Next Tuesday I have an interview with Kelly Scientific about a lab position. I don’t know what company they are hiring for, nor anything about the position other than the description at monster.com: “Will be assisting the senior scientist with testing in the lab. Must be able to work in a high-pressure environment to finish testing. Various tasks assigned throughout day and must have the ability to prioritize efficiently.”
What kinds of questions should I expect to be asked for a science job like this, and what kinds of things can I do to make a good impression?
Thanks for your help. This is my first official interview!
I meant to reply to this thread earlier but I was experiencing some computer weirdness at home…sorry for the delay.
tsarina, maybe a little more info from you would help. It is implied that this is your first job out of college…is that true? Do you have a Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, physics, or something else?
Without knowing more, I would say that one of the best ways to make a good impression is to ask intelligent questions. Some that come to mind are: what kind of tests would you be doing? Would you be closely supervised, or would you be able to work on your own once you learned the ropes? Are the hours flexible? Would you be working as part of a group, or mostly on your own? Is there room for advancement? Are there any safety issues (biological, chemical, radioactive) involved in the work? How would you present your results…written or orally?
For the record, I have a BS in biology and have been working in the field for 16 years. My first job out of college was at an academic institution, where I worked for 2+ years before taking a job in industry. It was a practically ideal first job experience…well, except for the pay. But the benefits were good, the hours were flexible, and I got to work on really important interesting projects with smart, fun people from very diverse backgrounds. The hours were very flexible and they didn’t mind training me ( I was pretty clueless when I started). Everyone should have that good a first job experience.
By the way you describe things, I assume Kelly Scientific is a recruiting service that places people at other companies. True?
If so, then keep in mind that their goal is to not only qualify you, but to make sure you get the job, since that’s how they get paid. So, yes do your best to impress them, but also spend a lot of time asking them about the position to be filled, who you will interview with at the company, etc. Ask them for copies of any job requirements they received from the hiring company. Then afterwards, do plenty of homework on the company in question and the job in question, so when you go in for an interview with them, you’re very well prepared.
The weekend paper here had an article on getting through the modern interview, especially the ‘Killer Question’, or something designed to stop you in your tracks and make you think on your feet, something you hadn’t prepared for…
such as
“What are you hoping we won’t ask you?”
“Tell us something about youself you have never told anyone” hand over a pen and calculator “sell this to me”
I’ve just been through a few telephone interviews recently, also for my first job out of college. I have a B.S., and will have an M.S. in natural resources. Questions I was asked included technical questions
“Tell us about your experience with geographic information systems,”
“what do you know about the Idaho Department of Lands/Bureau of Land Management”
“How would you define ‘doing a good job?’”
“What are your career goals - where do you see yourself in 10 years?”
“How would you handle an irate boss/citizen/land lessee?”
“Why do you want this job?”
“You give your professional opinion on a project. The project plan comes back exactly the opposite of your recommendations. How do you handle this?”
“Describe your decision-making process.”
“How do you feel about assisting with projects not listed in your job description?”
“You are swamped with work due to extenuating circumstances. How do you cope?”
Your interviewer may also ask you to tell him/her about yourself. It’s a good idea to make up a 30-second commercial telling why you’re in microbiology, what motivates you, and what your career goals are, or other pertinent information.