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Writing and Communication Center

Tools, trainings, and resources that empower clinical and translational research teams to better communicate their science

Before the Interview

Preparing thoroughly before an interview is essential to effectively communicate your expertise and demonstrate your suitability for the role. This section offers strategies for researching the hiring institution, articulating your personal narrative, and anticipating common interview questions, ensuring you present yourself confidently and competently.

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Invest Time to Learn More

Once you have been invited for an interview spend time to learn more about:

  • The hiring institution, and its:
    • mission
    • history
    • leadership
    • organizational structure
  • People who work there and what they do
  • Aspects of the job that resonate with you
  • Recent news

You can seek this information through:

  • Online searches
  • Conversations with colleagues and mentors
  • Networking
  • Informational interviews

Informational Interviews

Informational interviews are a strategic tool for gaining insights into potential career paths and expanding your professional network. Below is guidance on how to effectively conduct these interviews, offering resources to maximize their value.

Additional Resources

Put it into Practice 

Get to Know the Hiring Institution 

Invest time in learning more about the institution that you would like to work in and its team. Doing so will help you think about ways to effectively communicate why the opportunity aligns with your research skills and professional goals.

Tell Your Specific Story

During the pre-interview phase, work on crafting and communicating your story to highlight your research, interests, skills, goals, experiences, and accomplishments. Identify ways you could meaningfully contribute to the organization’s mission and strategic priorities. Studies have shown that interviewers often make up their minds about candidates in the first few minutes of meeting them (NIH). What does this mean for you? And how can you best prepare?

“Tell me about yourself” is a classic opening question that sets the stage for the rest of the interview.

Visit Deliver Authentically to explore the significance of telling a scientific story. This is a powerful way to communicate your message and connect with your audience. You can also learn more about how considering your audience can inform the approach to conveying your message.

Toolkit

Worksheet: “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question (PDF)

Explore strategies of telling your story by filling out the “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question worksheet. Use it to prepare a cohesive and compelling 1-2 minute response. As you craft your response, check out these response examples (PDF).

Prepare to Answer Common Interview Questions

Interviewers will ask questions that focus on different topics and themes depending on the role, organization, field, interview stage, and interviewer.

Commonly asked questions include ones about:
  • The position and why the opportunity is of interest to you:
    • Why do you want this job?
    • What specifically interests you about the department/organization?
  • Your scientific background:
    • Describe your research and its impact, and how it aligns with the interests and goals of the organization.
  • Your career goals:
    • What are your short‐term goals (3 years) and long‐term goals (10 years)?
  • Working with others:
    • Describe a (meaningful/productive/difficult) time when you were working with a group or team, and explain the role you played.
  • Your approach to problem-solving and handling challenging situations:
    • Please share an example of when you engaged in problem-solving during an unexpected challenge.

Behavioral Questions

It is common for interviewers to ask behavioral questions as a way to evaluate your past and predict your future performance. These questions require you to describe scenarios of when you used your skills for a project or how you navigated a given situation. To learn more about behavioral questions and effective techniques on how to answer them, check out Interviewing Skills: Using the SAR Technique, a short video by the Office of Intramural Training and Education at the National Institutes of Health and the resources provided by the career services office at Harvard Law School.

Communication Strategies for an Interview

Use the following techniques to add to the flow and content of the conversation and show the interviewer that you are interested and engaged in the discussion:

  • Be present and listen closely to what the interviewer shares.
  • Avoid talking over or interrupting the interviewer.
  • Allow for natural moments of pause.
  • If a comment from the interviewer really resonates, make that meaningful connection by referencing or expanding on it in your response or asking a follow-up question.

Put it into Practice

Be Aware of Illegal Interview Questions

You should know which questions are illegal and how to handle them. This Interview Preparation resource from the Office of Career Strategy at Yale University includes the kinds of questions that are illegal and guidance on how to approach them.

Consider Questions You Want to Ask

You will have the opportunity to pose questions to the interviewer. Prepare a brief list of questions that will help you:

  • Learn more about the job and what it would be like to work at the organization.
  • Show more of who you are, your interests and values.
  • Express your level of engagement and preparation.
Effective and insightful questions to consider asking the interviewer include ones about:
  • The role:
    • How would you describe the ideal candidate for this job? 
    • What does a typical day look like in this position?
  • Department/organization:
    • What are the current and future priorities of the department/organization?
    • How would you describe the work culture of the organization and the team environment?
  • Changes/challenges within the department/organization:
    • Are there any anticipated major new developments/changes that will impact this position?
  • Hiring process:
    • What will the rest of the interview process, including the hiring timeframe, look like for candidates who make it to the next round?
  • Interviewer’s experience:
    • What do you most enjoy about your job?

Consider adjusting how you frame your questions depending on the context, e.g., the type of interview, role of the interviewer, and stage of the interview process that you are in.

Toolkit

Handout: Potential Interview Questions (PDF)
Explore these and other types of representative interview questions so you can come prepared to communicate your responses and questions thoughtfully and effectively.

Handout: Qualities of a Strong Interviewee (PDF)
Learn about strategies around the art and science of answering and asking questions effectively and your overall participation in the interview.

Put it into Practice

Prepare for Your Interview 

Use the suggestions below to prepare for your next interview.

Explore Mock Interviews

Watch videos of mock interviews and consider aspects that went well and potential areas of improvement. Start with these mock interview videos.

Apply what you learned by participating in a mock interview. Practice with your friends or colleagues by having them ask you some sample interview questions.

Practice on Your Own

Record and watch yourself answering common interview questions (PDF), take some notes, and identify ways to enhance your performance. Use a phone or computer (such as the Camera app on a PC or Photo Booth on a Mac) to record and review your responses, or try out an interview software program – consult your institution’s career services department about available software programs.

Assess your performance. Review key qualities of a strong interviewee (PDF) and utilize this tool to assess your performance in a mock or actual interview.

Next Step

Click on the box below to learn more about successful interviews.

During the Interview

Strategies for a successful interview.