Quality Recruiting. Established Experts.
Interview Tips
Being prepared for an interview is vital. Your FCG recruiter will help you prepare for your phone and face-to-face interviews. We know our clients and what they are looking for in their next hire.
Here are general Things to remember in advance of face-to-face interviews, whether working with a recruiter or not:
- What to bring: Pack ample copies of your resume and any requested presentation materials based on the number of people you are scheduled to meet. Bring paper and pen so you can take notes. Bring contact information for recruiter, company admin, or members of the interview team in case you need directions or you need to communicate about an unforeseen event that delays your arrival – but always plan to be early. Don’t be late!
- Conduct research on the employer, hiring manager, and job opportunity. This is available through your recruiter and on the internet. It is a fine idea to check out the profiles of the interview panel through LinkedIn so you can formulate questions about their career paths or common experience or interests.
- Dress to make the best impression. Strive for the most professional appearance in keeping with the culture of the organization. Clothing should be conservative for the pharmaceutical/biotech/medical device industry, and be clean and pressed. Avoid ill-fitting clothing and distracting jewelry. Limit perfume and aftershave/cologne.
- Arrive early. Allow enough time to arrive about 15 minutes before the scheduled interview time. The extra time will allow you to complete paperwork, observe the organization, make sure you are in the right place, allow for unexpected extra travel time, and compose yourself and be ready to shine.
- Make a good impression: SMILE, make eye contact, stand up when introduced, give a firm handshake, and be a good listener. Treat everyone you meet in the organization with respect and kindness.
- Rehearse. A few days before the interview prepare responses to typical interview questions you expect to be asked. Practice your answers to those questions out loud to yourself.
- Market yourself. During interviews, delivery of answers to questions should be well-thought-out, concise, candid, confident, and sincere. Do not speak over the other person and listen carefully to questions to make sure you understand what is being asked. Avoid speaking negatively about current or former employers. Be prepared to provide examples of accomplishments or solutions to past challenges. Maintain eye contact and good posture.
- You must have questions. During the course of interviews, refer to a list of questions you prepared in advance about the position and organization. Your FCG recruiter can provide some examples when you speak before the interview day. Questions to include:
- What are the challenges of this role? Why is this position open?
- What are the short and long term goals set for the person in this position?
- Avoid the topic of compensation and benefits for the first interview. Your FCG recruiter will review with you how to approach compensation. Focus on the opportunity.
- At the conclusion of the interview, ask about next steps in their process. Should you follow-up with them or will they contact you? Express your interest in being considered for the role and why. If you desire the job, ask for it. Your FCG recruiter will review how to close at the end of your interviews.
- Get business cards from the people with whom you have interviewed.
- Leave them with a smile, firm handshake, good eye contact, and a sincere “thank you”.
- Following the interview, either later in the day or the following day, send a formal thank you by email to each interviewer, thanking each for his/her time and reiterating why you believe you would be an asset to the organization. Your FCG recruiter can provide some samples. Double-check to avoid spelling, typos, and grammatical errors.
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I enjoyed working with the staff at Fairway Consulting Group because they were professional, thorough, efficient and courteous in all communications.
- Senior Clinical Research Associate with a growing drug discovery and development company
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An area where they deserve tremendous praise is the area of negotiation of a fair package for all parties concerned.
- Director BioOncology Business Unit Operations, Leading Biotechnology Company
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The process was also made a lot easier with the small number of touch points at Fairway Consulting Group, where I worked with two consultants for the entire process and never had to explain my story to different people.
- Associate Manager Market Planning, Leading Biotechnology Company
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I am eternally grateful to Fairway Consulting Group. They are a class-act, and I wish them every success in the future.
- Director BioOncology Business Unit Operations, Leading Biotechnology Company
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I’ve worked with John Wiener and his staff for almost ten years and they’ve helped me secure two attractive positions with leading pharmaceutical companies during this time.
- Director New Product Commercialization, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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...thank you for all of your insights and coaching during my placement process... I'm delighted to be joining such a wonderful team.
- Manager Field Analysis, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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I have worked and dealt with a number of recruiting companies, but I have to say this has best my best interaction ever.
- Medical Director Imaging, Major Global Diagnostic Imaging Company
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Christopher is highly professional, energetic and efficient. He knows the pharmaceutical industry and was great at understanding my needs...
- Manager Outcomes Research, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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Dan… Now that I interacted with several head hunters, I think it is easy for me to say you are the best. You are sincere in finding a perfect match rather than making numbers and you do a very good job selling the truth about the position to the candidate and prepare the candidate for the interview. So keep doing what you do, you are very good at it.
