I have a 3 hour job interview tomorrow. Advice?

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Sho_Nuff82

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I'm about 18 months into a planned 2 year postdoctoral fellowship, and I have my first serious interview with a local biotech company tomorrow. My referral was actually from one of my former students who works there, and he gave me the heads up on a few techniques they might ask me about in the interview. I've also already done a phone interview with the head of the group I'm applying for.

Any advice on dress/questions to ask/questions to prepare for/mood/major do's and don'ts from employed-GAF? I'd really like this to go over well, my current position is fulfilling enough with a great group of researchers, but the pay sucks.
 
Don't drink too much liquid before the interview. Three hours seems long but it will go by really quick. I think you're probably prepared. Go in positive.
 
That is a long time. My major advice is to understand that in 3 hours mistakes in grammar, speech, and so forth will happen. DON'T stress them. Correct them as you go. 3 hours is more than enough time to flub something or just you know have a small brain fart. It is ok and just keep on moving.
 
Drink five cups of coffee and eat three bran muffins before the interview.

Edit: seriously though just remain calm and everything will be fine. Worrying about something is always worse than actually experiencing it.
 
For dress, my rule of thumb had always been to dress for the next position up, even in an interview.

For questions, I'd ask benefits, 401k matching, opportunities for advancement, training schedules, etc.

Remember as well,they need to sell you add much as you need to sell them. It's about the fit.
 
A few off the top of my head, there are more though:

Do:
-Ask questions
-Be confident
-Be polite to everyone
-Wear a suit!
-Firm handshake with eye contact

Don't:
-Fidget in your seat
-Accept coffee if they offer it

EDIT: Based on what the user above me said, I'm not sure I'd condone asking too much about salary and the like. Anyone else care to weigh in?
 
Ron Mexico said:
For dress, my rule of thumb had always been to dress for the next position up, even in an interview.

For questions, I'd ask benefits, 401k matching, opportunities for advancement, training schedules, etc.

Remember as well,they need to sell you add much as you need to sell them. It's about the fit.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately this is a contract position, so there are zero benefits, the contract negotiation is done through a third party, and they said up front that there is no guarantee of future employment. Fortunately, the contract is 3 years. It's a stepping stone position, at a rather large company that looks good on the CV.
 
Linkhero1 said:
Don't drink too much liquid before the interview. Three hours seems long but it will go by really quick. I think you're probably prepared. Go in positive.
Click to expand...

bigmf said:
Drink five cups of coffee and eat three bran muffins before the interview.

Edit: seriously though just remain calm and everything will be fine. Worrying about something is always worse than actually experiencing it.
Click to expand...

Definitely eat light to settle your stomach.

For long interviews you're allowed to ask for a bathroom break. If necessary and you feel like you're bombing; use the break to regroup.
 
research the company a lot before hand - know what they do, what they are trying to do in the future, and how you can help.

think of some questions to ask them - it is best to have questions that relate to something you have talked about in the interview, but having backups or a foundation is always good

be confident, don't over-analyze and worry about the small things (i.e. dont panic about your clothes)
 
Just pretend it's a normal interview, it only seems long if you focus on the time. I was scheduled for two half hour interviews and I was there almost two and a half hours and it felt like I was hardly there. If you're interested it's not a long time..
 
Bring a set of these glasses.
scaled.php


Good luck.
 
Lamel said:
Is this 1 long interview. Or multiple interviews totaling 3 hours?
Click to expand...

This^^

I know some companies who interview you and during the process it's like a day long affair where they have people interview you. The first person interviewing you is usually on the level of the job you are applying for, then next interview is their boss, then their boss, ect.

edit: I see you answered this while I was typing :P.
 
Keep calm, speak in a conversational tone, and dress appropriately. Eye contact and a good handshake go a long way too.

You'll be fine! No reason to stress over it. The place you're applying to obviously has an interest in you, so don't oversell yourself.
 
Geez 3 hours, phew...

Before I interview I make a list of stories that address various problem solving skills that I have. These questions always come up in interviews and people on the other side of the table usually respond positively. It helps that a few stories are from the film business so that piques people's interest.

I'd guess that if you are there for almost half a day they want to see how well you fit in with the team. Remember you should be inquisitive too but do your research beforehand. It sounds like it will be a good opportunity to learn if the people & place are a good match.

