TOP 15 Interview Tips for FRESHERS in Pharmaceutical industry!

Being a fresher for any industry you might feel nervous and scared while attaining an interview. But don’t worry, in this article, I will discuss some important interview TIPS that can help you face the interview and get the job.

Facing a job interview as a fresher is an important task in every individual’s life, specifically when you are a fresher who just graduated and seeking a job opportunity.

So, let get started…

Keep in mind that the industry needs good people who are motivated, positive, hardworking, and with basics knowledge of what they studied in college or university. Need is from both sides. The industry needs a good candidate to work with them and you need a good organization to start your career.

1. Research about the organization

Being a fresher, the interviewer would not expect much from you but your enthusiasm and how proactive you are. In the current technical era, information about an organization is just one click away. In most cases, the interviewer wouldn’t offer the job to a candidate if they have no or little idea about the organization.

One can look at the product profile of the particular unit, the top brands of the product, company market present in various countries, the company – vision and mission, etc.

2. Understand the job role organization is offering

Understanding a job role that the company offers will help you to prepare for an interview. First of all, analyze that you are prepared for the specific role for which company is offering and you have interest in it. The proposed job description will help you to identify the potential questions for an interview.

3. Thorough with the basics

When you are fresher, the organization knows the extent of knowledge you could have. It is very obvious that you would not have practical experience of work to be done. To assess the candidate, the interviewer would ask about the basics and fundamentals of the subjects you have studied. Specifically, have thorough in the subject you claim as your favorite subject. For example, if you claim that Pharmaceutics or pharmaceutical formulations are my favorite subject, it does not cover only tablets and capsules but also covers other formulations such as sterile formulations, creams, ointments, suppositories, etc.

Pharma Pathway is one of the very good books to refresh your basic. One can refer books used during academics.

4. Review your resume before you submit

Before you submit the resume, review it thoroughly. A resume is just a one or two pages document and if there are errors in it, the interviewer will carry a negative impression about you which could be you are not serious about your career. Review for the correct name, capitalization, grammar, punctuation, page numbering, font size, font style, line spacing, etc. Choose a decent and professional look template to write a resume. The interviewer would not have any interest in how stylist documents you could make. It should be a balanced one.

5. Be on time

Being punctual would be the first impression you can demonstrate to the organization. Plan well in advance that how you are going to reach the place of the interview. If you plan to travel without buffer time, it would create stress full conditions for you and may impact your performance during the interview.

6. Dress code

Some companies provide details about the dress code for the interview in the interview call letter. So, make sure you read the guideline provided if any. Wear formal clothing and well-fitted formal shoes. Never wear slippers to the interview.

For working in a pharmaceutical organization, proper hygiene is essential. For the male candidate, with the appropriate dressing, you have to maintain a professional haircut, well-groomed facial hair, trimmed nails, etc. Similarly, for females, make sure your nails are trimmed. No glitter nail paints should be applied to your nails when going for an interview.

7. Prepare for possible questions

Remember a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin, “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail”. Following are few common questions which most of the interviewers will ask.

‘Introduce yourself’, ‘Why do you want to work with us?’, ‘What do you know about our organization?’, ‘What are your weaknesses’, ‘Why should we hire you? ‘, ‘What’s your greatest accomplishment during your college days’, ‘What are your hobbies and interests?’, ‘What motivates you?’, ‘What are your salary expectations?’, ‘Do you have any questions for us?’, etc.

Another set of questions are depending on the job role for which you have been called for an interview. When you have done B. Pharm or M. Pharm, you must have undergone industrial training. Recall your learning. The little practical experience would help you while facing an interview.

8. Research about competencies needed for your job role

Try to contact an industry resource person and attempt to identify the competencies necessary for the position for which you are applying for the job. The current trend in the industry for employee selection is the competency-based interview process.

Professional social media platform such as LinkedIn is the best to identify and contact industry resource person or your seniors who are already in the industry.

9. Clear communication

Good communication skills help you in impressing the interviewer. Communication does not mean just speaking but also listening; be attentive while you are interacting with the interviewer. Speak clearly when you answer. Do not mumble. The clear speech demonstrates your confidence and clarity of thought. If you do not know the answer, express it honestly.

Keep in mind that interview is a formal process. Even if the interviewer is behaving friendly, avoid inappropriate use of words, casual slang, or jargon.

10. Have good body language

Body language is non-verbal communication. It plays a very important role in creating your great first impression. The way you present yourself leaves a significant impact on your interviewer. Following are few tips.

Maintain eye contact, Sit up straight, Avoid touching your face, Use hand gestures to express yourself, Nod your head to express that you’re listening, and wear a smile whenever appropriate.

11. Be thorough with your resume

The interviewer will try to question based on what you have written in the resume. You should not write anything that you are not thorough with and not confident.

12. Be mindful about answers

Do not ever assume that interviewer would have superficial knowledge about the subject, topic, or theories. There must be some difficult questions that you may not be able to answer. In such cases, accept honestly that you are not aware but ready to learn. Don’t guess and respond or try to fool the interviewer. It will negatively affect and significantly reduce the chances of selection.

The pharmaceutical industry is a health care industry. Integrity is a very important and key aspect when you are dealing with medicine and human life.

13. Strength and career goal

‘What is your strength?’ is a common question which interviewer may ask. Politely explain what your strength is and how it would be helpful to the organization.

Similar to the question about strength, the question regarding career goals is the common one. Your career goal should be clear in your mind. Mostly the answer would be regarding how you expect to grow in your field. If you are thinking about another career other than the field for which you are giving an interview, there will be a very rare chance to get the job. So, be focused on what you want to do in your career and progress accordingly.

14. Stay motivated and positive

Don’t be stressed if some of the questions you are not aware of or you think that interview is not going as you expected. A positive attitude will show your ability to handle stressful conditions and can leave a good impression on the interviewer.

15. Be thankful

It is not all about how your interview goes. Be thankful that you got an opportunity to prove yourself. Each interview will teach something and will help to prepare for the future. A positive attitude and polite behavior can go a long way in impressing people.

Wish you all the best! Be confident and follow the given tips. I am sure you will be able to crack the interview!