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Preparing For An Interview

Share your knowledge and promote your capacity to critique scientific information through these interview preparation tips from our Recruiting team.

Before the Interview

  • Do some research into Syneos Health and the leadership team with which you are meeting.
  • Review the corporate website and investor pages.
  • Read the job specification thoroughly and identify what you can bring to the role in terms of skills and experience. Be able to explain why you want THIS job and not just ANY job (what's your motivation).
  • Have a copy of your resume in front of you. Plan to discuss what specifically attributed to your successes (formulary presentations, teamwork, decision making, study designs, etc.).
  • Prepare and practice answering common interview questions, and re-familiarize yourself with your background on your resume (it is common to forget details of past employment).
  • Be positive throughout the process, don't speak negatively regarding previous companies and/or managers.
  • Have a glass of water handy.
  • Take a padfolio or nice notebook with a pen to take notes in.
  • Be ready early -  at least 10 minutes prior, so you don’t sound rushed.

 

 

Before the Phone Interview

  • This interview may be conducted with a Syneos Health Recruiter and/or a Hiring Manager.
  • Always answer your phone professionally. Ensure your voicemail is set up and your greeting is professional. Confirm your mailbox is cleaned out and available to accept messages.
  • Ensure you are in a quiet area with no distractions and make sure you have good phone service/reception.
  • If you are doing an interview on your mobile phone, confirm that it's fully charged.

 

Before the Video Interview

  • You may be invited to complete a 1-way interview or a live video interview. Prepare much as you would for a formal interview.
  • Test out your video connection at least a day before your interview to ensure everything works as it should.
  • Be sure your background is clear of clutter and is as plain as possible.
  • Ensure the lighting does not produce a glare and you can see yourself clearly.
  • During the interview, look directly at the camera, not the screen.
  • Prepare not to take notes on your laptop to avoid any clicking background noise.
  • Dress professionally and appropriately for the role you are interviewing for.

 

Before a Live Interview

  • Our Medical Science Liaison candidates may meet with one or more hiring managers via seperate meetings over one day or you may meet with multiple managers in one meeting via a multi-panel format.
  • Dress professionally and appropriate to the role you are interviewing for.
  • Make sure your cell phone is turned to silent, and be sure it does not vibrate during your interview as it can be a distraction.
  • Bring a copy of your resume for each interviewer you’re meeting with in the case they don’t have one.
  • Be friendly with everyone you meet and assume everyone is interviewing you.

During The Video, Phone or Live Interview

  • Maintain a professional tone throughout the interview.
  • Keep your resume, key skills and achievements and any headline information about the company in front of you for reference.
  • Even if the interviewer can’t see you, getting your body language right can make all the difference on how you come across. Sitting up straight or standing up will improve how you project your voice. Smiling will also help inject positivity into your voice.
  • Demonstrate passion, enthusiasm and energy throughout the interview.
  • Don’t speak too quickly. If you feel like you are, pause and take a deep breath.
  • Don’t interrupt the interviewer. To avoid this, pause for a second once you think they have finished talking before you respond.
  • Make sure you are listening to the question asked. If you do not understand the question, ask the interviewer for clarification.

Situational Questions

Be sure to use the STAR format when answering any situational questions.

S: Situation at hand

T: Task to resolve

A: Actions you took

(List 3 action items you took to accomplish the end result)

R: Result

 

Sample Questions

  • What is the most unique element of your background that would set you up for success in this role? What do you believe are attributes of your style that bring the most success? Why is that?
  • I'm interested in hearing about one or two learning experiences that you'd consider critical to your growth as a professional. How did this learning experience affect your approach going forward?
  • Tell me about a piece of impactful coaching you have received. How have you since applied the feedback?
  • How would you develop individual KOL engagement plans, with a focus on building a long-term relationship?

Ask The Employer Questions

At the end of most interviews, the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. It is a good idea to come prepared with questions you want to ask the interviewers and prioritize them. As you consider what questions to prepare, think about what is most important to you. What questions will help you decide whether this job is the right fit for you? What questions will help you understand the customer's biggest challenges and areas of growth?

Additional Interview Preparation Tips

Delivering a Medical Science Liaison Clinical Presentation

At Syneos Health, we strive to create fair and standardized interviews. To accomplish this, our Medical Science Liaison candidates are provided with one clinical article and asked to use this to build a clinical presentation.

How Do You Prepare a Clinical Presentation for an Interview?

You can make your presentation impactful and impressive with these tips.

  • The clinical presentations should include an introduction, disease state overview and discussion of unmet need, and then concentration on the article and implications for practicing HCPs.
  • The presentation should take 15 minutes and include approximately 30-50% disease state and 50-70% clinical efficacy and safety data review.
  • The more you rehearse your presentation, the more confident you'll feel and that will come through to your hiring team.

We realize Medical Science Liaison candidates may have limited exposure to the information we are asking to be presented. This is a challenging request and we don't expect candidates to be subject matter experts. To assist you in your preparation:

  • Your recruiter will share with you the required article for the presentation prior to your scheduled interview.
  • Be sure to utilize this article in addition to other materials you find through your research.
  • Prepare to engage in a brief question and answer period following your presentation.
  • Treat this as a formal presentation, as if you are presenting to a potential Key Opinion Leader.

Closing the Interview

Once the hiring manager has concluded the interview, you must proceed into your close. This is the time to reiterate your strong interest in the job and why you should be a candidate for consideration. Remember, if you don't successfully close the interviewer on you as a candidate, how can you expect them to visualize you building strong relationships with an HCP or KOL?

 

After the Interview

 

Writing a Thank-You Letter

Writing a follow-up thank-you letter allows you to build a relationship with the interviewer and develop rapport. By expressing your gratitude for the interview and recapping the highlights of the meeting, you revisit the reasons why you are the best fit for the position.

 

 

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