Author: Cliff Mintz
Telephone interviews are an inexpensive and quick way for employers to screen prospective job candidates, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Generally speaking, employers use phone interviews to verify that a candidate’s personal information, qualifications and skill sets in his/her curriculum vitae is correct, accurate and consistent with what employers may have learned about an applicant online. Another use of phone interviews is to determine whether or not a job candidate has the requisite oral communications skills required to perform the job that he/she applied for.
To increase the possibility of a face-to-face, job candidates can do a variety of things to prepare for and optimize his/her performance during phone interviews.
These include:
- Use a landline. You don’t want to risk having problems with cell phone service. It is irritating for employers to conduct interviews if the call breaks up frequently or is dropped. If you don’t have a landline or access to one, make sure that the telephone interview is conducted in a location with as much cell phone service as possible.
- Keep your resume and job qualifications readily available. In fact, lay out all of your materials in front of you before the call. This includes your resume, notes about your career objective and skill sets/qualifications for the job and anything else you think may be helpful during the interview.
- Steer clear of distractions. Find a quiet place to interview and stay there! There shouldn’t be any noise in the background to distract you or the hiring manager. However, it is understandable that this can be tricky if you have young children at home who need your attention. When you set up your interview appointment, try to schedule it for as precise a time or window as possible. That way, you are able to avoid possible distractions.
- Speak slowly and clearly. When you speak to people in face-to-face situations, you are better able to understand what they are saying or asking because you can see their mouth move and observe their body language. Of course, neither you nor the interviewer will be able to do this over the phone. Therefore, it is important to speak clearly and more slowly than you would if you were talking face-to-face to him/her. If you cannot hear the interviewer, politely ask him/her to repeat a question. If this doesn’t work, blame the poor sound quality on your phone and say “I’m really sorry, it’s hard to hear you, and the volume on my phone just won’t go up!”
- Beware of jokes or sarcastic remarks. Jokes or sarcastic remarks that may be deemed harmless in face-to-face conversations can be misinterpreted during a phone interview because an interviewer cannot see your body language or facial expressions when a comment is made. Also, an employee who is sarcastic or prone to joke telling may not be considered professional to some hiring manager. Therefore it is a good idea during a phone interview to maintain your professionalism; stay on target with the interview topics and focus on the key information about you that will get you hired.
- No eating, drinking or chewing gum! While eating, drinking and chewing gum are typical things that people do, none of these activities should be performed during a phone interview. They can interfere with your ability to communicate and are considered to be unprofessional behaviors (unless of course you are working through a lunchtime meeting after you are hired).
- Turn off all electronic devices. The goal of a telephone interview is to tell a prospective employer that you are serious, focused and keenly interested in the job that you are interviewing for. There is nothing more annoying, disruptive or rude than hearing an email alert or vibrating phone during a conversation. If you want to get invited to a face-to-face interview, then turn off all electronic devices (tablets, laptops, televisions etc) before the telephone interview begins.
- Prepare questions ahead of time. At the end of many telephone interviews, hiring managers typically ask whether or not there are any questions. Therefore, it is a good idea to have some. Asking questions signals to the interviewer that you did your “homework” about the company/organization and are seriously interested in the job opportunity. Some examples of questions are: “What is the start date for the job?” “What software/equipment will I be using?”
Remember; do not ask about salary or benefits. These questions are best left for face-to-face interviews. However, if the interviewer asks about salary requirements then you should be prepared to provide an answer. Typically, it is a good idea to provide a salary range and if you are reluctant to offer that information it is acceptable to say “a salary commensurate with persons with my qualifications and years of experience.
Using these recommendations to prepare for an upcoming telephone interview will signal to prospective employers you are professional, serious and extremely interested in the job opportunity. And, hopefully, your performance will be sufficient to garner an invitation to participate in a face-to-face, onsite job interview.
Author: Gabrielle Bauer
The devil is in the details
You got The Call. They want you on the job, starting next month. Much as you’d like to shout the news from a rooftop, this is not the time to lose your cool. Reviewing and negotiating the offer will benefit not only you, but your new employer: if you’re happy, you’ll work more productively and stick around longer, which means they’ll be happy.
