HELP YOURSELF SUCCEED – A Guide to Interviewing
Interview Guidelines for Candidates
The interview process can be both a rewarding and daunting experience and the purpose of this guide is to provide you with some indication of the type of interview questions you can expect, and how to answer them appropriately.
Work History
You will be asked to run through your work history. You will need to be able to briefly explain the purpose of your role and relevant responsibilities. You will need to recall the amount of time that you have spent in each position, and why you have left / are leaving that position. It is very important not to speak negatively about former employers or companies.
Educational Background
You will be asked about your educational background, and why you have followed your particular type of study. You may also need to mention what you hoped to gain from a course.
Ideal Role
It is important that you are able to clearly explain what type of role you are looking for and why you believe that you would be suitable for that type of role.
Interest in the Pharmaceutical Industry
If you are new to the industry you will need to comment on why you are interested in this industry and what research you have undertaken to ensure a thorough understanding of the industry.
Understanding of the Role
It is expected that you will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the role and explain the day to day functions of the job. The commercial aspect of the role also needs to be thoroughly understood.
Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Try and relate these back to the specific role that you are applying for.
Salary/Leave details
Never mention this at the first interview. Candidates new to the industry need to understand that most companies have set starting salaries and there is normally no room for negotiation, due to the nature of the Pharmaceutical multinationals and their salary banding.
You may need to mention if you have any holidays already planned later in the interview process. You will also need to check what notice period you need to give your current employer.
Behavioural Interview Questioning
The purpose of this information is to help you become comfortable and competent with the behavioural style of interviewing.
The purpose of this type of questioning is based on the premise that past behaviours often predict future behaviours. Our Client companies also use this technique to determine whether you possess the competencies that they have decided are essential for you to perform effectively in a particular role. Examples of this include team work, perseverance and ability to deal with conflict.
When answering this type of question, you need to cover the following areas:
Circumstance:
Discuss the background to the situation and what the problems or issues were.
Action:
What action you took to resolve the issue. Always talk about what you did and what approach you took as opposed to action as a group. Avoid talking about ‘we’.
Result:
Tell the interviewer what the outcome of the situation. Always try and have a positive outcome to the problem if appropriate.
For behavioural interviewing, the interviewer is looking for a specific circumstance so avoid using generalizations or an imagined action you would take in the future.
Example Behavioural Interview Questions
• Deadlines cannot always be met. Tell me about a time when you missed a deadline on a project
• Tell me about a time when you did more than was required in your current role?
• Tell me about a time you submitted a good idea to your manager but he/she did not take action on it. What did you do?
• Can you describe a time when you didn’t handle a complaint well? What did you do? What happened?
• Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with others building and maintaining relationships in order to accomplish a task. How satisfied were you with that and why?
• Tell me about one of your most rewarding persuading experiences? What made it so rewarding? What did you do?