Student Section

Did you know that students and post-docs are eligible for FREE registration to our meetings and symposia?

Simply be one of the first 10 students/post-docs to volunteer to present your research in poster format at our next meeting. You can register by contacting Cindy Rewerts (rtpdmdg.owner@rtpdmdg.org)

Of course, you can always attend the meetings without presenting a poster for a discounted price of $25.00/meeting and $45.00/symposia. Also, don't hesitate to solicit your major advisor for payment for this meeting. Most advisors are happy to have their students interact with the local scientific community, and the cost of the meeting is covered by most training grants.

We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming meetings!

Annual Poster Competition

Held during our Annual Symposium. Please see our Guidelines for instructions and rules.

From 2021 CAREER PANEL: Thursday, Jan 28 from 7-8PM EST

The following list of Job, Internship, and Fellowship postings is for reference only, and is not intended to be comprehensive or an endorsement of any specific group, company, or resource. KEY CORPORATE SERVICES: FIRST INTERVIEW GUIDANCE represents the views and opinions of Key Corporate Services, and is shared with permission of their company representative.

JOB POSTING LINKS: https://ncbcjobs.ncbiotech.org https://www.indeed.com Society websites (e.g.  https://www.ACTox.org (membership required), https://jobbank.toxicology.org/ , https://careers.aaps.org , https://jobs.sciencecareers.org , https://www.pbss.org (select a region, e.g. Boston), etc.) https://www.workinthetriangle.com/work/find-a-job   https://www.ncworks.gov/vosnet/Default.aspx https://pharmacy.unc.edu/education/fellowships https://www.epa.gov/careers https://www.niehs.nih.gov/careers/jobs https://www.usajobs.gov       nmusers (PMx/PKPD focused)

INTERNSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS: https://orise.orau.gov https://www.niehs.nih.gov/careers/research https://us.gsk.com/en-us/careers/ https://www.ncbiotech.org/talent-and-careers/industrial-internship-program https://www.epa.gov/careers/research-fellowships-and-scholarships#fellow

RESUME/JOB DESCRIPTION COMPARISON APP: https://www.jobscan.co/

KEY CORPORATE SERVICES: FIRST INTERVIEW GUIDANCE

FIRST INTERVIEW GUIDANCE

Congratulations! You have secured an interview for a potentially exciting, new opportunity. All steps in the interview process have their own dynamics and nuances. The first interview, whether via phone, video call, or face-to-face, sets the tone for everything that follows.

OBJECTIVE OF THE FIRST INTERVIEW

The #1 objective of the first interview is to advance to the SECOND interview (provided that you are interested in doing so). It’s as simple as that.

• Stay focused on the task at hand; don’t get ahead of yourself

• Most of the first interview is about discovery – for you, and for the company

PHONE CONVERSATION

There is simply no excuse for a bad phone conversation. You can focus completely on being “in the moment” because any and all notes, websites, etc. can be used while on the call. The phone conversation is exactly what it says – a “conversation”. Something you execute dozens of times every day.

The objective of a phone conversation is to ALIGN at a HIGH LEVEL. It is Stage One Due Diligence – a conversation, not a commitment. Both sides are making a first impression, gathering basic information and seeking to learn more about the other party.

“Rules of Thumb” for Phone Conversations

1. SMILE as you speak. Believe it or not, the difference from simply smiling can be picked up on the other end of the phone conversation.

2. Be confident, but not arrogant.

3. NEVER cut-off an interviewer as they are speaking. If you and the interviewer start to speak at the same time, politely defer to the interviewer.

ZOOM/VIDEO INTERVIEW

ZOOM/video interviews are becoming the norm. Treat these exactly as a face-to-face interview.

“Rules of Thumb” for Video Interviews

1. If you are unfamiliar with whatever app will be used for the video interview, download and get familiar with the app in advance. Do not wait until the last second before your interview to download it as each app has its own personality and quirks that you need to be familiar with. For example, just because you may have used Skype does not mean you should not do a trial run on Zoom.

2. In general, the best approach is to choose a quiet place with a neutral, uncluttered background. This eliminates distractions. Use a Virtual Background from Zoom if you need it. This can also serve as a talking point if the chosen background has a particular relevance to you. Similarly, as you have done your homework on the interviewer, if you were able to identify any common grounds such as: schools attended, hobbies, location, LinkedIn groups, mutual connections, etc. displaying a *coffee mug* from your shared University may also serve as an interesting icebreaker (*just an example*).

