait a little longer. I was frustrated, not by how long the decision was taking, but by how Epic chose to handle the situation. The least they could have done was send a "We're still figuring things out" update.
Mid-October, a recruiter didn't call me, but instead left a voicemail. Her voicemail informed me that they have "filled the all the positions for PM and are unable to move forward at this time, but would love to keep the application on file if the needs do change." I followed up and was told that candidates can receive offers months after they interview... "so we never know!"
My experience lead me to the following conclusion: Epic finds you expendable.