Pharmaceuticals Industry and Health Employers Assessment Centre, Online Tests and Interviews Preparation – 2024

What Is the Pharmaceuticals Industry?

The pharmaceutical industry is constantly changing and adapting. As new discoveries are made, and new regulations are enforced, the industry is in a constant race to keep up with demand, while adhering to regulations and implementing new standards. Pharmaceutical companies are always on the lookout for job-seekers who are up to date on new technology. While experienced hires will always be needed, pharmaceutical companies are also on the lookout for university students to fill internships, and new graduates to fill entry-level positions and graduate scheme programs. There are a plethora of different career opportunities within this industry, and they need applicants from a variety of different backgrounds. If you are curious about whether your educational background is suitable for a job in pharmaceuticals, they hire people for positions that include:

• Research and development
• Sales representatives
• Financial analyst
• Chemist
• Engineering
• Quality control
• Manufacturing
• Microbiologists

 

What Is the Recruitment Process in the Pharma Industry?

Application

Pharmaceutical companies have thorough websites describing their companies and their core values. These websites also include job postings and online applications. If you find a company that you think will suit you, you can make an online profile, so you can submit your application. To save time for any applications you fill out in the future, most of these sites give you the ability to upload and save your CV and cover letter. You can also sign up to be alerted if any jobs that match your qualifications become available. Jobs can be searched by title or location. Before uploading your cover letter, update it to be appealing to the company you are applying to work for. Your cover letter is the first impression hiring managers will have of you, so you want it to be memorable, yet professional.

 

Pharma Companies Psychometric Tests

Most pharmaceutical companies require applicants to take a series of online assessment tests at some point in the hiring process. Some companies prefer to give the assessment tests prior to moving on to interviews, they use this as a method of narrowing down the field of candidates. Others prefer to first do a screening interview of those who had applications that stood out to them, before having them take an assessment test. The company you have applied with will let you know what the next steps in the hiring process are. Regardless of when they are offered, most applicants will have to take online assessment tests. Since there are a number of different positions being hired for the content of the tests will vary based on the position the applicant is seeking. Tests that are commonly given to all applicants include:

• Personality Test – To see how well your personality will suit the corporate culture, you may be given a personality assessment. This is a psychometric test, usually designed with the needs of the specific company in mind. Your answers will be compiled into a personality profile that the company will evaluate to determine if you are the right fit.
• Verbal Reasoning Skills – Most jobs need their employees to be able to follow verbal directions, and also exhibit a firm grasp of reading comprehension. This test will measure both of these. You will have several paragraphs to read and will have multiple-choice questions to answer about the information they contain.
• Technical Test – Jobs that require a certain amount of technical proficiency may require a test that requires you to demonstrate your level of knowledge.
• Logical Reasoning Tests – In many fields, being able to see and interpret trends in data is extremely important. Due to this, a logical reasoning test is given to help show how well an applicant is able to interpret patterns and sequences. You will be given sequences of shapes or incomplete patterns and must determine what comes next in the sequence, or how to complete the pattern. Logical reasoning tests are usually timed to also provide a measure of how well you work under pressure.
• Numerical Comprehension Test – This will test your ability with mathematical functions. They may be simple, or more complicated depending on the position you are testing for. It may include addition and subtraction, as well as ratios and percentages. Calculators are usually allowed for this portion of the test. It may be timed.

 

Interviews

Interviews for pharmaceutical companies usually start with a screening interview. This may be an online interview, in which you are sent questions via email, and must record and send back your answers. These interviews are brief and are usually used to clarify questions about your qualifications and education. Phone screenings give you an opportunity to ask questions about any parts of the job you are uncertain of. Online interviews do not give you this ability. The in-person interviews will go much more in-depth. You will be questioned about your motivations, past job-behaviours, and your work style. The questions may take the STAR format, situation, task, action, result. This is a way for interviewers to get context for your answers and a view of you will be as an employee. Questions that you can expect during this interview include:

• What knowledge do you have about our company’s market performance? How do we compare to our competitors?
• What traits do you bring to the table that will make you a valuable part of our team? What can we do for you that will help you grow in your career?
• Why do you want to work for our company in particular? What appeals to you?
• Have you ever had a tight deadline for a major project? Did you make it? Were you pleased with the result? Given a chance what would you do differently?

 

Assessment Centre

Many pharmaceutical companies require applicants for certain positions, particularly graduate scheme or executive positions, to attend an assessment Centre. The assessment Centre will give them the opportunity to see how well you work with other people, if you possess leadership skills, and if you represent the company image. Assessment centres consist of a number of group and individual exercises during which the management team will take notes and make their final decisions. Some of the online assessment tests may also be repeated during the assessment Centre.

• Case Study – These may be done individually, or as a group. You will be given a paper and will need to come to conclusions, either by group discussion, or on your own, and present your results to the management team.
• Presentation – This is another exercise that may be done individually or as a group. You will be given a topic relating to the company and must develop a presentation in the allotted time.
• Interviews – There may be one final round of interviews. Often candidates are eliminated by the assessors as the assessment Centre goes on, and the remaining candidates will be asked to sit down for one more behavioural interview.

 

How to Prepare for Pharmaceutical Companies Tests?

Breaking into the pharmaceutical industry can be difficult. Jobs are in high demand, and you will be competing with a large number of other applicants. You need to make certain that you stand out, by not just passing the online assessment tests, but achieving the best scores possible. Study the companies you want to apply with. A decent understanding of their core values and expectations will help you when taking tests like personality assessments that have no firm answers. Knowing what they want in their employees will help you interpret which responses they would find most desirable. Study for the sections that require hard knowledge. Practising math functions can be done easily either with the help of a book, or an online resource. Word puzzles, logic puzzles, and sudoku can help you with your abstract reasoning skills, as well as your reading comprehension. Practising will also make you feel more confident when you sit down to take the tests.

Take the tests in a calm environment. Some tests are given at testing centres, but the majority of applicants are sent a link to take the tests at home. If taking them at home, always take them from a PC or laptop, the tests are not compatible with mobile devices. Make sure you have a strong connection, so you are not interrupted by your internet connection cutting out. On timed tests try not to focus too long on any one question. It is in your best interest to move to the next question. Do not try to guess, your score will be calculated based on the number of correctly answered questions. If you take your time and practice for the online tests your scores will help you stand out, and you will be working at a pharmaceutical company before you know it.

 

The Leading Pharmaceutical Companies in UK:

Companya	Shire	Pfizer UK	Amgen
Allergan	Servier R&D	AstraZeneca	Novartis Pharmaceuticals
GlaxoSmithKline	Ipsen Developments	Janssen-Cilag	PowderMed
Genus	Brinton Healthcare UK	John Wyeth & Brother	Boehringer Ingelheim
BTG	Vectura	Antisoma	Bristol-Myers Squibb
Aventis Pharma	Roche Products	Eli Lilly	Organon Laboratories
Merial	Renovo	Eisai Europe