And I'd suit up unless the culture of the work is really blue collar.
 
ComputerMKII said:
I've never had an interview that was longer than 45 minutes. Are you applying for CEO of Google/Apple/Microsoft, somehow?
Click to expand...

you must have not had any interviews with large corporations.

I think its common practice for most big companies to do panel interviews with multiple people or different groups within the organization you are applying to.
 
ComputerMKII said:
I've never had an interview that was longer than 45 minutes. Are you applying for CEO of Google/Apple/Microsoft, somehow?
Click to expand...

My first 'real job' interview was five hours long, and I was interviewed by 4 different people during that time frame. This was for a junior developer position (my first - and only, so far - job out of college). I've interviewed people myself over the years here, so I know that even 15 years later, a half day interview for a potential candidate is not uncommon. This tends to only be for a very small number of candidates that are considered to be a very strong match for the position; phone interviews are usually used to weed out poor fits early on.
 
I'm guessing you know what you're going to say, but here's my quick advice for long interviews. I've done a bunch, they're not all bad so long as you're relaxed!


+1 for avoiding drinking too much fluid- but bring a bottle of water with you for keeping your throat wet. You'll have breaks as the panels change and what not, but better to use that time just to catch your breath and clear your mind a bit- don't wanna rush to the bathroom and back.

Careful with your posture. It's really easy to start slumping or slouching after an hour or two. Body language is critical.


Don't wear too much/strong cologne. Some antiperspirant is all you need.


Use mints, not gum. Gum chewing is annoying for a lot of people


Know your audience- and adjust your responses accordingly. The worst thing to do is start into a lengthy tech discussion with the supply chain lead, or talk about minute details with senior leaders. Approach everyone like you would if you were working there already, i.e. broader, directional answers to higher-ups, minutia with the tech folks, and short sentences with only single-syllable words for HR
I keed, I keed!

Good luck!
 
Relax and just don't say anything stupid. This may sound like a joke answer, but IT IS NOT. I have had interviewees sarcastically say things like, "well, we all know I'm the best fit for this job," "here's my resume, like you haven't already read it," and my favorite: "I'm a huge jokester around the office. I really like to go out drinking."

These answers were given during interviews I've conducted for middle-management positions. I later found that one of them ended-up at a competitor, and later we became friends by chance. She knew what she said was stupid right as she left, and said she had no idea what came over her. She was just trying to be funny and apparently has always been horrible at interviewing.
 
So I just got home a little while ago. My friend who works there dropped me off. I actually left my suit jacket in my apartment this morning on my rush out the door, but it wasn't a big deal. I also discovered to my horror after I took the commuter rail that the train station was in the middle of nowhere - my plan to take a cab thwarted, I walked 40 minutes to the job site (thank goodness this was a winter interview and not summer), and still got there 10 minutes early. Definitely will have to get a car if I take this job.

It actually went rather quickly. The interviews were divided up into half hour chunks, where I spoke with some lab workers and a couple department heads, as well as the gentleman I had previously spoken with during my phone interview. It closed with a walk through of the lab area. There was very little dead space in the any of the talks, as either they explained their technology platforms and how their project style unfolds, or they asked me about my previous work and my interest in the position. I had to go in depth on my current projects, and one guy picked a publication at random from my CV and asked me to walk him through it, so that was easy. I did my homework on the technology platforms that they use in the group so I wasn't completely clueless even though I hadn't used them before.

They were again apologetic about the nature of the position (contract vs full-time), but I explained that I was interested in the opportunity, even if it was temporary, since it's a great way to get a foot in the door for an industry career, even if it isn't at
Pfizer
.

So, now I play the waiting game. I guess I have to send thank you e-mails to the people I can actually contact. They only interviewed 2 or 3 other people for the position so the odds are pretty good.

Thanks again to everyone who chipped in.
 
Linkhero1 said:
Don't drink too much liquid before the interview. Three hours seems long but it will go by really quick. I think you're probably prepared. Go in positive.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest drinking a ton of liqueur before it, then as soon as you walk in the door take off your pants and twerk. but your suggestion is probably better.
 
