[voidSetup]

I recently graduated from school with a Bachelor's in chemistry, and have been applying for a lot of jobs.  I did a year of undergraduate research (about 20 hours a week in the lab) doing organic synthesis, and had very good grades.  I got an email 2 days ago to have a phone interview for an associate analytical chemist position with a very big company.  I'm just wondering if anyone has any idea what kind of questions they might ask me, and what I can do to nail this phone interview in order to get a face to face.  Looking online I've read that they tend to do situational/behavioral interviewing mostly, although I'm not so sure how much they stress that for scientist jobs vs. sales/management.  I understand they'll have to train me since this is an entry level position so it's important that I work well in a team and learn quickly, which I don't think is a problem for me.  Also do people with a masters have a big advantage over me because I read one person say that they were told they were overqualified due to their masters?

[Arkcon]

I can only be general, because you've been very general yourself.  You're a recent graduate, going for an analytical position, ... somewhere.  They will ask you: what you know, and what experience you have, just like for positions that require more experience.  What analytical work have you done in classes, what instruments can you use (example:  Perkin-Elmer's Chemstation vs. Water's Millennium for HPLC) -- yes they can teach you.  But if they have the choice, wouldn't they want someone with an idea of what to do already?  They'll ask you if yo understand what the company does, and how this branch of industry works.  Yes, they can explain it all to you on your first day.  But again, wouldn't they rather hire someone at least literate enough to Goggle search the topics?  They'll ask you what challenges you've overcome, and how you overcame them.  And they'll pick the person who solved an interesting analytical chemistry problem over an applicant who has nothing to say outside of "uh"

[voidSetup]

Ok, that is a bit helpful.  I have done a little bit of research.  The position is with Merck providing analytical support for scale-up during late stage development of a drug.  In my classes I have done wet chemistry, AAS, FTIR, and UV-vis, although it was not necessarily extensive work, just a lab or two.  In my research I used FTIR and GC/MS (Varian 1200 with Varian CP3800 GC) quite a bit more, and the HPLC was not available for us to use because the department had just bought it and the faculty was figuring out the software.  I have read elsewhere that the specific instrument may not be as important because the software and capabilities from different vendors can vary greatly so usually one must be trained.  I have also read that even if I do know a bit of what to do I would have to be trained in cGMP procedures, which I have no experience with since I have never worked in industry.  I have experience characterizing organic compounds using GC/MS and FTIR but haven't had to do much complex method development.  I really want to stress that I am able to learn new skills quickly though.

[Arkcon]

When they ask you about HPLC experience, which you will need for the analysis of pharmaceuticals, mention your GC experience, and try to point out their similarities -- they both generate a chromatogram, and the methods for identifying peaks is similar.  It's not really, but this is how you'll be able to answer their questions on your abilities -- with self-confidence.  Try to spin each of your abilities as to how they relate to the task at hand.  When they show you around their lab (this is often done, but not always) try to recognize instruments, and point out similarities with instruments and techniques you already have.  And take notes on topics you've talked about, so you can re-iterate them in the thank you letter you send to the interviewer.

But you have got to stop being so smug with regard to their need for training you.  The guy who interviewed yesterday or tomorrow may already have that training, and they will hire him first.  It is just that simple.

cGMP?  What is that?  Do you know.  I do, because I've worked under cGMP.  My first job hired me without it and trained me.  Later jobs expected it.  Can you look up what it means, and write down an answer for the interviewer about how you'll do it?  Before they train you on it?

[voidSetup]

I would never mention to the interviewer anything about them training me, i was just thinking about it because the position seems a little intimidating given that I have no HPLC experience and that is so important for so many jobs.  They know that though because my resume doesn't list it and my cover letter stated that I'm familiar with organic synthesis and mostly GC/MS and FTIR.  I appreciate the advice though about comparing my GC experience to HPLC, that should be very helpful.  This first step is just a phone screening so I'm definitely not seeing their lab yet, and I'm curious how much technical questions they will ask me.

