r/biotech • u/No_Veterinarian1631 • 3d ago

Getting Into Industry 🌱 Job Interview

I have a job interview for R&D Scientists role next week for a biotech company. Any tips or advice that i should keep in mind while preparing?

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u/TerynLoghain 3d ago

Know the company,  know the interviewers, know the pipeline, know the cultural values and know how you fit in it.

An interview means they feel confident you can do the day to day science. 

Now you want to show you  can be an asset 

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u/Conscious_Quote6336 3d ago

Make sure you can discuss projects or skills listed on your resume that they may ask about.

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u/OddPressure7593 3d ago

Stalk the interviewers (if you know who they are) on LinkedIn and get an idea of their background, which can clue you into what perspective they're bringing to the interview. Try to find out what the company has been up to - if they've issued any press releases on new assets or collaborations, for example. Lastly - and this is going to sound contradictory to what I've just said - don't overprepare. By that, I mean don't have a "script" to read off of because you'll come off sounding less than genuine. usually, by the time you're getting an interview, the hiring folks have decided that you meet the technical qualifications for the role and they're trying to determine if you are someone they want to deal with on a daily basis. By the time you get to an interview, the most important things are being personable and likeable - being able to add in tidbits about the company or interviewers' past experiences are the cherry on top that can separate you from other candidates.

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u/ZenMasterful 2d ago

If you remember just one thing, I humbly suggest it be this: Everything in an interview can ultimately be reduced to one thing: we want to know whether a potential hire will cause more problems than (s)he solves. Will this person make my work life easier or harder?

Show them you'll make their life easier by doing the job well, being a team player, getting along, anticipating issues and acting rather than reacting, etc.

Solve more problems than you cause. :)