A Guide to Interviewing

In 2014, I made the jump from Managed Care to Medical Affairs. I’ve hinted that I was recruited to join Novartis, but I want to share more details on how things went down.

Due to my role at Humana, I built a sizeable industry network with little effort. Occasionally, people would inquire about my desire to join their team. While I didn’t set out with that objective in mind, I started giving it some thought over time. I came up with a list of companies I would consider working for, assuming the right opportunity presented itself. Novartis was on that shortlist.

My recruitment to Novartis started more than a year before I ultimately joined the company. Chris (the hiring manager) was persistent, and after saying no to him multiple times, eventually, the timing was right.

While there was a formal interview process (the details are fuzzy), the primary interview took place at Montgomery Inn here in Northern Kentucky. Chris flew in to interview me over dinner. I was a customer of Chris and his team, so we knew each other before the interview.

I don’t remember the entire conversation, but I’m confident I asked more questions than Chris. This was a big decision for my career and family. He understood that and was patient as I completed my due diligence.

There were no situational questions or “gotcha” moments. Chris spent the entire time laying out his style and the culture at the company and making sure I would be comfortable joining the team. I left with a full belly and a made-up mind.

I tell you this story for two reasons. First, as with several topics I’ve written about, I don’t have much experience with formal interviews. I’ve been blessed in that regard. Secondly, how Chris approached that situation still impacts how I interview candidates today.

That said, I realize that things have changed. The job market in Medical Affairs is incredibly competitive. Interview formats and their rigor continue to evolve. At this point in my career, I have far more experience being the interviewer than the interviewee.

With that, I wanted to share some thoughts on interviewing. Let’s jump in.