1. Bioscience Placement Interviews
Bruce Woodcock
University of Kent
Careers and Employability Service
You can download a copy of this presentation at

4. Employability Festival: Biosciences Employability Symposium 1st November
Careers Fair (31st Oct): MSD Merck, DSTL Defence Science & Technology Lab, Welcome Trust: support scientists and researchers, NHS Leadership Academy: health analysis & informatics, teaching organisations
Need to apply early for placements: closing dates for some are early this term: GSK, AstraZeneca, Pfizer (end of Sept!) etc.
An adviser is on duty for 15 minute consultations in the Careers Service weekdays morning and 2 pm to 4 pm. You don't need an appointment: just ask at Careers Reception to see them.

5. Application Process
The smaller company process is much simpler and you can apply much later (often after final exams) but salaries are usually lower and they offer less training and less chance to specialise.

6. CVs and Applications Resources
Science CV
You can get your CV and an application form answer checked online via the Careers Award on Moodle DP2650
Science covering letter
Application forms
Using MS Word to create a CV. Lots of layout tips

7. Careers Award on Moodle
Half the unemployment rate for students completing the award Enter Moodle, search for DP2650 or Careers Award and click enrol
if you have problems enrolling
More info at

9. Skills gained on a science degree
Gather and analyse relevant information from a wide variety of sources
Identify and propose solutions to problems
Project management
Technical skills
Work independently (individual projects)
Communicate with others in a clear and articulate manner
Present ideas and arguments verbally in presentations and seminars, and informal discussions
Sell these on your CV, applications and interviews!
“Sell” your degree
List relevant modules (plus marks if good!)
Projects – especially if relevant
Laboratory skills/IT skills
Soft skills – evidence of teamwork, project management, problem solving etc.
For non-science jobs (e.g. banking) you would need a different CV focusing on your soft skills more than technical skills.

10. HOW NOT TO INTERVIEW
Candidate had a fizzy drink just before interview and spent the whole interview burping.
Announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat burger and chips during the interview.
When asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around the office.
Without saying a word, candidate stood up and walked out during the middle of the interview.
Dozed off during the interview.
Said he never finished high school because he was kidnapped and kept in a wardrobe.

11. Preparation for the interview

12. Carefully research the employer and the job
What do you know about our organisation?
What are our main products/services?
What are the problems facing our organisation?
What changes have there been in our sector recently?
Who are our clients?
What do you think the placement you would be doing entails?

13. Dress Smartly
Men - conventional suit with a conservative shirt - plain pastel shades or modest stripes and dark shoes. Don't wear light coloured socks or too much aftershave!
Women - conventional suit or coordinating jacket and skirt. Dark colours suggest authority but bright can work with care. Wear tights. Don't wear lots of frills, trousers unless smart, very high heels or lots of make-up, perfume or jewellery.

14. BODY LANGUAGE Dress smartly
Shake hands warmly but wait to be invited to sit down.
Smile!
Eye contact
Try to relax: don’t sit on the edge of your chair, but don’t slouch.
Speak clearly and not too quickly

15. Interview nerves Nerves are expected in the first few minutes.
The interviewer may be nervous too!
It's not that important: there will be other interviews in future.
Preparation: makes you more confident.
Dress smartly: if you look good, you feel good!
Start in a positive way and you will continue in this vein: smiling, eye contact, a firm handshake.
Don't worry about making a mistake: everyone fluffs one question.
The day before write down everything you are worried about: “downloads” your worries.
Visualisation: the night before, visualise yourself undergoing the whole interview, step by step, and imagine everything going well.
Mindfulness techniques help to reducing stress.
Listen to empowering music beforehand!
Adopt power poses before (not at!!!) the interview: standing upright with hands on hips,  steepling hands.
For more see

16. PREPARE ANSWERS TO OBVIOUS QUESTIONS
Why are you applying to our company in particular?
Why have you chosen to study biology?
What makes you suitable for a placement?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
What have you got out of University?
What skills have you got?

