Researcher job interview skills part two

Here are more medical researcher job interview tips.

My client, also, asked me what I thought of the questions he prepared for the interview. I revised his questions. Here are his questions, and here is how I revised them.

What direction is the lab going to take in the next few years? What are the department’s goals? What are the top priorities of this department?

I replaced these three questions with this question: What does this department want to achieve?

What are the most important things you look for in a candidate for this position?

Don’t use this question because you should know this. And wasn’t this included in the job description? Also, the answer to this question could be included in this question: Why should I hire you?

What are the most important skills necessary for this position?

Once again this question is not necessary because you should know this, and you wouldn’t be applying for this position if you didn’t. And, again, wasn’t this included in the job description? I would use this question instead: What are the greatest challenges that I could expect in this position?

What about funding sources? Is the lab funded for a long time?

These questions are okay, but I would ask about this information in a more tactful manner. Here’s a good way to ask about funding for the lab: I hope you don’t think I’m being too forward, but would you mind if I asked about the lab’s funding?

What are the challenges that someone faces in this position?

This question is okay, but I think this is a better way to ask: How does this lab challenge researchers to reach a high level of achievement?

What advancement opportunities are there in the lab for someone in this position?

It’s not good to ask a question about how you can benefit. Ask a question about what you can do for the lab. This question is really asking the same thing, but it reflects better on your attitude: What opportunities are there to reach a position that will allow me to give more to the lab and achieve more for this lab?

How long are you funded for this project?

I think that sometimes it’s better to not use “you”, so I would use this question instead: How long has this project been funded for?