I have looked up cGMP a little while ago, and I know its current good manufacturing practice.  I don't know any of the specifics, but I know that it is a more general set of guidelines governing quality assurance.  One way in which I would follow cGMP's would be to keep meticulous records of all my work and follow all the proper safety guidelines.  I'm pretty confident I'll know how to do a lot of the tasks but I still may need to be shown how to do it according to their guidelines, that's all I'm saying.

[Arkcon]

Very good.  You know more about cGMP than most.  Here's a question:  Where does cGMP guidelines come from?

[voidSetup]

They come from the FDA, arbiter of the pharmaceutical industry    I appreciate the advice, phone interview is in 5 hours.  I hope it goes well.  I have some ideas thought and written out for behavioral type questions, and some general questions I want to ask them about the position.

[Arkcon]

Great.  Now, when you get a chance, go to the FDA website regarding cGMP (they, the FDA, now call it QS regulation -- the quality standard regulation, so there's some trivia you can drop into the phone interview right now) and read their guidelines for implementing cGMP -- they do help companies write guidelines, they don't just make laws.  Try to fine one thing in the FDA guidelines that in some way seems similar to something you've experienced, so you can drop that in conversation.   

Pharmaceutical companies would rather have someone who understands and is willing to implement cGMP over someone with obscure chemistry knowledge.  This is especially true when interviewing with Group Leaders, Regulatory Members or other "big bosses."  Your supervisors and co-workers care more about your chemistry knowledge.  So try to tailor your conversation to your listener.

[enahs]

When I interview people for an analytical chemistry position, I ask them to do a simple dilution problem, but usually do not use molarity units, so say a good question would be:
If I take 500uL of a 20mg/mL solution, and dilute it to 10 mL, what is the final concentration?

You would be surprised how many BS, MS and PhD degree seeking people get this right, in a reasonable amount of time. About 1 out of 40.

[voidSetup]

The phone interview went ok, I wouldn't say great.  They basically asked me to talk about my undergrad research a little bit, then it was almost all technical questions. Things like explain the basic concepts of GC, then HPLC, then whats going on in an acid/base titration.  I reviewed them a little bit beforehand, but I was expecting more behavioral questions and only got the one question on my strengths/weaknesses.

[JGK]

They come from the FDA, arbiter of the pharmaceutical industry    I appreciate the advice, phone interview is in 5 hours.  I hope it goes well.  I have some ideas thought and written out for behavioral type questions, and some general questions I want to ask them about the position.

Not totally correct, It's the FDA in North America. however in europe and Japan there are other bodies who issue and adjudicate on adherence to the guidelines.

[voidSetup]

Got an update on this.  So I passed the phone interview, my references were good, and I've been invited for an onsite interview and a dinner the night before.  From what I've heard the onsite interview usually takes a whole day and you meet with multiple staff members/HR people, and maybe lunch with some people from the department.  It seems a little intimidating but I'm pretty confident I will do well.   I will probably get more of the behavioral style interviewing at this point, and possibly some more technical questions.  Anyone have some tips who's been through this kind of vetting process?

[Arkcon]

You can expect a little less of the behavioral-style questions at this part of the interview.  They will try to be more specific about your chemistry and cGMP procedure knowledge, and look to see your personality shine through.  Try to relax as much as possible, so you don't come of as a "dead fish", if you're ready to answer more of the same questions that you already answered, you'll be calmer, and you'll be able to project your personality without obviously looking "phony"

Think to yourself:  what can you do based on your previous lab experience?   Analytical instruments don't work like Star Terk tricorders -- our instruments generate the correct answer only when setup properly, with the correct solutions (HPLC eluent, analytical standard solutions, etc.) properly prepared and the system properly conditioned for use.  Did you do something similar in school?  Preparing buffer solutions correctly, setting up an organic synthesis rig properly, etc.  try to be able to talk about that.  What can go wrong, what did you do wrong, and how did learn to do it better next time.

