[Noname16]

Just graduated with a BS in chemistry. Got an interview with a pharmaceutical company as an analytical chemist. It's mostly analytical testing and sampling of precious metals. I have a lot of experience with GC, GC/MS, HPLC, and various spectroscopy instruments. I personally don't have a lot of experience with precious metal testing, closest I think is synthesizing copper(II) and cobalt(II) complexes of saccharin(II) in undergrad laboratory experiment.

Can you guys give me advice on how to ace this interview and get hire? I'm really motivated and hard working but i fear my lack of experience in precious metals will hurt the interview. Will they train me? Or they want someone to hit the ground running when they hire for the position? I'm just hoping my experiences with various instruments will please them enough to hire me and train me.

What do you guys think?
What kind of instruments does precious metal samplings require? Techniques?
What should i google and study up on so i would not suck on this interview?

[Train]

Especially in a pharmaceutical testing environment, you won't be able to hit the ground running.  They will need to train you (and document the training) even on stuff you already know.  For an entry-level position, my guess is that they would be more concerned with whether you're trainable, hardworking, easy to get along with, easy to give directions to (e.g. minimum amount of complaining or arguing), etc.

Of course, my experience is as the person who had to train the new hires, not the person who decided to hire them, so it's possible the above is more in the nature of a wish list.

Good luck!

[Noname16]

Hey thanks for sharing man.

So your saying they look more towards my personality and interpersonal skills rather than my qualifications? Like I meet their minimum requirement for the position and all they really need to know now is me and if i'm personally qualify in their working environment like attitude, motivations, communications and etc?

[Train]

Well, in my company we have to train you regardless of whether you have experience or not, due to cGMP regulations.  So what I'm hoping for in a new hire is someone who will make the process as painless as possible.  I would rather have someone who will just be quiet and listen while I explain how to take a pH measurement and (especially!) how to document it than someone who thinks they already know and don't have to listen or resents having to start with something so basic or who is constantly interrupting to prove that they already know it.

It probably is worth doing some research on techniques and instruments to show you're interested and motivated, and so you can ask intelligent questions.  For metals testing, what comes to mind are the various digestion techniques used in sample preparation (look up for example microwave digestion), Flame AA, Furnace AA, and ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) - which is really just half the instrument, the other half being either optical emission or mass spec.

[JGK]

Avoid using the terms "man" or "dude" when adressing the interviewer.

Never ever allow the words "like", "totally" or "whatever" to intersperse your  general conversation.

Oh and make sure that your electronic gadgets are turned off.

[chelsea]

Avoid using the terms "man" or "dude" when adressing the interviewer.

Never ever allow the words "like", "totally" or "whatever" to intersperse your  general conversation.

Oh and make sure that your electronic gadgets are turned off.

Also get enough sleep, shower, and use clean clothes:)

Try to be relaxed as possible, it is the best way to sell yourself.

Yes, I know these are common sense!

[enahs]

Have everything you need, including your own pen and notepad to write down in.

[The_MD]

Precious metals testing is done in one of a number of ways.

At a scrapyard they use a portable XRF - looks like a barcode scanner.  Simple point and click.  You also get benchtop XRFs which are a little more complex.  XRFs are extrememly useful instruments because you don't need to do a digest of solid samples, which reduces time and potential experimental errors (of the human kind).  Google them, but don't get too stuck in the theory... even the benchtop ones are more or less press the button and go. 

Other instruments used include AAS, GF-AAS and ICP-OES.  ICP-OES is a favorite of the external labs I deal with, and likely to be what you encounter.  I strongly recommend you google ICP and familiarise yourself with the basic principle as if I had to put money on what they use, that would be it.  Samples need to be liquid, so you can probably expect to perform acid digests and similar bench work.

The below site is full of helpful tips for ICP sample prep and analysis.  Don't get too deep into it though, as a lot of it will make little sense if you've never used an ICP before.

http://www.inorganicventures.com/tech/guides/

Oh, and yes, they will train you.  It's unreasonable to throw a new hire on an instrument which they haven't used before, even if they have used the same type by a different manufacturor - its terrifying how different the control software can be.   

Finally, as a BSc student they may be interested in your dissertation/final year projects.  As it's unfair to judge you on techniques you have never used before some people like to go over these projects to judge your technical capability.  Make sure you reread it yourself in the week before the interview, and think about talking points concerning the practical sections of your work.