Interview Questions Flashcards
Who was your best boss and who was the worst?
My best boss was very receptive to our needs and concerns. He made it clear what was expected of us. He was also accessible, sociable, patient, and upbeat. I can’t think of any bad supervisors–I have gotten along with all of them and they all did a good job.
What was the biggest accomplishment / failure in this position?
My biggest accomplishment was being considered one of my company’s top performers and a wealth of knowledge for my co-workers over the years. My biggest failure was probably being laid off although it was the whole department. Looking back, I could have left for other opportunities like many of my colleagues but I wanted to do the best I could to improve the situation there and remain loyal to the company.
If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it?
It depends on the situation and the personality of my boss. If the situation is not serious or my boss was not sensitive, I would be more direct. Otherwise, I would be more tactful.
What Can You Do for Us That Other Candidates Can’t?
I bring many years of clinical data management experience to your company. I have demonstrated company loyalty by being with my last company for 10 years. I have had interest and motivation to maintain and increase my knowledge between jobs. I have a great interest in contributing my talents to the clinical trials process.
What major challenges and problems did you face? How did you handle them?
Major challenges included technical issues with the databases and software, working within timelines, and responding to sponsor’s requests. In particular being part of a team transferring data from one type of database to another was difficult. I handled them all with patience, focus, a positive attitude, and good communication.
Give me an example of a time when you took the time to share a co-worker’s or supervisor’s achievements with other?
Whenever my co-workers helped me with a task, I would acknowledge their contributions with the team and the data manager. Whenever my colleagues got promoted, I would congratulate them.
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a co-worker who wasn’t doing his/her fair share of the work. What did you do and what was the outcome?
First, I asked him if there were any issues he was encountering that may inhibit his performance. He said there were none, but his productivity still did not improve. So, I discussed the problem with my data manager and we decided to track how long it actually took him to do a task and how many errors he made. Then I went over the errors with him and made sure that he was doing the task in the most efficient way. As a result, he was able to improve his productivity and accuracy over time.
What do people most often criticize about you?
There’s no ongoing criticism. I’m open to personal and professional growth and welcome the opportunity to improve.
How would you describe your work style?
I complete my work in time and with accuracy. I am very detail-oriented. I work at a steady pace but can be fast and accurate when necessary. I believe in quality work and take pride in a job well done.
How would you describe yourself?
I am easy to get along with. I am a goal-oriented person. I have high standards and am somewhat of a perfectionist. I pay attention to details and like to be sure that everything is just right and complete. I enjoy solving problems in a timely manner. I find working within study timelines to be challenging in a good way. I take satisfaction in helping to close a study and having an impact in bringing a study drug to market.
Have you worked with someone you didn’t like? If so, how did you handle it?
Yes, I’ve worked with someone I found difficult to like as a person. However, when I focused on completing the task and the value of skills he brought to the job, it made the experience more positive and as a result I was able to view him in a better light.
If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently?
Nothing, really. I have learned something from each experience I’ve had.
What have you been doing since your last job?
I have had the opportunity to spend more time with my family and relatives who live out of state. I have had to deal with some health issues that now I’ve recovered from and now I’m ready to contribute my talents and confident that I would be a great asset to your company. I have thought about my career path and want to stay in the clinical data management field and to that end, I have done some self-studies to brush up on my knowledge and skills. For about 6 months I had an online business. Lately, I have been doing volunteer work.
Give some examples of teamwork.
On large studies, teamwork is important to clean the data. Sometimes, each member of the team is responsible for all aspects of data cleaning for a particular number of sites or subjects. In this case, teamwork is demonstrated when a member helps another with their assigned work if that person has fallen behind for some reason. At other times, each person on the study is assigned to perform a specific task throughout the study. In this case, teamwork is demonstrated when each member completes their work on time and thus the study overall is finished on time.
What do you expect from a supervisor?
I expect my boss to clearly let me know what is expected of me and to provide the tools necessary for me to succeed. I expect my boss to have confidence in my abilities so that he won’t have to constantly oversee my work. Finally, I expect my boss to have patience when I’m learning new things.
What were your expectations for the job and to what extent were they met?
I expected to have the opportunity to be an important contributor to the data management team. I also expected to be able to develop my skills, to increase my technical knowledge, and to take on more responsibility. All of these expectations were met at my last company.
What kind of person do you get along with the best?
I find that I get along with a variety of different personalities, however I tend to get along best with people who are team-oriented, who communicate well, and who are highly organized.
What has been the greatest disappointment in your life?
My greatest disappointment is losing my father at an early age. I regret that I did not have the opportunity to spend more time with him.
What is your greatest strength?
My greatest strength is my ability to be conscientious with my tasks. As a result, I work accurately with details, excel at managing my time and being efficient among other things.
How will your greatest strength help you perform?
My accuracy with details results from being highly focused. Thus I am not easily distracted from the big picture which means my performance is very high even in a busy environment.
What is your greatest weakness?/In what areas would you like to improve?
I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to spend a little too much time checking it. However, I have improved over the years and know that work needs to be performed accurately and within timelines and that sometimes perfection is not realistic even in this line of work. On the other hand, I have made my perfectionism work to my advantage in that I am fast enough to meet deadlines and with my attention to details, I know my work is of high quality.
How do you handle stress and pressure?
I think stress to a certain extent is beneficial as it helps me stay motivated and productive. I enjoy working in a challenging environment. Furthermore, I try to react to the situation rather than the stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn’t become too stressful. From a personal perspective, I manage stress with physical exercise. It’s a great stress reducer.