What else did you do in school.  The group leader and validation supervisors will care more about your ability to write clearly,  maintain a personal organization of the tasks before you (executing them in a timely fashion, not forgetting important steps, etc.)  Does that describe something you've done in other classes in school, or even your hobbies or other interests?  See if you can spin the conversation that way.

I was only taken out to dinner once, and I was a little nervous.  I tried to be personable, polite, talk about interesting things (so I didn't look like a dead-fish) but still let the interviewer have control.  I didn't get the job, and I worried if I had done something wrong.  Many people told me that dinner and lunch are just formalities, the company budgeted for the cost, and is simply spending their budget.  Perhaps the only thing that interests your interviewer in this situation is a free meal for himself at company cost -- or perhaps not.

Look at this: http://www.capandcompass.com/  This is a company that produces a little book I saw at my local library.  It addresses some of the questions people face when they first leave college and start the working world.  On some level its even more simple than the many "for Dummies" books.  But on another level, its useful for a complete noob, so you can see what information you have to read up on.  I wish I'd had some of this information when I was a recent grad.  They talk about company dinners in a funny sort of way.

[voidSetup]

Thanks for your responses Arkcon, that sounds good.  I'll definitely brush up on my knowledge of all the analytical techniques so I'm well prepared for that.  I did have to prepare samples for GC/MS while I was in school.  They had to be 100 ppm in hexanes, and the sample had to be filtered through a syringe filter in order to get rid of any small particulates that could damage the column.  I wasn't really given much guidance on how to go about preparing it, so my first try I just pushed an arbitrary amount of the sample through the filter and it all got absorbed by the filter instead of going through.  So I flushed it out with hexanes and rotovapped the solvent off.  Then I took a pipette tips worth of sample into a tared vial, weighed it, diluted it with 5mL hexanes, filtered it, and did another dilution to get the proper concentration and that worked great.  I did set up some organic synthesis rigs and had to work out some kinks on how to maintain an inert atmosphere and be able to add/remove things from the system with a limited glassware selection and no cannula.  I also did quite a bit of TLC and prepared solvent systems for running columns, although I never actually used a gradient because it wasn't necessary.  So maybe I could talk about those things?

I figure the HR rep and group leader supervisors will probably ask me some behavioral questions.  I figured I could maybe talk about assuming a leadership role when we worked in groups for our labs in undergrad.  I would usually end up sort of leading our group, making sure everyone followed the procedure/safety guidelines properly, and helping everyone with post lab calculations/writeup.  My classmates always appreciated it too because I had the best grasp of the material and it saved us all a lot of time.  I'm not necessarily going to say it just like that but that's the general idea.  I would say I'm a pretty good writer too.  My teachers thought my lab reports were all very detailed and coherent, and I also completed a thesis my senior year that I got an A on.

I'm not sure if they would ask about hobbies but I do play music (guitar and piano).  I see it as a good balance to all of the technical information that has to be taken in when studying science but I'm not so sure if it would make me look good.  I also do a little bit of computer programming, which does require a very strong attention to detail.  I programmed Mandelbrot for fun and my teacher let me submit it as my final project when I took comp sci.

I'm not too worried about the dinner.  They said it was so that one of their principal scientists could have a chance to speak with me prior to the interview.  I've been to a lot of nice restaurants with my family and have pretty good table manners/knowledge of restaurants.  I'll definitely check out that book, I took a quick look at the site and the stuff about company dinners is pretty funny haha.

[Arkcon]

There are also a number of sources, online or in books, giving general information on job interviews, and they're also worth your time to investigate.  Its also worthwhile to mention everything in your last post -- they will want to hear about some problem you solved, your ability to work with and lead a group, and your computer proficiency.  Here's a tip, write them down by hand, so you can make the story shorter, and more to the point, so you can deliver them in a interview faster.