Sho_Nuff82 said:
I'm about 18 months into a planned 2 year postdoctoral fellowship, and I have my first serious interview with a local biotech company tomorrow. My referral was actually from one of my former students who works there, and he gave me the heads up on a few techniques they might ask me about in the interview. I've also already done a phone interview with the head of the group I'm applying for.

Any advice on dress/questions to ask/questions to prepare for/mood/major do's and don'ts from employed-GAF? I'd really like this to go over well, my current position is fulfilling enough with a great group of researchers, but the pay sucks.
Click to expand...

Dress: dress accordingly to the company style. When in doubt; suit up. Seriously, I cannot stress enough that it's better to be overdressed than underdressed.

Ask: ask them about their history, their current businessproposition, their vision for the future and how they deal with advancing technology (are they a cutting edge front-of-the-crowd or a we-only-do-proven-technology kind of company)

Prepare for: the inevitable; what do you like, how do you handle dissapointment, how can you be of value to this company, where are you in 5/10 years, what can you add to the team, what experiences outside of the employed field do you have etc etc

Mood: be happy, but professional. Don't go skipping through the hallways, but don't sulk. Stand up straight, chest out, shoulders back. Make your bodylanguage know that you are confident about yourself and this interview.

Do's and don't; never, never NEVER talk bad about your previous employers and colleagues. It sends the message that you are unprofessional and you'll talk bad about your new employer when you go out for your next job.
Look your interviewers in the eyes; if you have multiple conversationpartners at a time, alternate between them as you talk to them, but look at the one who is talking, glance over to the other(s) occasionally.
If you have a female conversationpartner, DO NOT FLIRT WITH HER. Don't comment on her looks, don't undress her with your eyes, don't give her "the look". Act like a goddamn professional, you can bang her once you land the job.

Ask if you can meet some of your future colleagues, talk to them, ask them about the job you'll be doing.
 
You forgot your suit jacket? Might be a bigger deal than you think. People say one thing and think another all the time.
 
Joey Fox said:
You forgot your suit jacket? Might be a bigger deal than you think. People say one thing and think another all the time.
Click to expand...

I was still the best dressed person on the floor. I really doubt they're going to be weighing fashion faux pas for a highly technical position where everyone has to wear lab coats and goggles while working. Everyone was in jeans, polos, and sweaters.
 
If people ask to sum up your strong and weak points in any kind of form. ALWAYS start with your strong and postive points. When you talk people subconsciously tend to hear and remember the first half of what you say better then the end of the story. Gives a more positive vibe.
 
I always, always send actual thank you cards, in addition to an email. Just a small card that says 'thank you for taking the time to interview me' or something to that effect.

And thanks to Sho_Nuff for following up.
 
Sho_Nuff82 said:
So I just got home a little while ago. My friend who works there dropped me off. I actually left my suit jacket in my apartment this morning on my rush out the door, but it wasn't a big deal. I also discovered to my horror after I took the commuter rail that the train station was in the middle of nowhere - my plan to take a cab thwarted, I walked 40 minutes to the job site (thank goodness this was a winter interview and not summer), and still got there 10 minutes early. Definitely will have to get a car if I take this job.

It actually went rather quickly. The interviews were divided up into half hour chunks, where I spoke with some lab workers and a couple department heads, as well as the gentleman I had previously spoken with during my phone interview. It closed with a walk through of the lab area. There was very little dead space in the any of the talks, as either they explained their technology platforms and how their project style unfolds, or they asked me about my previous work and my interest in the position. I had to go in depth on my current projects, and one guy picked a publication at random from my CV and asked me to walk him through it, so that was easy. I did my homework on the technology platforms that they use in the group so I wasn't completely clueless even though I hadn't used them before.

They were again apologetic about the nature of the position (contract vs full-time), but I explained that I was interested in the opportunity, even if it was temporary, since it's a great way to get a foot in the door for an industry career, even if it isn't at
Pfizer
.

So, now I play the waiting game. I guess I have to send thank you e-mails to the people I can actually contact. They only interviewed 2 or 3 other people for the position so the odds are pretty good.

Thanks again to everyone who chipped in.
Click to expand...
Good luck dude!
 
seems it went smoothly. Good luck!


PS. I'm 6 months into the current PDF position (3 years on the agreement)....hopefully I don't PDF forever......(I'm in biochem&molecular biol)....
 
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