How to Prepare for BioScience Job Interview
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How to Prepare for BioScience Job Interview
Life Science Job Interview Tips

Tips On How To Prepare For Bioscience / Biotech Job Interviews Efficiently

Gone are the days where most of the individual’s dream is to become either a doctor or an engineer. Because in today’s era one can find many diverse opportunities in every field and when it comes to science, it’s numerous. And one such perfect example is our field…so be it life science or biotechnology we have huge opportunities ahead.

It’s a myth among the people that biotechnology is not a pure form of science and it’s difficult to sustain with this particular field. It’s a belief that there are very few opportunities in this field and they can only get better opportunities if they are moving abroad. Of course, I won’t completely disagree with that but yes I do believe in one thing that if you really work hard, if you are passionate enough and if you are dedicated enough, things will definitely work out. In other words, we can say “Sky is the limit” for the people who really work hard towards achieving their goal.

Be it life science or biotechnology we have n number

of branches; for e.g. life science, it comprises botany, zoology, etc and in the same way, biotechnology comprises medical biotechnology, plant, and animal biotechnology, etc. No need to get confused about whether one should go for a core subject or one must go for the specialization because in the end, what matters is our interest and our passion. So always dream about your passion and interest then only things will fall into the proper place. So once you are done with MSc go for a PhD in the area which excites you to do something unique.

Looking into the current scenario of our sector it’s overwhelming to say that our Biotech field is flourishing at a much faster pace. Our country has around 3% of shares in the field of biotechnology across the world thus heading way towards one among the top positions globally. We can say this confidently because India being the second largest in the world for the production of BT cotton. The story doesn’t end here. India is the 3rd largest across the world for the production of recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine. In the Asia-pacific region, India holds a 3rd position in the biotech field. Thus with these, we can surely draw a conclusion that our sector is growing, in fact, we can say booming at a much faster rate.

India is one of the 1st countries to have a department exclusively for biotechnology. We have many DBT funded biotechnological parks situated in different parts of our country. We have many companies like Biocon, Bharath Biotech, etc that contribute greatly in terms of economy. So before thinking about flying abroad and settling over there, rethink, reconsider, analyze, workout. Make yourself aware of the real facts and real opportunities in our country with your field of interest.

This is the time to make your dreams come true. Yes, you can be the next person who’s going to design drugs against hazardous viruses for e.g. vaccination against the recent CoronaVirus, regenerating organs in the lab, discovering the mutated gene, or discovering the over-expressive protein related to many dreadful diseases. Thus there is a thin line between you and your destiny and it’s in your hands how to handle the things to become a future known scientist. And the very first thing that opens the door for your dreams is clearing an interview. So before you get into any job in any sector, the first challenge lies in facing an interview and when it comes to a field like life science/biotech it’s going to be a tricky one.

BioTecNika presents you with some Life-Science job interview tips and tricks on How To Prepare For Any Biosciences Job Interviews Efficiently:

1.    How to search for a job:

Simply browsing in Google won’t work out. Always go to the official website of the concerned company for confirmation of the vacancy. Once you are done with that, try to make contact with the concerned person via mail by dropping your resume. But at times hoping to multiple company websites can be tiring & tedious, and you all know Biotecnika is a good platform – One Stop destination for all your Life science / Biotech Jobs Search needs. Be it searching jobs related to any research institute or R&D department or any company related vacancies in the biotech or pharma industry you can find it over here within no time.

2.    Always remain updated in the chosen field:

Yes, this goes without saying. As it’s been made clear, our field is dynamic and ever-changing, so instead of sticking to the textbook alone, make sure you read the recent articles and blogs regarding the field you are interested in. This will make you aware of many things regarding your field of interest like what is the latest updates, discoveries, research, what are the challenges in your field, what are the possible future trends, etc So always try to keep yourself updated in all aspects.

3.   Know about the company:

This is another point to be noted while preparing for a bioscience job interview. So when you are going for an interview in a company or any research institute make sure you a good understanding especially if you are going for an interview related to the positions like project fellow/JRF you must have some knowledge regarding the given topic.

An important Life-Science job interview tip is to ensure that you are aware of not only what’s going on inside but also outside as well. Meaning Keep yourself updated regarding the happenings of that particular institute, for e.g. to say regarding their achievements, their ongoing projects, etc. If you are aware of the scientist with whom you are going to work then you must keep a track of him/her as well as their nature of work, their publications, etc. This will give you self confidence before going for an interview.

