Interviewing

No one is coming to knock on the door of your lab and offer you a job. Getting a job requires strategy. Large companies, like Google, Microsoft, Pfizer, etc get 1,000s of applications per job opening. If you are relying on luck to make you the 1:1,000 that gets hired, you are going to be waiting a long time. Instead, you should be strategic. Realize that, according to JobScan, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking software to screen resumes. And understand that employers care more about your soft skills than they do about your specific technical skills. Inside…

As a PhD is it’s difficult to let go of thinking that your technical skills are the most valuable thing you will bring to an organization. But, you need to realize that your transferable skills are what will be the deciding factor in whether you get hired or not. A recent survey by Yoh, found that 75% of Americans would hire someone who had the right soft skills but lacked the technical skills required for the position. Companies are more concerned about how you will fit into the culture of the organization than they are about the technical skills you…

From the moment you enter the grounds of the company, your interview has begun. Everything from the way you act to the way you are dressed will factor into the hiring decision. And you don’t get a second chance. According to an article published in Psychological Science, people decide if someone is trustworthy within 100ms. So the way you present yourself the very first time you meet someone is of the utmost importance.

You are being judged from the moment an employer learns about you as a potential candidate. Before they even speak to you, they will check your resume and your online profiles. But you are a PhD, so you look great on paper. You are highly qualified and skilled. But, the interview is the key next step, because employers don’t want to hire you just based on your skills, they need to know that you will work well at their company. And according to Undercover Recruiter, 33% of bosses know within 90 seconds of an interview if they are going to…

In the past few years, the global life science and healthcare industry has experienced significant changes brought about by technical breakthroughs such as CRISPR or implementation of artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report by the consulting firm, Deloitte, at the end of 2015 total global health care spending was US$ 7 trillion. This is expected to grow to US$ 8.7 trillion by 2020. Some of the key factors driving this noticeable growth include: increased life expectancy resulting in higher percentage of an aging population, growth in the healthcare market in emerging economies, and the introduction of more advanced medical…

Your technical skills as a PhD might get you in the door for an interview or a phone screen, but it’s not enough to get you hired. To be the one candidate who gets hired, you must have a solid understanding of business. Business intelligence was on the top 20 list of in-demand skills (LinkedIn). When companies have a pool of talented job candidates, having a solid understanding of business can make you the top candidate. 41% of Chief Human Resources Officers cited business acumen as the most lacking skill when sourcing new talent (Consultancy UK). And, 65% of business…

51% of employees are looking for a new opportunity (Gallup). That means you are competing against lots of other people to get hired, so you must know how to stand out. You must understand what hiring managers are looking for in top candidates. How do you stand out from the other candidates? How do you show your value as a PhD? By thoroughly preparing for your interview. By investigating what the company is looking for in a new hire. By learning how to communicate your skills. 72% of CEOs are worried about job candidates not having key skills (Glassdoor). You…

You’ve made it to the in-person interview stage. Now is when you can really shine and show the employers why you are the best candidate, because many of the top skills employers want are difficult to convey on paper. The most sought-after transferable skills are leadership, communication, collaboration, and time management (LinkedIn). The way you perform at your in-person interview can demonstrate whether or not you possess these in-demand skills. The skill you will be able to demonstrate best during an interview is communication. Simple communication mistakes can lead to rejection, where 50% of hiring managers would not hire someone…

The biggest thing to remember is that if you have been invited for an onsite interview, then the company is seriously considering hiring you. So, you need to be seriously prepared for the interview. Only 2% of candidates are called in for an interview (Workopolis). By getting to the interview stage, you have already proven that you are a great candidate and the company has invested in you. So, in your site interview, you need to go above that — you need to impress them further so that investing in you seems like the right choice. Because, hiring is expensive.…

Now is a great time to be on the hunt for a job. According to a recent report by CNBC, for the first time in nearly 20 years, there are more job openings than people who are unemployed. There are 6.7 million job opening and 6.4 million people looking for work. Now, only a very small percentage of those 6.7 million will be competing directly against you, but that still leaves lots of competition. Most companies receive hundreds of applications for a single position, while larger companies can receive thousands. For example, Fast Company reported that in one year, Tesla…

Humans can produce more than 250,000 postures and more than 1,000 facial expressions (Axtell 1991). So, you want to make sure you are choosing postures in your interview which convey that you are the best candidate for the position because, when it comes to your body language, interviewers can be harsh. If you are slouching, fidgeting, playing with your hair, looking around or conducting any other inappropriate behavior, you can kiss the job opportunity goodbye. Poor body language is often a reason that candidates are rejected, where 67% of interviewers reported rejecting a candidate because they lacked eye contact and…

If you’ve been invited to a phone or video interview, you’ve already beat out most candidates because 98% of candidates are eliminated by the initial resume screen (Workopolis). If someone takes the time to get on a phone call with you, they are demonstrating that you are worth their time. So, you must take your preliminary or screening interview seriously, whether it’s with a hiring manager, a recruiter, or someone else at the company. You must prove that you are a candidate they want to learn more about. As soon as your screening interview begins, you must be ready to…