3. Use a “Cheatsheet”. Have a copy of your resume, questions you want to ask the hiring manager, etc. carefully placed below the camera’s view. If you need to occasionally reference it if you get lost or need to remind yourself of a talking point, a quick glance down is okay.

4. Look directly at the camera and be aware of how the camera is capturing you. No one wants to stare at the bottom half or top half of someone’s face or be looking into their ears. Get situated early, use good posture, and attempt to ‘mirror’ the body language of the interviewer.

5. Dress for a virtual interview the same way you would for an in-person interview. Under current circumstances, business casual attire is usually appropriate. Avoid wearing bright or distracting colors / designs.

6. Use the “Mute” button in case of emergency. If you get hit with a sneezing or coughing fit or your dog starts barking uncontrollably, you can use the mute button on most apps to cut off your audio.

7. Eliminate potential interruptions. If you are expecting a package delivery, put a note on your door to not ‘ring the doorbell’. Better yet, try to avoid any possible deliveries on the day of the interview. Turn your phone OFF and keep it out of sight.

8. Close programs on your computer or laptop to avoid a slow down of your operating system that could affect the video and audio feed. Closing programs will also prevent any alert chimes or popups which may distract you and/or the interviewer.

CONTEXT – SETTING THE STAGE

• You will not get a second chance to make a good first impression.

• There will be competition for the position you are seeking. How are you different/better than someone else whose resume looks a lot like yours? You must be able to successfully differentiate yourself from the other candidates.

• 70% of a hiring process is driven by chemistry. The final two candidates in any hiring decision will BOTH be able to do the job. The company will hire the person with which they have the best “chemistry”.

• The salary you will be offered is determined, in part, by how well you handle yourself during the interview process.

• During an interview process, the company is in the driver’s seat...they are making the decisions. The whole purpose for interviewing is to position yourself for an offer – then you are making the decision!

EXECUTION

Here are the key steps to successful interviewing.

1. Remember that you are the most important ingredient in the process. No one can hire you without your consent.

• Be well prepared to clearly state your experience in terms of what you have been doing, how well, and over what length of time. Starting with your most recent experience is best. Companies are most interested in what you are doing NOW.

• Be positive, concise, and specific. The most common reason a candidate is eliminated is because the individual did not provide specific enough examples to support his/her statements about background and experience.

• Have solid explanations for your job transitions.

2. Know as much about the company and the person(s) you will be interviewing with as possible. Get an agenda in advance. Do your homework.

3. Be prepared for their questions, especially Behavior-Based Questions

• For example, “Share a specific example of how you handled a recent situation where your performance resulted in savings to your company.” Give the Situation. Describe the action you took. Briefly describe the results. (SAR)-Situation, Action, Results.

• Answer the question that is asked. Don’t talk around it and don’t ramble. If you are not sure, then ask, “Have I answered your question?” Think in terms of “sound bytes”.

4. Be prepared to ask good relevant questions of the individuals you are interviewing with. QUESTIONS DIFFERENTIATE CANDIDATES.

• Consider your audience when crafting your questions. Higher-level interviewers may have a different perspective on the job. As a general rule, the higher-up the interviewer, the more strategic and “big picture” the questions should be.

• In each case, find out the interviewer’s unique perspective on the job…what are the critical objectives of the position? What are the key attributes of a successful person in this role? How does this position interface with your role and help you to be successful? You will find that each interviewer has a slightly different view.

• Safety net question (ask near the end of your conversation): “What else is important to you that I haven’t asked about - or that we haven’t discussed?” This question is a lifesaver.

5. Above all else, CLOSE the interview:

• Thank them for the opportunity to speak with them

• Recap the discussion, “building a bridge” between the company’s requirements and your profile. A checkpoint summary is a nice way to do this.

• Tell them that you are interested in moving on to the next step in the process.

• Ask if there is anything in your background that could keep you from proceeding to the next step in the interview process. This gives you a chance to address any concerns immediately.

• Ask for a preview of next steps.

6. Send a thank-you note.