Top 5 Questions to Ask In A Job Pharma Job Interview

Most interviews are about giving solid and articulate answers to questions. However, what can really make you stand out as a candidate is if you ask some insightful questions yourself. Here are five powerful questions that will impress the hiring team.

1. "What is the first thing you would have me work on?"

This question works on a few levels. One it gives you an idea of what to expect, but from a psychological perspective you have asked your potential new boss to imagine you in the position, which subtly increases your credibility as a candidate.

2. How did they get into the position they are in now?

Take an interest in what your interviewer does. This is a great to build rapport and allow you to stand out from others. Other questions you could ask along these lines are: "What do you do?", "how would I work with you?", and "How could I make your life easier in this position?"

3. What is your biggest problem at the moment?

At best this gives you an opportunity to hit a home run, and help them out with something they are struggling with; especially if the problem is technical and you are an expert. Just be judicious, show your value, without giving it away.

4. Why you and not a competitor?

There a few different ways you can ask this, but you want to put them in the mindset of selling you the position and not you selling yourself. For example, I once interviewed at a startup and I asked them “what can you do for clients that ‘big name’ can’t”. Another time I have asked a more established company about why clients choose them over their competitors. I got great answers to both of these questions (and I got

offered both jobs). Another way you could ask this question, is what makes you different from X, Y or Z from an employee’s perspective.

5. The Closer: Ask them directly is there any reason that you might not be a fit.

If they do give you something, then you can address it directly. If not, they leave the interview knowing that there is no reason not to invite you on site. I personally use this every interview. I have also seen the same framing used by sales people on multi-million-dollar contracts, asking the client is there any reason the company is not the right service provider for them; it’s that powerful. I’ve been put on the spot as the hiring manager with this question too.