Some people feel confident about the negotiation process, viewing it as an interesting game. Others would rather skip the whole thing. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, it pays to remember that you and your would-be employer share the same goal: having you join the team. You’re simply ironing out the details. (If you truly dread the prospect of negotiating and you used a recruiter to get the offer, you can ask the recruiter to negotiate on your behalf.)
Establish your priorities
Salary, ability to work remotely, work-life balance, vacation time, benefits, moving expenses… you can negotiate just about everything in a job offer, expect items governed by employment law or organizational structure. Even resources such as lab equipment and office space fall into the “negotiable” category.¹ Make a list of your must-haves and nice-to-haves and keep it handy as you prepare your negotiation strategy.
While salary may or may not be your biggest concern, it probably matters to some extent. To get a good read on a competitive salary for your new job, research the salary ranges for the position, taking region and type of company (industry, academic, nonprofit) into account.¹ Websites like Payscale (https://www.payscale.com/) can help you get started.
Negotiation by the numbers²
These figures from Become, a career-development organization, suggest that new recruits aren’t using their full power in the negotiation process:
- 52% of men and 68% of women accept a salary offer without negotiating; many women shy away from negotiation because of fear of seeming desperate or greedy.
- Only 38% of millennials negotiated their first job offers, compared to 48% of baby boomers.
- Gen-Xers line up more closely with boomers, with 46% negotiating their first offers.
- People who never negotiate their salaries can miss out on up to $1.5 million in extra earnings over their lifetimes.
Get ready
Once you have a written offer—a must for negotiations—evaluate it point by point and see how it lines up with the list you prepared. If you find significant gaps, prepare a counteroffer explaining the changes you’d like to see, and why. Let’s say the salary doesn’t match your expectations: make a list of the assets you bring to the table that “average” candidates may not offer, like authorship in peer-reviewed journals or connections with prominent scientists. If you’re using a recruiting service, they can help you with the counteroffer, ensuring you’re not missing any red flags and helping you build your case.
As you plan the counteroffer, bear in mind that your negotiation ceiling may depend on the company’s size. For example, larger companies hiring a lot of people at the same time may have less wiggle room with salary. In such a case, you may want to focus more on other aspects of the job offer, such as professional development opportunities or even a different job title.
Next, write out a rough script for the verbal negotiation. Practice it out loud, aiming for a friendly, nonconfrontational tone. Just as likeability can help you get a position, it can generate goodwill during salary negotiations.³
Words of wisdom from career coach Carlotta Zee¹
“I’ve helped clients negotiate jobs with salaries starting at a quarter of a million [dollars], and I guarantee that they didn’t just smile nicely and giggle. We rehearsed endlessly. We researched. We made a plan.”
Show time
If you’ve done the groundwork, you can approach the actual negotiation with confidence.
As far as possible, aim to negotiate in real time, either sitting across from the employer or by videoconference. Seeing faces humanizes the process and will likely work in your favor.
Don’t let fear limit what you ask for: the worst your employer can say is no. When discussing salary, remember that you do not have to reveal your previous salary to employers: depending on the jurisdiction, it may be illegal for them to ask. Keep the focus on your expectations, supported by the research you have done.
If you explain why you want something—say, working remotely twice a week to cut down on gas consumption or avoid a long commute—the employer is more likely to empathize with your position. By the same token, showing some flexibility will prompt your employer to return the favor. If you want to work four days per week, for example, you could offer to work longer hours on those days or to take a salary cut. If the employer won’t flex on salary, ask them to reconsider your salary in six months or to commit to invest in your career development.¹
Expect to emerge with a satisfactory offer, but be prepared to walk away if your employer shows no flexibility. The last thing you want to do is start a new job with an undercurrent of resentment.¹ A more likely scenario is that you’ll receive a counteroffer that meets you partway. If it aligns with your must-have criteria, you can accept it with peace of mind—and then climb up on that rooftop.
