What Is GlaxoSmithKline?
In the nearly two decades since Glaxo Wellcome’s and SmithKline Beechman’s merger, they have ascended to the top of the healthcare industry. Now GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK, is a billion-dollar company employing tens of thousands of people all over the world.
GSK prioritises three areas of healthcare: pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare, and vaccines. They are driven by science and innovation with over three dozen new medicines in development in one quarter alone. They achieve these new heights by developing and encouraging their employees to work for shared goals. GSK primarily employs people in the following fields:
- Marketing & Communication
- Sales
- Supply & Manufacturing
- Business Operations
- Engineering
- Development
What Is GSK’s Hiring Process?
GlaxoSmithKline has a mildly complex interview process. They engage in both holistic and merit-based reviews of candidates to ensure they are employing versatile and qualified people. This means they focus on qualifications and background, but also take past projects, experiences and extra-curricular activities into account if applicable.
GSK’s hiring process consists of three to four rounds of recruitment. The number of screenings will depend on both the country and the position you have applied to. These stages include:
- Application
- Online Assessments
- Assessment Center
Application
The application acts as a brief introduction. GSK wants to see your experiences, education, goals, and more in your application as well as a tailored CV and cover letter. There is also a series of questions inquiring about the interests an applicant has in their discipline and GSK alike. Answers are limited to three-hundred words.
GSK Online Assessments
GSK designed their own series of online assessments to vet their candidates. They have been developed to assess both aptitude and emotional intelligence. Each test is administered on the condition that the candidate did well on the previous exam. Their assessments include:
- World of GSK
Every single candidate, no matter what, will be given the World of GSK test. It is an untimed, scenario-based assessment working to determine strengths and weaknesses. The candidate will initially be shown a handful of videos depicting GSK employees discussing their day-to-day at the company and some common tasks. Then, there will be passages using workplace context that evaluate your technical knowledge and ability to complete tasks. Some questions will involve analysing and interpreting charts and graphs and other include evaluating arguments. No prior familiarity with healthcare or background information on GSK is necessary to be successful in this test. Every candidate will receive feedback from GSK on areas they should improve on and how to cultivate their strengths.
- GSK Life Job Simulation
The GSK Life job simulation offers candidates more insight into what it’s like to work for and at GSK. Similar to the World of GSK assessment, the test describes the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of the position. The assessment has three ways to answer: through video, multiple-choice and written statements. These answers must correctly reflect plausible conclusions derived from given scenarios. The hypothetical scenarios detail numerical evidence or business facts. GSK’s simulation also includes some technical questions and asks candidates to describe their interest in GSK.
GSK Assessment Centre
The assessment centre is the final stage of the GSK interview process. Candidates are asked to come to a GSK office, typically the headquarters, and participate in a series of activities for half a day. These activities include:
- Group Task
The group task will combine the talents and knowledge of multiple GSK candidates and assign them a task such as a case study or a debate. Each candidate is assessed on their completion of the task, their relationship with their teammates, and their leadership skills.
- Individual Task
An individual task can be anything from a case study to a scenario-based one-on-one interview. A candidate will receive all the necessary resources shortly before beginning their tasks, they will have about thirty minutes to an hour to find a resolution.
- Presentation & Technical Task
Only some candidates are asked to complete a presentation or technical task. It is dependent on which job you have applied for. The presentation will be for a recruiter and a senior member of your field.
- Face-to-Face Interview
The face-to-face interview will be at the very end of the day. The interviewer will ask you how you thought you did at the assessment centre as well as a series of competency-based questions. Other questions include inquiries concerning industry trends, new developments, and personal and professional strengths.
How Can I Prepare for GSK’s Online Assessments?
GSK’s online assessments are an important step in the interview process. Unlike other companies, GSK will only send you one assessment at once. The other assessments are sent on the condition that the candidate does well on the one that came before it.
Candidates will receive the assessments after their application has been briefly reviewed. GSK ensures that the candidate meets the criteria for application, confirms their qualifications and sends them a link to the first assessment. After the candidate has successfully completed the assessment, GSK will review the application again and proceed with the hiring process.
If you have an upcoming GSK online assessment, it’s important that you set aside enough time to prepare. Their self-made tests are essentially a combination of the situational judgment test, the numerical reasoning, and the verbal reasoning assessments. Keep this in mind as you gather and search for resources for your preparation.
The majority of job seekers study for the GSK Life and World of GSK tests using practice assessments. Practice assessments create conditions similar to those on the genuine assessment with challenging content and a competitive time limit. This will help you understand how to navigate the questions with the ticking clock while simultaneously acquainting you with the material on the assessment. You have the option of short or full-length versions of the assessment, whichever one you choose depends on how comfortable you feel with the test. Another benefit is that you have access to your scores allowing you to track your progress and gain confidence before you take GSK’s online assessments.
GSK Interview Tips
GSK’s interviews are largely competency-based and contain many common themes. These themes include discussing the strengths and experiences of a candidate. GSK is also interested in how a candidate aligns with the following values:
- Patient Focus
- Respect
- Transparency
- Integrity
GSK will ask about past experiences you have had with these traits on more than one occasion. An example of a values-related question would be: “Name a time you went above and beyond for a patient/customer”.
Other expectations GSK has of their candidates is that they are aware of recent developments in a particular industry, some background knowledge of GSK, and the responsibilities that their position entails. GSK also favours candidates with a handful of questions about the company. This shows them that you are well-prepared, eager to learn, and harbour a genuine interest in their company and the industry.
Conclusion
The most crucial part of acing your GSK interview is doing your research. Understand the company, the market, the dynamic and use this knowledge to your advantage. Similarly, it is key to prepare for the online assessments because you can’t make it to the interview without first succeeding on these tests. Either way, you are going to need to be dedicated to your success. Best of luck!
