How long does the Iliad / Free interview process take?

Most candidates spend between 4 and 8 weeks from recruiter screen to offer. The onsite loop itself runs in a single day or is split across two half-days, with debrief and offer typically within 5 business days after.

How should I prepare specifically for Iliad / Free?

Focus on three things: (1) the company DNA shown above - what they actually grade for, (2) the rounds in your loop, especially the round most candidates underestimate, and (3) drilling on the question types in this guide using a structured framework like CIRCLES or STAR.

Does this apply to engineering or design roles at Iliad / Free?

The DNA stays the same - what changes is the round mix. SWE candidates face coding screens instead of Product Sense; designers face portfolio reviews and design exercises. The "what they value" and behavioral signals carry across all functions.

Other roles at Iliad / Free:Product Manager Software Engineer Sales Marketing

Enterprise · Sales Interview Guide

How to Pass the Iliad / Free Sales Interview in 2026

The Iliad / Free DNA (TL;DR)

The hiring managers at Iliad / Free seek individuals who can pragmatically innovate, especially in disrupting telecom norms exemplified by Free Mobile. They look for direct, cost-effective solution generation, aligning with Xavier Niel's vision for lean, impactful operations.

The Iliad / Free Interview Loop

Your onsite loop will typically consist of 5 rounds.

1
Round 1
Recruiter Screen
Motivation, territory fit, logistics.
2
Round 2
Sales Pitch / Demo
Pitching the company's product to a mock prospect.
3
Round 3
Deal Strategy
Pipeline management, multi-stakeholder navigation, MEDDIC qualification.
4
Round 4
Customer Discovery
Asking diagnostic questions, surfacing pain, qualifying.
5
Round 5
Behavioral / Leadership
Past evidence of ownership, influence, resolving conflict.

The Danger Zone: Top Reasons Candidates Fail

Based on our database of Iliad / Free interview outcomes, avoid these common traps:

Focusing only on the resolution without detailing the specific steps taken to understand and address the disagreement.
Failing to clearly articulate their specific actions and the resulting impact.
Failing to identify and address the specific pain points of a small business owner (e.g., downtime, slow speeds affecting productivity, cost).
Trying to force-fit a solution to a prospect's needs.

Test Yourself: Real Iliad / Free Questions

Three real prompts pulled from our database.

Type · ownership

Describe a time you took ownership of a project or problem that was outside your direct responsibility. What motivated you, and what did you achieve?

Type · MEDDIC Qualification

Walk me through how you would apply the MEDDIC framework to qualify a large enterprise deal for our business communication services.

Type · Objection Handling

The small business owner says, 'Your competitor offers a slightly cheaper plan, and I'm not sure the speed difference is worth the extra cost.' How do you respond?

+ many more questions, signals, and worked examples

Unlock the rubric

Iliad / Free Interview Question Bank

A sample from our database, grouped by round. Sign up to see the full set.

9 of 18 questions shown

Recruiter Screen

1
Type · Motivation
Why are you interested in a sales role at Iliad/Free, and what specifically about the telecom industry and our company excites you?

Sales Pitch / Demo

2
Type · Product Pitch
Imagine you are pitching our latest fiber optic internet package to a small business owner who is currently using a competitor's DSL service. Pitch the package to me.
3
Type · Objection Handling
The small business owner says, 'Your competitor offers a slightly cheaper plan, and I'm not sure the speed difference is worth the extra cost.' How do you respond?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Deal Strategy

4
Type · Pipeline Management
Describe how you manage your sales pipeline. What criteria do you use to prioritize opportunities, and how do you ensure you're focusing on the most promising deals?
5
Type · Multi-stakeholder Navigation
In selling enterprise telecom solutions, you often encounter multiple stakeholders (e.g., IT manager, CFO, end-users). How do you identify and engage with all key decision-makers and influencers within a target account?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Customer Discovery

6
Type · Diagnostic Questioning
A potential client mentions they are experiencing 'connectivity issues'. What diagnostic questions would you ask to understand the root cause and impact of these issues?
7
Type · Surfacing Pain
Beyond just 'connectivity issues,' how would you uncover the deeper business pain points that our solutions could solve for this client?
+ 1 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)

Behavioral / Leadership

8
Type · conflict resolution
Tell me about a time you had a significant disagreement with an engineer or designer about a product decision. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?
9
Type · ownership
Describe a time you took ownership of a project or problem that was outside your direct responsibility. What motivated you, and what did you achieve?
+ 6 more questions in this round (sign up to unlock)