Attributes Interviewers Seek in Externship Candidates

I Can Spot a Great Candidate in 30 Seconds - Without Looking at Their Resume. At Vicco Laboratories, the first few interview rounds are handled by our HR and leadership team. They assess skills, experience, performance history - all the standard checkboxes. But when someone reaches my room, I’m not evaluating capability. I’m evaluating character. Because skills can be trained. Character can’t. So in the final round, I deliberately observe three things before we even get into formal questions: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭 1: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 Before they enter, I always ask our receptionist to make them wait for a few minutes. Not to trouble them — but to observe: Do they greet her or ignore her? Do they show gratitude or entitlement? Do they smile or stay blank? Do they thank her when being called in? If someone is only respectful upwards, they’re not fit for leadership. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭 2: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 During the conversation, I pause intentionally. A great candidate: Doesn’t panic when things go quiet Holds eye contact without overcompensating Thinks before responding, instead of rushing to impress Silence is a pressure test.  Silence exposes a person’s comfort with themselves. And self-assured people make better decisions under pressure. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐭 3: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐤 “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐨”, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐈 𝐆𝐞𝐭?” I watch closely when compensation and responsibilities are discussed. If the questions are only about salary, perks and timings, they’re employees. If they ask about learning culture, values, decision-making structure…they are already thinking as an owner. I’ll always choose alignment over achievement. So if you’re ever preparing for your final round anywhere — don’t just prepare your resume. Prepare your presence. Because long after your words fade, your character stays in the room. Sanjeev Pendharkar  Just sharing what I’ve learnt #values #business #hiring #hr #decisionmaking #cv #leadership #skills

Interviews are not always required, but when they are, especially for programs with Principal Investigators (PIs), faculty mentors, or competitive scholarships, they are often the deciding factors. A strong application can fall short if alignment doesn’t come through in person. Week 9: Preparing for Interview If you get invited to an interview, it means you stood out among many applicants. But this “final hurdle” takes preparation. So, how do you prepare effectively? ☑️ What Interviewers are looking for No matter the program or field of study, interviewers typically want to see: - The person behind the documents (values, clarity, motivation) - Your ability to communicate with depth (not just recite your CV) - Evidence of resilience, fit, and potential - How you handle pressure and critique - For research-heavy programs: alignment with faculty or PI interests ☑️ Some common interview questions These questions give you a chance to bring your SOP and CV to life: - Tell me about yourself - Why this program/university? - What’s one achievement you are proud of? - Share a challenge or failure and what you learned - Where do you see yourself in 5–10 years? - Why do you deserve this scholarship, and how will you use it? - What research excites you, and who might you work with? ☑️ Practical preparation steps - Do mock interviews with friends, mentors, or alumni. Record and review yourself - Prepare 3–5 stories (resilience, leadership, failure, growth) that you can adapt - Review your CV, SOP, and application documents. Expect questions from them. If you wrote it, you must be ready to expand on it - Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to keep answers clear and structured - Aim for focused, 1–2 minute answers and not one-liners or long monologues - Practice under timed conditions to avoid rambling - For virtual interviews: test your mic, lighting, and background ☑️ Research beforehand Confidence comes from preparation: - Research the program: know at least 2–3 faculty or program features that excite you - If you know your interviewer, read their profile and recent work to find points of connection - For PI-based programs, explain why their research resonates with you and how you can contribute - Understand the school’s broader mission so you can connect it to your goals ☑️ Key reminders during the Interview - Show confidence with humility, enthusiasm, and self-awareness. - Structure answers with a Past, Present, and Future flow - Bring your authentic voice: the committee wants you, not a rehearsed script - Listen carefully before replying, and ask for clarification when needed - If you don’t know something, admit it while showing curiosity and openness Your application earned an interview, but this will take you to the final step. PS: These pictures with Sir Okey Ndibe remind me that hard work pays off. Growth takes time, but every step forward is worth celebrating. See you next week! #JenniferScholarshipSeries | 9 of 10

Most candidates prepare for the wrong things when they interview for Microsoft. They work on perfect answers instead of the traits that matter most. We look for people who tell honest stories. People who talk with respect about past teams. People who stay calm when a question surprises them. People who focus on service, not status. People who grow from failure instead of hiding it. These traits begin long before the interview. They start with how you lead today. They start with how you treat others. They start with how you learn when no one is watching. This is what helps you stand out. Not perfection. Not polish. Steady character mixed with real curiosity. If you want to prepare for a Microsoft interview, start by shaping the habits that build trust. Skills get attention. Character gets offers. When people watch you work, do they see the future leader you want to become?

