LifeSci NYC Internship Program

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Interview Preparation Guide

Basic Interview Preparation

Host companies will conduct their own interviews to make hiring decisions

• Start preparing for interviews NOW!
• Update your resume and transcript
• Practice answering interview questions OUT LOUD
• Be ready for possible interview scenarios
• Plan appropriate attire (even for an online interview!)
• Secure a quiet and appropriate place for online interview
• Research company/industry in advance
• Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the company and position

Prepare for the Interview!!

Company Research!

Be an expert about the company before you interview:

• Research the company
• Conduct additional online research, including social media
• Learn about the person who will conduct interview

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Prepare for the Interview!!

Practice!

• STAR: Situation Task Action Result -> Write answers to potential questions and practice giving them
• Videotape yourself and/or get a friend to do a mock interview
• Look up standard interview questions
• Walk me through your resume
• Why do you want this job?
• Tell me about a time….when you had to overcome a challenge

Elevator Pitch

• Brief (60 - 90 second) overview of yourself -- a good way to introduce yourself and your interests
• May include:
• Major and other academic interests
• Brief recap of relevant work and/or life sciences experiences
• Goals
• Personal qualities that make you a great candidate
• Practice out loud!�

Interview Preparation

• Respond promptly to outreach from company (emails, phone messages, texts). Check your spam folder!
• Be on time early!!
• Dress professionally - you can’t overdress for an interview
• Clothes should be:
• Solid, dark, or neutral colors
• Light colors can be worn underneath
• Avoid tee shirts, stripes, logos, and bright colors
• Closed-toe heel and dress shoes
• Suit jacket and pants/skirt should be matching colors
• Carry a portfolio, professional bag, or simple purse

Interview Behavior

• Make a strong first impression
• Show confidence! Speak loudly and assertively
• Make eye contact, even via camera
• Relax and smile - don’t fidget
• Thank interviewer at both the beginning and end
• If you cannot answer a question, be honest and offer to get back to interviewer with answer
• Email a thank you note within 24 hours
• Thank interviewer
• Mention one or more things that came up in interview that affirm your qualifications and interest in the company and position
• Proofread (read it out loud)!

Be Prepared to Answer

• What is your experience in life sciences? (School, classes, labs are OK!)
• Prepare your WHY’S
• Why do you want to work in life sciences?
• Why are you interested in this employer?
• Why should they pick you?
• What do you want to learn in your internship?�

Updating / Improving Your Resume

Proofread

• Read out loud!
• Spell check
• Ask at least 2 other people to read
• Use Career Services
• Many ESL speakers may want to ask native speakers to read, specifying that they should read for correct English
• Make sure it is up to date
• Put past experiences in the past tense
• If you have a Goal or Summary at the top, make sure it is relevant to this job

Practice Interview Questions (1/3)

• Tell me about an accomplishment you are most proud of
• What are your career goals and why?
• Tell me about a time where you had to balance incorporating input from others with meeting a deadline. How did you accomplish this?
• What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
• When discussing your weakness, explain how it is also a strength
• Tell me about a time when you encountered a problem (in a job, in a lab, etc.). What did you do to overcome the problem?
• Describe a project for which your performance was not as successful as you had hoped or expected. What might you have done differently to achieve a better outcome?

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Practice Interview Questions (2/3)

• How do you juggle multiple priorities? What methods do you use to make sure nothing falls through the cracks and to minimize mistakes?
• What questions do you have for me?
• Describe the type of work environment where you best thrive. What management style brings out your best performance?
• Can you describe a particularly stressful period in school, career or in a job? What was the situation, and how did you manage it?
• Describe your ability to adapt to new or changing technology and/or systems

Practice Interview Questions (3/3)

• Describe a situation when you demonstrated initiative
• Tell me about a suggestion you made to improve the way a process or operation works (i.e., in a job, working on a group project, or doing research in a lab). What was the result?
• Tell me about a time you failed. What did you learn? What would you do differently if you could do it over again?