Eastman Interview Questions
& Process

First, I had to take the ACT WorkKeys test, which covered Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, Workplace Documents, and Applied Technology. I aced the first three (level 7) and got level 5 in Applied Technology, which the proctor said was really good. This got me a platinum WorkKeys certificate. Then, after a few months, I had a virtual interview on Microsoft Teams. They asked about safety and critical thinking. I wasn't great on video, but they moved me forward anyway. Next was a face-to-face interview with a crew lead, similar to the virtual one but also asking about my personality and teamwork. Right after that, I met the crew casually, and they told me about their jobs and how they started. They were nice and shared their experiences. I didn't hear back for over a month, so I reached out. They said I wasn't chosen, likely because my file got messed up. They then offered a second interview with multiple crew leads. One interviewer seemed really fixated on my ability to work outside, even though I told him about my homesteading, outdoor hobbies, and previous physical labor job where I work outside most days. It was strange because that assumption was totally baseless. It's still baffling that Eastman would put someone so socially awkward in charge of interviews. It took about 4 months from applying to the first in-person interview.

The process included a screening call with HR, followed by an interview with the hiring manager, and then a final follow-up with HR. I was informed that there were typically more interviewers on the panel, but due to time constraints, they opted for a condensed review. It was acceptable overall, but be prepared for extended waiting periods between applying and getting interviews, as Eastman tends to be slow in that aspect.

I had a call with a contract HR person who then set me up for a personality test. After that, I had a 2-hour business case review where I had to prep for an hour and then present for an hour over Zoom. This was followed by a 1-hour follow-up chat with another internal employee, also via Zoom. I spent over 3.5 hours in total and never even spoke to the hiring manager. After I passed all stages, I was told the hiring manager passed on me without ever talking to me. The company really didn't seem to value my time at all. I won't be going back.

So there were two rounds of interviews, each about 45 minutes long, and each had a panel of 3-4 people. They were all chemical engineers, mostly in management roles like group leader or director. The questions were mostly STAR format, behavioral. They really liked it when you used your technical background to answer, even if the question was about your personality or something else not directly technical. I think they were impressed that I came with a good question for them and a printout of some of my work that I was ready to talk about.