References
1. The professional’s guide to negotiating a job offer. Become, Nov. 17, 2020.
2. Bankston A. Negotiating for scientists. ASBMBToday, Aug. 1, 2018.
3. Malhotra D. 15 rules for negotiating a job offer. Harvard Business Review, April 2014.
4. Brothers L. How to negotiate work-life balance into an offer. BioSpace, Aug. 15, 2019.
It’s the million-dollar question among job applicants everywhere…. “I have good qualifications and work history. I think I meet the minimum requirements… Why haven’t I gotten a response to my application?” Or worse, “Why haven’t I heard back after my interview?”
The silent treatment after an application or interview isn’t all that uncommon. Some sources cite that up to 75% of applicants never hear back from employers after applying; even if it’s actually less than that, it seems there’s still a lot of applicants getting no response. So why exactly does this happen? And is there a way to prevent it?
The Application Black Hole
As it turns out, there may not be an easy answer to this. There may not be one specific reason you haven’t heard back; it could be a mix of factors, some within your control and some not. And there’s a good chance it’s nothing personal.
According to research conducted by both Glassdoor and FlexJobs, there are a variety of reasons for non-response to an application. Some of the more common include:
Sheer Volume
Most online job postings generate a considerable response with a substantial number of applicants submitting their qualifications. The larger and more well-known the company, and the larger the radius from which they are recruiting (think remote vs. geography-specific), that response could multiply exponentially. But even smaller companies with a more limited recruiting radius could be overwhelmed by applicants depending on the appeal of the role and the resources available to screen applications. It just may not be possible to respond to each applicant who expresses interest. “Ideally,” explains Sci.bio’s Director of HR Allison Ellsworth, “the ATS (applicant tracking system) used by a company will at least send a confirmation email that your application has been received so you know it successfully went through. Beyond that, the volume of candidates does not usually allow for personal follow up unless you have moved along in the interview process.” The volume of applications is not something that you as a candidate can control.
Recruiters/Hiring Managers Are Recruiting for More than One Role
It’s one thing to be focused on filling one role, but most recruiters are juggling multiple requisitions simultaneously. If the number of applicants for one opening can be overwhelming, imagine multiplying that by numerous openings that need to be filled as soon as possible. Add to that a full interview schedule and other recruiting-related tasks, and it quickly becomes very difficult to respond, even when recruiters/hiring managers have the best of intentions to do so.
Position Isn’t Actually Available
In some cases, it’s possible the position to which you applied isn’t available anymore, or something has shifted internally and the hiring team is reevaluating their needs. Maybe the role has already been filled, but the new hire hasn’t started yet and they don’t want to take the posting down prematurely in case it doesn’t work out, or maybe something budgetary changed and the position isn’t going to be filled, or maybe there is a new project taking priority and recruiting is on hold for now.
While all of these are out of a candidate’s control, they are still worth noting as they very well could be the reason for no response. But what about the things that candidates can control? Some of the most common in this category include:
Applying for Too Many Openings
Job searching is a numbers game to some extent; the more applications you put out into the world, the greater the chance you’ll hear back. But if you’re indiscriminate about what and where you apply, if you apply to jobs where your qualifications don’t really match, chances are you’re not going to hear back.
Resume Could Be To Blame
If you consistently don’t hear back but are fairly certain your background is a fit, it could be how your resume is crafted. Maybe it doesn’t effectively highlight your relevant experience and accomplishments, or isn’t using the right keywords and industry specific language.
How Do I Ensure I Get Noticed?
So, what can you do to increase your chances of being noticed and making it through the initial screening process? It comes down to three categories – your application/resume, your social media presence, and your networking efforts.
Application/Resume Hacks
There are a number of things you can do to make sure your applications are more targeted and put you in the best possible light. As previously mentioned, although you want to get some volume of applications out, spend a little extra time at this phase and be selective and thoughtful about the applications you submit.
- Try to limit your applications to jobs that are truly a good fit for your background; it’s not necessary to meet all minimum qualifications, but make sure you meet some or most.
