You sent out dozens of resumes and finally landed an interview. It's with that big company promising a career-advancing job and decent starting salary. But are you really ready for the interview? A science interview is different than interviewing for a sales job or a manager’s post. Here are some questions you should be prepared to answer:
- Why did you choose this particular field?
- What did you cover in your senior year?
- How proficient are you in the lab?
- What was you favorite lab and what skills did you develop?
- What analytical techniques are you proficient in?
- How would you approach a problem?
- Tell me about your report writing skills.
- How would you approach a team assignment?
- How would you work independently?
- Tell me about your computer skills?
- How would you deal with a customer support problem?
- What skill sets make you the ideal candidate for this job?
- How would you improve one of our products?
- Are you comfortable doing non-scientific work?
- What do you expect to gain from this job?
- How did you approach and organize your final year research project?
- How did you document your results?
As you can see, it pays to be prepared. You should practice answering these questions with one of your science instructors or a senior-level colleague. Keep your answers short and to the point. Don’t meander into side topics. When it comes time for you to ask questions, be prepared with specific questions. Listen to the interviewer and respond to his answers.
For an added perspective, check out this video:
If you have any thoughts on science interview questions you’ve run across, feel free to share them in the comments section.
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Nexxt.
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