4.    Be ready for technical conversation:

Another important skill you need before going for an interview. If you are a fresher then whichever company you go to, you can definitely expect the question from your last project i.e. mostly with respect to your MSc project and if you have attended any kind of hands-on training, workshop, etc. You can also expect some queries from that as well.

First, you must be clear about everything be it your project work or workshops or training, try to explain the things technically more because when it comes to working in lab people are more focussed on techniques rather than basic theoretical knowledge. This does not mean that theoretical knowledge is not needed at all, it is needed but depending on the position you are applying for, technical knowledge takes you a long way. If you have prior work experience you will be in a better position to explain your previous job profile.

Be as accurate and detailed as possible, and since you have some prior experience, you will be in a better position to articulate yourself. Always expect the unexpected, that’s what the rule is… yes you can expect some kind of hypothetical questions or problems from their side.

You can expect questions like:

Why do you want to work with us?

  • So to answer this question you must have done ample research about that institute/organization/company. With this, they want to know whether you are a perfect fit for their institute/organization/ company and whether you will be able to handle the work efficiently and ultimately be a good worker, so you must answer in such a way that it must include your skill, experience (if any), your strength relevant to the position for which you came for the interview. Show them that you will be a worthwhile investment.

Why should we select you?

  • While answering this question you should never sound like an overconfident person or neither like a generic person. Keep your answer short, precise, and to the point. It must include your background somewhere related to that particular position. Emphasize your achievements, your skills, your way of tackling problems in the work area. Try to highlight that unique quality inside you that will be helpful in the work.

Where do you want to see yourself after 5 years?

  • This is quite a tricky question to be answered. With this, they want to know whether you are eligible for this post and whether your goals are aligning with the company’s requirement. So while answering this you must include your realistic goals and try to connect it with the position for which you had applied for.

Would you like to work with others or alone?

  • By this question, they want to know whether you can work as a team or not. So you need to answer this smartly. It should be conveyed to them in such a way that you can work as a team and at the same time you are happy enough to work alone as well.

Tell me about yourself:

  • With this, they don’t want to know about your personal habits or likes or dislikes rather with this question they wanted to know what exactly you are aiming for in terms of work, what is your professional goal, etc. So here you need to accumulate your past work experience, try to showcase it in the present and project how it’s going to work out in the future. You must train yourself in such a way that you are able to give answers relevant to the concerned project.

5.    Focus more on interdisciplinary skills

Biotechnology is a versatile field where you can find a number of branches so you must speak in a language of their requirement. For instance, if you are being interviewed for a medical biotechnology job then speak the language of drugs, tools, techniques relevant to that so this will give an impression regarding the kind of work you are comfortable in. The key in this Life-Science job interview tip is to be on the same page.

6.      Good communication skills:

OfCourse communication skills matter a lot so it’s better to be prepared beforehand. There are many questions which are common in all interviews which we can expect. Like aim and ambition, desires, experiences about his/her concerned subject, etc. So prepare yourself beforehand. Read up on articles posted on Biotecnika for more tips and tricks to face interviews better.

7.   Ability to resolve problems :

This is a question to read your behavior. So be prepared to give a good explanation. You must mention all the reference tools that you have used to tackle it. If possible try to explain by them with an example when you actually made a difference in a difficult situation.

8.  Expand your network:

Whether you are a fresher or are experience in the field of life-sciences, always keep a network of connections. Whenever you get the opportunity to attend workshops, seminars, or conferences don’t ignore it. Because you will come across a number of people from diverse areas and you can keep yourself updated on the latest and you can chart your career graph accordingly.

9.  Dress professionally:

Be neat, tidy, and presentable. Always go for a pressed and casual outfit. Try to look natural as much as possible. You can dress up more loud for other occasions, an interview is not one of them. Stick to a minimal, clean, and neat appearance.

10.  Always be on time:

This can’t be stressed enough. Always be on time. You are attending an interview and are trying to be the best version of yourself. These are soft skills that interviewers will pick up on. If you do not show up on time, it not only shows how you don’t respect other people’s time, it can also give the impression of how you are not serious about your own career in the first place.

All the best for the interviews which you come across in the upcoming times. Be positive, be relaxed, stay cool for an interview. In any interview remember it’s your words that will decide whether you are apt for the work or not. So make sure to say those points which you are aware of and confident of. And it’s okay not to be the best at the first interview, learn from each round. You will get a hang of it and you will definitely excel in the interview for your dream jobs.


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Author: Divya.S