- Research the companies you’re considering applying to and make sure their goals and values align with your own. Then try to convey that through examples on your resume or in a cover letter.
- Craft your resume so that it’s not just a timeline of job titles and responsibilities, but also highlights specific projects and accomplishments, especially those that are relevant to the position. A good practice is to tweak your resume for each job you apply to.
- Include links to your online presence (more on that next).
Social Media Hacks
In today’s world, your job application incorporates more than just the resume you submit. Most people have some kind of online presence, and many employers will check into it. Make sure you’re using your online presence to your advantage.
- Although a professional headshot isn’t necessary, ensure any photos you use present you in a professional light.
- Similarly, do a scan of any photo tags that are publicly viewable and remove any that could be controversial or present you in a less than ideal light.
- Just like your resume, ensure that the language and keywords you’re using reflect the jobs and industries you are seeking and highlight any relevant projects or content; for instance, LinkedIn has a specific profile section where you can include information about projects, publications, or other work that may not be reflected on a resume.
- Ensure your social media bios are succinct, relevant, and targeted to the jobs you’re seeking.
Networking Hacks
This may be the most understated yet most important piece of advice: don’t necessarily rely only on applying for a digital posting without human contact. We live in a world driven by relationships; who you know can often make a difference, or at least give you an edge. Often available jobs aren’t even posted publicly; the only way to hear about them is by knowing someone involved. Some estimates cite that 70% of available jobs are never posted and up to 80% are filled through networking.
When recruiters or hiring managers are overwhelmed with applicants, those they have a connection with will often rise to the top. When looking at equally qualified candidates, being a “known entity” could be the deciding factor in who moves on; minimally it may help guarantee your resume moves to the top of the pile and gets a second look.
So where do you start networking? How can you best leverage your network? Here are a few ideas:
- Research the company and see who you might already know that works there. Ask those contacts for an introduction or at least a mention to those involved in the hiring process. Remind them to check the company’s employee referral policy–they may even get rewarded if you turn out to be a good fit!
- If you don’t directly know someone who works there, look for the mutual connection. Use your social media profiles to dig a little deeper; LinkedIn company pages will show you who works there and whether or not you have mutual connections. Then reach out to those mutual contacts that you already have a rapport with and ask for an intro, a mention, or ask to have your resume directly passed along.
- If you don’t have direct connections at a company or mutual connections that can facilitate an introduction, do your best to engage with recruiters. Seek them out on social networks such as LinkedIn or Twitter, and engage with or comment on their posts. By making yourself noticed, you’re more likely to be remembered when it comes to reviewing resumes. And if you engage enough and build an online relationship with them, you may even be able to ask them directly about available roles.
The key with networking is to be proactive. Build your networks before you need them and then they’ll be there to tap into when the opportunities arise.
But What If I Interviewed and Got “Ghosted?”
Let’s say you made it through the initial screening and interviewed for a role, but now you haven’t heard back from the employer. Or you were informed that you aren’t moving forward without any details about why. What’s a candidate to do in this situation?
Again, there could be a variety of reasons, many of which may be nothing personal. In the case of providing specific feedback, there could be legal implications in being too specific with candidates. Or maybe one person on the hiring team wanted you to move on, but someone else with more pull wanted someone else. Maybe the employer doesn’t have the time or resources to potentially open up a prolonged back-and-forth dialogue that providing feedback may initiate.
As for hearing nothing at all? That’s simply an unfortunate outcome of some hiring processes, and there’s not much you can do to control this. The best you can do is keep focused on the fact that it’s not you, it’s them. Many companies are now more focused on the candidate experience than in the past, and doing their best to ensure that even if it’s not specific feedback, candidates who interview at least receive a status update. However, the hard truth is that some companies just don’t or won’t do it for a variety of their own reasons. If a few weeks have gone by and you haven’t heard back, it is probably a safe assumption that you should move on to new possibilities.
The moral of the story here? There’s much that you can’t control, so focus your efforts on the parts you can. Revise and target your resume to the jobs you are seeking. Optimize your online presence to your advantage. Shore up your networking skills. And most of all… don’t give up!