Resumes don’t show heart. But heart often outperforms skill Years ago, I hired someone with zero industry experience. What they did have was grit, curiosity, and a drive to learn. Three months later? They were outperforming people with five years on the job. We confuse “qualified” with “ready.” Skills can be taught. Character? Not so much. Here’s what I now look for: 1/ Coachability ↳ Do they take feedback well — and apply it? 2/ Curiosity ↳ Are they asking questions before they have answers? 3/ Work ethic ↳ Do they follow through even when it's not easy? 4/ Emotional intelligence ↳ Can they read the room, not just the task? 5/ Growth mindset ↳ Do they believe they can get better? 6/ Team orientation ↳ Are they in it for “we,” not just “me”? 7/ Resilience ↳ Do they bounce back or break down? 8/ Authenticity ↳ Are they honest about what they don’t know? The best hires grow into the role. The worst hires peak on day one. ❓ Which of these traits do you prioritize when hiring? ♻️ Share this if you know skills can be taught. 👋 Follow me (Dr. Chris Mullen) if you believe leadership starts with people.

"What qualities do you look for in a candidate?" Different roles call for different strengths, but there are certain qualities I tend to pay attention to... Ambition is a key quality, but I don't mean ambition in the narrow sense of chasing a title or promotion as quickly as possible. I mean the kind of drive that shows someone wants to improve, take their work seriously, and make a significant contribution. I also notice how people respond when things become difficult. In any organisation, plans change, problems appear, and decisions sometimes have to be made with incomplete information. Some people spend most of their energy explaining why something can't be done, while others take the problem more seriously and begin looking for a way forward. And finally, respect for others is one quality I will always mention. You can usually tell a great deal from how someone treats the receptionist, the security guard, the junior colleague, or the person who has no influence over their career. However capable someone is, they will always depend on other people across all posts and levels. Everyone's efforts contribute to the organisation, and everybody deserves our respect for the work they do. #Hiring #InterviewTips #Leadership #Recruitment #CompanyCulture

Most interviews obsess over hard skills. What actually matters gets overlooked. These three traits are worth paying attention to. 1. They're decision-makers. ↳ Many don't get to show this skill in past roles. ↳ Doesn't meant they can't think for themselves. → Ask how they think and solve problems. It shows how they'd act in real situations. 2. They have great character. ↳ Do they take ownership of their work and mistakes? ↳ Would you be comfortable spending time with them outside of work? → When you like who you work with, you stay patient when things get tough. 3. Make sure it's a two-way fit. ↳ The best hires aren't just qualified. They're aligned. ↳ They're choosing you as much as you're choosing them. → When people choose a job for the right reasons, they stay longer and do better work. You don't hire people just for their skills. You hire people to build trust and amazing businesses. What do you look for beyond the resume? ♻️ If this hits home, share it with your network. 🔔 Follow Christine Carrillo for more business insights. 💡 Join my newsletter for more: https://lnkd.in/gQCveimB

The interview questions I ask candidates may surprise some people. In drug development, advances don’t happen in isolation. To bring new medicines to patients, collaboration is crucial – and that means how we communicate, manage conflict, and learn from one another is just as important as technical skill. For most of the positions I am hiring for, there are plenty of people with the technical skills to do the job. That’s why when I interview candidates, I like to go beyond resumes. One of the key things I am looking for is emotional maturity and the ability to manage conflict. How do I get a sense of that.......well, I ask an unusual question or two....... One example: 1️⃣        On an imaginary line (left to right).... from chaos, to organized chaos, to organized to super-organized...where do you fall in your work and work surroundings? … (Personally, I am a bit of organized chaos). There is no right answer, but I follow up with a question about how they would handle a conflict with someone of the complete opposite style. I am usually thinking about the role and the team I have in mind for each position. I like to have teams with people who learn and think in different ways, as I find in science that often leads to deeper thinking. For that, I ask: 2️⃣         How do you learn best – by seeing, hearing, reading, or doing (in a group or by yourself)? Again there’s no right answer, it just helps me get to know both a candidate’s style and level of introspection. Sometimes we think we’re communicating clearly and we’re actually not! People like to communicate in their own style of learning. If I am a visual learner, I am likely to show you pictures, if I learn by reading I will send you a paper to read. For me, interviews are about more than finding the right scientist…they’re about finding the right teammate. 3️⃣         ….And I do ask what people do for fun (I want to get to know a candidate as a person!). What are some of your favorite interview questions? #BiotechHiring #Innovation #TeamScience