17. COMPETENCY QUESTIONS Describe a situation where you had to .....
show leadership
make a difficult decision
overcome a difficult obstacle
refuse to compromise
work with others to solve a problem

18. Person specification
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Experience of prioritising competing demands √
Experience of working with a diverse client group
Skills/Abilities
Ability to achieve targets within agreed timescales
Ability to work autonomously and as a team member
Ability to work with people at all levels
Interview questions will be largely based around the competencies in the person specification e.g.
“Describe a situation where you had to achieve targets within agreed timescales”

19. COMPETENCY QUESTIONS: STAR APPROACH
Start by briefly outlining the Situation
Keep the focus on your specific Tasks and responsibilities
Say what Action you took, then try to summarise what you achieved. If it’s a group task, make sure you define your own role and contribution. This is the bigpest part
Give concrete Results when possible. If you cannot be totally positive about the experience, say what you learned from it and what you might do differently next time.
Situation/Tasks/Action/Result =

20. Bioscience Technical Questions
What is the polymerase chain reaction?
What do HIV, IgG, PEG2 stand for?
What structure does NH2-CH2-COOH belong to?
Suggest a route to synthesise ethylene glycol
Technical questions about electron microscopes, ice cores, ice conductivity.
About my final year project (synthesis of dendrivers)
Revise your project if you’ve done one and relevant topics covered in your degree.

21. HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS
BA pilot candidate was asked what he would do if he met the captain wearing a dress in the hotel bar. (British Airways interview)
"How would you deal with an irate customer?” (customer service interview)
 You are the manager of a lab and rising microbial counts had been observed going past acceptable levels in the water supply of the production lab. What would you do to investigate and address this? (GSK)

22. HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS
Used because it's impossible to work out your answer beforehand.
Test your ability to think quickly, logically, produce practical solutions.
Don't panic! Take a few seconds to think - this shows confidence.
Just try to think of one or two sensible things to say to start off.
There may be many possible solutions.

23. PREPARE QUESTIONS TO ASK
How is performance at work assessed?
What is a typical career path in this job?
Can you give me more details of the training programme?
What is the ‘‘work culture’’? i.e. informal, formal, do people work autonomously, does everyone come in early, stay late?
What are the challenges that the organisation is facing?
What is your personal experience of working for this organisation?
DON’T ASK about holidays, pensions and parking facilities.
DO ASK about training, career development and the work itself.

24. FOLLOWING UP
The interviewer will probably let you know when you’ll know the result. If they haven't made this clear, ask!
After the interview, make notes on the questions asked and what you could have answered better.
The next stage may be a second interview or selection centre.

25. Interview Help Online
Practice Interviews Teaching, postgrad. study, scientific research, IT etc.
Answers to 150 interview questions
Telephone interviews
Streamed Videos online
On-line Applications
Interviews
Assessment Centres In the Careers Award on Moodle DP2650

26. Assessment Centres Assessment Centres
Coping with group exercises
Presentation skills

27. Telephone: Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9 to 5 including vacations Drop-in times (no appointment needed: 15 minutes): to and 2 to 4 pm Weekly careers s every Monday afternoon Help given for up to 3 years after graduation

28. Bioscience Interviews
Bruce Woodcock
University of Kent
Careers and Employability Service
You can download a copy of this presentation at

29. REAL QUESTIONS FROM CANDIDATES
What is your Zodiac sign?
Do I have to dress for the next interview?
I know this is off the subject, but will you marry me?
Will the company pay to relocate my horse?
When is pay day?
Would it be a problem if I'm angry most of the time?
Why am I here?

30. Competency Questions
The hardest part of the form for most applicants - asking for examples of specific skills such as teamwork, leadership, problem solving e.g.
Describe how your personal planning and organisation resulted in the successful achievement of a personal or group task.
Give an example of where others have disagreed with your views. How did you deal with this?