Eli Lilly interview questions are behaviour-based: you're asked about things you've done, and Lilly recommends answering with the STAR method. Its How we hire page describes the process from application to phone screen, interviews and an offer that's contingent on a background check.
Everything below comes from Lilly's own careers pages, linked as we go. Where Lilly doesn't say something, we say so rather than guess.
The Eli Lilly hiring process at a glance
| Stage | What happens | What Lilly says about timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application | Apply online at careers.lilly.com, with a resume updated for the role. | Not published |
| 2. Resume review | Resumes are first reviewed to confirm you meet the basic qualifications. | Not published |
| 3. Phone screen | Lilly "typically" starts the interview process with a phone screen. | Not published |
| 4. Interviews | In person or by video on Microsoft Teams. Some technical roles add a seminar or technical skills exercise. | Number of rounds not published |
| 5. Debrief and offer | The hiring manager decides after a debrief; your recruiter calculates and delivers the offer. | Feedback "at the earliest opportunity" |
| 6. Background check | The offer is contingent on a background check. | Not published |
What is the Eli Lilly hiring process?
You apply online, your resume is reviewed, and qualified candidates move to a phone screen and then interviews. If the hiring manager decides to make an offer, your recruiter delivers it, and the job depends on a background check.
How do you apply to Eli Lilly?
- Apply online at careers.lilly.com, and update your resume for each role you apply to.
- Apply to as many jobs as you like. Lilly sets no limit.
- Track your status in your Workday candidate account. Log in with the same email address you used to apply.
- Don't withdraw. Lilly's system doesn't let candidates reapply for the same job requisition, so a withdrawn application can't be resubmitted.
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What is the Eli Lilly interview process?
Lilly says it typically begins with a phone screen, then holds interviews in person or by video. Its interviews are behaviour-based, so expect "tell me about a time" questions. Lilly doesn't publish how many rounds there are or how long each lasts.
Eli Lilly phone screen
After the resume review, hiring managers, sourcers or recruiters decide who moves to a phone screen. Lilly doesn't publish what the call covers. Treat it as a short check that your experience matches the role, and have a clear answer to "Why Lilly?".
Eli Lilly video interviews
Lilly runs virtual interviews on Microsoft Teams and offers a dial-in option if you can't connect. Its tips: keep your camera centred and find a quiet space. Test Teams on your device the day before.
Does Eli Lilly have an assessment or technical exercise?
For some technical roles, yes. Lilly says some technical positions include a seminar or a technical skills exercise as part of the interviews. It doesn't say which roles, what the exercise contains or how it's scored, and it doesn't name an online aptitude test. If you're asked to give a seminar, confirm the topic, length and audience with your recruiter.
How long does the Eli Lilly hiring process take?
Lilly doesn't publish a timeline. It says it aims to give feedback at the earliest opportunity and that your recruiter is the person to contact for updates. Your Workday candidate account shows your application status.
What happens after the Eli Lilly interview?
The interviewers debrief, and the hiring manager decides whether to make an offer. If they do, your recruiter calculates the offer and delivers it. Employment is contingent on a background check, which Lilly says can include a criminal background check, a drug screen, education verification and, for fleet roles, a motor vehicle report. New hires join Discover, Lilly's 12-month onboarding programme.
Eli Lilly interview questions
Lilly doesn't publish its interview questions. These are questions to prepare for, built on its behaviour-based format and its three values: integrity, excellence and respect for people. Answer the "tell me about a time" questions with the STAR method, as Lilly recommends.
| Question | How to answer it for Lilly |
|---|---|
| Tell me about yourself. | Keep it to the experience that matches this job. Lilly asks you to update your resume for each role, so your summary should match it too. |
| Why do you want to work at Lilly? | Be specific about the medicine area, function or site you're applying to, and how your experience fits it. |
| Tell me about a time you did the right thing when it was harder. | This tests integrity. In a regulated industry, show you raised a concern or followed the rule even when a shortcut was available. |
| Tell me about a time you raised the standard of your team's work. | This tests excellence. Give the result and how you measured the improvement. |
| Describe working with someone whose views differed from yours. | This tests respect for people. Show that you listened, and how the outcome improved. |
| Tell me about a mistake you made and what you did next. | Own it plainly, describe the fix and what you changed afterwards. Integrity covers admitting errors. |
| Tell me about a time you worked under a tight deadline without cutting corners. | Show how you protected quality or compliance while still delivering. |
| Describe a time you explained something complex to a non-expert. | Lilly says its behaviour-based questions look for collaboration. Show how you adapted to your listener and checked they understood. |
| Tell me about a time you used data to change a decision. | Lilly says its behaviour-based questions look for problem-solving and critical thinking. Name the data, how you tested it, the decision and the outcome. |
| Tell me about a time you learned a new skill quickly. | Lilly's 12-month Discover onboarding suggests it expects new starters to keep learning. Show how you did it before. |
| (Technical roles) Present your research or a recent project. | Lilly says some technical roles include a seminar. Structure it as problem, approach, results and what you'd do next, and leave time for questions. |
| What questions do you have for us? | Ask about the team's priorities, how success is measured in the first year and how the role works with other functions. |
For a bigger bank to practise on, see our list of behavioural interview questions.
How to prepare for an Eli Lilly interview
- Tailor your resume to each job, as Lilly advises, and keep it consistent with what you say in interviews.
- Prepare five or six STAR stories, at least one for each value: integrity, excellence and respect for people.
- Read the job description closely and map one story to each main requirement.
- Test Microsoft Teams if your interview is virtual, and note the dial-in option.
- Ask your recruiter whether the interviews include a seminar or technical exercise, and how long to allow.
- Practise out loud in a mock interview.
- Prepare two or three questions for each interviewer.
Practising realistic work tasks
Behaviour-based interviews reward prepared stories, and technical exercises reward practice on realistic tasks. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs free practice job simulations with a scored report on where you lost marks. Cohesyve isn't affiliated with Eli Lilly and Company and doesn't use its interviews or questions.
FAQs
Does Eli Lilly do phone interviews?
Usually, yes. Lilly says it typically begins the interview process with a phone screen.
Are Eli Lilly interviews virtual or in person?
Either. Lilly holds interviews in person or by video, and uses Microsoft Teams for virtual interviews.
Does Eli Lilly drug test?
It can. Lilly says offers are contingent on a background check that can include a drug screen, along with a criminal background check and education verification.
Can I apply to more than one Eli Lilly job?
Yes. Lilly says you can apply for as many jobs as you like. You can't reapply for the same requisition, so don't withdraw an application you still want.
Can I ask for an accommodation?
Yes. Lilly provides accommodation request forms for applicants with disabilities, one for the US and one for outside the US.
How do I spot an Eli Lilly recruitment scam?
Lilly warns about people impersonating its recruiters, including text scams, fake job applications and requests for payment related to background checks. Apply only through careers.lilly.com, and report anything suspicious through Lilly's Ethics and Compliance reporting site.
Sources
Eli Lilly and Company's own pages, checked 27 October 2026:
- careers.lilly.com: How we hire
- careers.lilly.com: Recruitment fraud