To find gold, you need to know where and how to look
Sometimes you get lucky: you interview a bunch of candidates, one of them stands head-and-shoulders above the pack, and there’s no decision to make. Ready, aim, hire. More often than not, though, you must choose between several candidates who seem fairly equally matched. Do you go for the person who exudes warmth and confidence and would clearly fit into your organization? Or do you opt for the shy young candidate with a patent in their resume? Or maybe the all-round achiever with connections in high places?
Criteria that count
Let’s backtrack a little. If more than one person will be weighing in on the hiring decision, you need to make sure you all agree on the important criteria before starting the search.1 Otherwise, you’ll likely find yourselves clashing about the choice.
This raises the question: which criteria have the greatest value in the life sciences? A 2019 BioSpace survey identified three priorities: 1
- Recent (and relevant) work experience: Fully 91% of survey respondents put a premium on this criterion. It stands to reason: recent experience in a similar role or organization puts a candidate in the mindset to perform well at the starting gate.
- Strong communication skills: Prized by 65% of respondents, such skills signal an ability to argue for ideas and stick-handle the conflicts that inevitably arise in group settings.
- Leadership skills or potential: If one defines a leader as “someone who inspires positive change and motivates others,” it’s not hard to understand why hiring teams value this quality—even in positions that don’t involve direct responsibility for other people.
For Robert Ward, who saw the Boston biotech company Radius Health grow from 6 to over 600 employees during his 4-year tenure as CEO, the list should also include a track record of success, which he defines as “delivering on projects and working to create a culture that supports diversity, collaboration and innovation.”2
What about criteria that matter less?
Notably, only 24% of respondents to the above survey placed a high value on holding an advanced degree, though the importance of those letters obviously depends on the nature of the position. A further surprise: A mere 8% viewed attendance at a highly recognized educational institution as key. That Stanford insignia may impress, but it won’t necessarily rescue a candidate who falls short in other respects. Talent acquisition experts also caution against “fear-based” hiring—a mindset that may include overreliance on people you know or an inflexible commitment to hire fast.3
The search for a researcher: asking the right questions
If you’re looking for a biotech researcher, guidance from LinkedIn Talent Solutions4 can help you zero in on the right interview questions—and the responses that signal competence. To get a feel for a candidate’s expertise in study design, for example, you could ask: “What are some factors you consider when designing research studies?” Response themes to look for include sensitivity to risk factors and budgetary constraints. And a question like “If you were given X sample and X chemical, what tests would you run?” will put anyone who lacks technical skills on the spot. See https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/resources/interviewing-talent/biotech-researcher for the complete interview guide.
When looking to fill a role, it is also important to consider the environment in which the new hire will be working in. Sometimes the most outgoing candidate is not always the right fit. If the role you are filling does not require excellent people skills or an ability to lead, don’t always lean towards the candidate who is highly confident in their ability to communicate and take charge. For example, when hiring a research associate who will work exclusively in the lab, you don’t want to rule out someone who may be more introverted. They may be a standout candidate as they bring an arsenal of lab experience to the table, but not necessarily wow you with charisma in the interview process. Assessing the environment you are hiring in and the true requirements of the job will give insight to what skills your candidates should excel in.
Whether you need someone next month or next year, working with a specialized biotech can help you save time without sacrificing thoroughness. Experienced biotech recruiters know the right people—and the people who know the right people. Their industry-specific expertise and tools cut through the laborious process of advertising, screening, and interviewing a string of candidates who may not match the required profile.
At Sci.bio, we make good on our promise of high performance, flexibility, and speed. We invite you to contact us to learn more.
References
1. Parker P. How to identify a quality life sciences candidate. BioSpace. Oct. 8, 2019.
2. Ward RE. CEO spills the secret to attracting, retaining biotech talent. PharmaExec.com. August 13, 2018.
3. Have you done your research? 4 hiring blunders that cause biotech companies to miss out on the best science and research specialists. Painless Hire.
4. Top hard skills interview questions for biotech researchers. LinkedIn Talent Solutions.