Interviews are unfair and will remain so, no matter how hard we try they can never evaluate people 100% objectively with clear measurables; and the intuition and gut feel of the interviewer will always add a small bias. Interviewers subconsciously assess qualities like confidence, adaptability, and problem-solving. These are difficult to quantify but crucial for success in a role. While different interviewers value different attributes, there are three foundational traits that, if present, make every other skill or competency an extension of them, and according to me they are, 1. curiosity - questioning the unquestioned 2. high bias for action - moving fast and breaking things 3. extreme ownership - accountability and getting things done Curiosity makes you question the unquestioned and provides intrinsic motivation. A high BFA makes sure you are moving quickly and not getting bogged down by over-analysis. Extreme ownership is about stepping up and taking responsibility; not making excuses or pointing fingers is what demonstrates accountability, reliability, and leadership. Remember, the most important projects are given to the people who deliver. While every interviewer has their own biases, demonstrating these three will always earn you brownie points increasing the likelihood of you making a strong impression during interviews and, as an extension, at work.

The truth about what recruiters are really looking for in your interview ↓   I've been on both sides of the hiring table, and there's something most candidates get wrong about recruiter interviews.   Here's what I've learned: most recruiters aren't deeply technical experts in your field.   We're not primarily evaluating if you can code in Python or execute a specific accounting procedure.   What we're actually assessing is much more fundamental:   First, we're looking at fit.   Will you thrive in this specific team? Will your communication style work with this manager? Do you approach problems in a way that aligns with how the company operates?   Second, we're evaluating risk.   Based on your past experiences and how you present yourself, how likely are you to succeed in this role? Are there any red flags that suggest you might struggle?   This is why we ask those behavioral questions about past challenges, team conflicts, or how you've handled difficult situations.   We're looking for patterns that help us predict your future performance.   Understanding this completely changes how you should prepare.   Rather than just demonstrating technical perfection, focus on clearly communicating how you'll fit into this specific environment and why you're a low-risk, high-potential hire.   I've seen many technically brilliant candidates get passed over because they couldn't effectively show they'd thrive in the company's particular culture.   What's been your experience with recruiter interviews? How do you demonstrate fit beyond just technical qualifications?   Check out my newsletter for more insights here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju   #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #resume #jobstrategy #hiringprocess #interviewpreparation #recruiterperspective #culturalfit

5 Things Recruiters Actually Want to See & Hear in an Interview We’ve all been there, sitting across from a recruiter, trying to read their expressions while hoping we’re saying the right things. Truth is, recruiters aren’t looking for perfection; they’re looking for real people who bring value to the table. Here’s what they actually want to see and hear from you: 1️. Confidence, Not Arrogance Recruiters want to see that you believe in your skills and experience, but they also appreciate humility. Speak with assurance, make eye contact, and own your story without over-explaining or underselling yourself. 2️. Clear, Concise Answers Avoid rambling! Stick to structured responses like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Long-winded answers lose their attention quickly. Keep it simple: What was the situation? What did you do? What happened because of it? A little storytelling is great but get to the point before they mentally check out. 3️. Knowledge of the Company & Role Nothing impresses recruiters more than a candidate who has done their homework. Recruiters can instantly tell when someone hasn’t done their research. Show them you’re not just job-hunting blindly; mention a recent project they did, their mission, or why this role genuinely excites you. It makes a huge difference. 4️. Problem-Solving & Adaptability They’re not expecting a flawless work history. They want to hear how you handled challenging situations, whether it was a tricky client, a missed deadline, or adapting to change. Be honest about it and highlight what you learned. 5️. Genuine Enthusiasm & Cultural Fit Of course, salary matters, but companies also want people who bring good energy and fit into their culture. Show some enthusiasm for the role, the industry, or the team. If you’re genuinely interested, it will show. HR experts and recruiters, what would you add to this list? Drop your insights in the comments! #JobInterviews #CareerGrowth #InterviewTips #RecruiterInsights #JobSearch #InterviewSuccess #CareerDevelopment #HiringTips