- Director Drug Product Technology
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Jan is a true partner in the talent acquisition business. She is genuinely interested in making certain her clients are positioned to ensure long-term success for both parties. As a candidate, in preparation for the interview process, Jan was quickly able to provide me information about the position, the company, their culture, and key leadership profiles, ensuring I could best represent myself and critical skills and experiences that I brought to the table. Jan made sure all of my questions were immediately answered with quick and responsive communication. After accepting the position, Jan and I remain in contact today and she is always available to provide continued support and employment advice. She now provides me with recruiting assistance for my department and continues to remain true to form in assisting in the process on the employer’s side, while identifying the best talent for our needs.
- Senior Director Clinical Operations, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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Dear Jan, I cannot thank you enough for all the help and support you gave throughout the selection process, and most recently the hiring and relocation process with [name of company]. I have enjoyed working with you and am very grateful to you. I am extremely excited to start next week!
- Director Strategic Start Up & Patient Recruitment, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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Just wanted to take a quick moment to say thank you for all of your insights and coaching during my placement process at Novartis. I’m delighted to be joining such a wonderful team.
- Manager Field Analysis, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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Dan, I want to thank you for the work you have done with me for this position. It has been a great pleasure working with you. I have worked and dealt with a number of recruiting companies, but I have to say this has best my best interaction ever. And this is independent of the happy conclusion that should happen shortly with the signature of the offer letter. If someone needs an excellent professional in your field, your name will be at the top of my list.
- Medical Director Imaging, Major Global Diagnostic Imaging Company
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Dear Jan, I cannot thank you enough for all the help and support you gave throughout the selection process, and most recently the hiring and relocation process with [name of company]. I have enjoyed working with you and am very grateful to you. I am extremely excited to start next week!
- Director Strategic Start Up & Patient Recruitment, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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I enjoyed working with the staff at Fairway Consulting Group because they were professional, thorough, efficient and courteous in all communications. They listened to what I was looking for in my next career move and contacted me once they found something that fit my description. I would highly recommend using Fairway Consulting Group to any of my colleagues.
- Senior Clinical Research Associate, a Growing Drug Discovery and Development Company
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Jan was a true asset in helping me make my latest career transition. Her industry connections, sound guidance, and dogged determination proved invaluable for exploring/pursuing job opportunities. She proved an ally even after placement in navigating a particularly challenging situation during organizational realignment
- Director, Clinical Planning & Resource Management, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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Jan recruited me to my current position and always conducted herself in the most professional manner. She was a pleasure to work with through a time of transition. I highly recommend Jan.
- Medical Director, Drug Safety, Major Global Pharmaceutical Company
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Jan Platnick recruited me and helped place me at Genzyme Corporation. Jan is an excellent professional recruiter. She has an optimistic attitude and the tenacity required to succeed in her role. I am very pleased with the way Jan handled my placement and would recommend her unequivocally to anyone seeking to fill open professional positions.
- Director-MTS Technical Project Management, Leading Biotech Company
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I really enjoyed working with Jan, she is professional, focused and results orientated. I highly recommend her for the industry knowledge she has and the high level of personalized customer care she provides.
- VP Pharmacovigilance, CRO
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I wanted to thank you for initial contact and support through the selections process with AbbVie. I greatly appreciated you championing me and submitting me for consideration. I am very excited to start my new job!
- Director Strategic Start Up & Patient Recruitment
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Thank you for managing my recruitment to AbbVie for the Associate Director, Global Project Management position. I appreciate all the efforts that you and your company accomplished in helping me secure this new opportunity. Please know that I would never have known about this opportunity or pursued it without the persistence of Chris. It was your ability with Human Resources and the hiring manager at AbbVie that expedited and helped secure this position for me—I could not have done this without you. Thank you very much!
- Associate Director Project Management
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I have had the pleasure of working with Ilanna. She expresses incredible knowledgeable of the pharmaceutical industry. Ilanna has deep understanding of the jobs she recruits for and consistently provides feedback. Her honest, detailed, direct, and sincere approach is what makes her stand out from the rest.
- Manager Product Development
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Lee Golodny was the recruiter who eventually placed me at my new job. I was looking for a new career opportunity but had not had any success on my own with my networking. Lee contacted me through LinkedIn about a potential job at a small biotech firm. We discussed at length what I was looking for and he walked me through the process. He was very professional and I was impressed with him during the entire process. He followed up with me after every phone call, informal meeting, prepped me for the interview and helped me land a really great opportunity. Looking for a new job can be stressful but he made the process much easier for me. I hope others who may need that extra help will approach Lee to assist them in their job search.
- In vivo Pharmacology and Biomarker Scientist