MBA-Exchange.com - Recruitment Testimonial

Eli Lilly and Co

Position: LLDP
Location:

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview on campus
- Interview in the company offices
- Interview with online/offline tests

How did it all come along?

The process started with a 1 hour Skype interview. The next step was an on-campus interview. After a few weeks I was invited to the company offices in the US. The final interview took place via Skype with the senior leadership in the affiliate.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	analytical thought and aptitude strong problem solving skills

Soft Skills:	leadership and ability to influence

Personality:	excellent communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills

Rockwell Collins

Position: Strategic Development Director
Location: Toulouse, France

Status: Got the job

Applicant: Olivier Pedron

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices
- Interview with online/offline tests

How did it all come along?

One week after applying on Linkedin in October 2010, I was contacted by email by a French Headhunnter located in Toulouse in charge of recruiting people for 2 marketing positions (one in communication, the other one in avionics). Due to my background in the military as a helicopter pilot, I applied to both.
After a Skype interview from Madrid the following week, I was invited to make 2 online tests: one on personnality, the other on complex environment comprehension (a mix of TOEFL and GMAT, but without maths)
The HH cabinet told me that they presented my profile and tests results to the company and I passed the screening. I was invited to interviews in the company offices in Toulouse in December. Due to calendar conflicts, it was postponed to early January as they urgently needed someone for this position. I get interviews with the marketing director, the director of the aviation business unit (with a P&L), the HR department and the French office managing director on the 4th of January. On the 6th I received an offer I challenged on the compensation aspect. I week after I was hired to start early February.

Most difficult part / question?

I did not know if passing the online tests was a good or a bad thing, as we saw during the recruitment process at IE that it was better not to go through this type of test before meeting face to face the employer. As I did not have the choice, I did them.
In fact being invited to do the tests was only for those retained to continue the selection process.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	They were looking for someoen with 15 year experience in business development. My professionnal experience was of 11 years. I get through it because I compensated with my soft skills and past professional responsibilities

Wolters Kluwer

Position: Marketing Manager
Location: Milan, Italy

Status: Got the job

Applicant: Enrico Bocchi

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

Business School Career Service offices

How did it all come along?

I attended the company presentation on campus at MBA and decided to apply for the open positions at the company. After some feedback, the career service suggested that the right fit would have been with the Marketing Manager open position. After that the career service organized the first meeting that I had with the HR Director for Italy and Corporate Executive Director for Italy.

Most difficult part / question?

The follow up process after the first interview was a little bit slow and with difficulty to get feedback. After the recruitment I understood that they had candidate screening and needed some time to setup the second step in company campus with Line Managers.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Product and project management experience. Marketing and sales background (even Business School background has been much appreciated). Demonstrable team management, preferably cross-functional

Soft Skills:	Leadership to drive decision in complex teams Action orientation coupled with strategic thinking Lead by example Communication and presentation skills

Personality:	Open to learning Focus on adaptability to change Expected driver of innovation in a conservative organization

Booz Allen Hamilton

Position: Senior Associate
Location: London, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

Applicant: Pascal Allouard

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I was aproched by a Head Hunter for a Senior Associate position at Booz Allen Hamilton in London.
I had 5 interviews with my future manager and experts in my domain (Information Technology).

Most difficult part / question?

It took a lot of time.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	You first need to have the expertise they are looking for at a particular moment in time

Soft Skills:	Eagerness to solve problems, communication skills

Personality:	Hard working, team builder, networker, gravitas

Bain & Company

Position: Manager
Location: Milan, Italy

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I applied and everything was really fast: i had 5 interviews in 10 days and 2 days later i had the offer.

Most difficult part / question?

4 interviews with managers and partners. Very challenging, very difficult business cases

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Economics and quantitative skills. Business sense in general

Soft Skills:	To be an entrepreneur, with ability to get problems sorted

Personality:	Curious, active, dynamic, ambitious but respectful

Rockwell Automation

Position: Key account manager
Location: France

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices
headhunter

How did it all come along?

The headhunters did a great job as a liaison between the company and the candidate. When interviewed at company office, you meet with all separate directors, and you need to convince them all( a very unified company-all need to approve you).
The most stupid thing - a handwritten letter - is the only test made, and they believe in the results firmly...

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Be on the top of automation technology and passionate to drive the development of the company forward Very matrix team oriented. not for individuals making their own way, or if so need to have very strong social skills in addtion

Soft Skills:	people.

Personality:	ambitious, strong but team focused. almost a swedish culture

McKinsey & Company

Position: Specialist
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

Straight forward recruitment process for an experienced hire (Steel Specialist within Basic Materials Practice)!

1.) Phone Interviews with HR & Partners.
2.) 6 single interviews (first with project leaders, finally with directors) which focused mainly on CV and industry related case studies.

Given that I had to travel a lot in my previous job McKinsey managed to make the recruitment happen within one day (despite the phone interview before) including a final contract ready to sign!

Compared with other recruitment processes I have been involved so far, McKinsey is by far the most professional & leanest Company I have ever worked with.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	As a specialist the industry experience was a clear need. PhD and MBA a clear plus.

Personality:	At least from what I experienced it is the perfect place for people who want to develop themselve independend of their personality profile (Introverted vs. Extroverted, ...) as long as you are a good team player and fast in learning!!

Asurion

Position: Senior Manager, Product Management
Location: USA

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

A headhunter contacted me first. I had a quick phone screen with the recruitment firm, then a phone screen with the talent acquisition lead a few days later. Two weeks elapsed and I was invited to an on-site interview that included seven interviewers, ranging from director to VP, for about an hour each. It was rigorous but good to meet the team and leadership. Receiving an offer took another six weeks due to workloads, family leave, and holidays. However, the process has since been accelerated for subsequent hires.

Most difficult part / question?

Several real world business cases were explored during the day, which required extensive use of a whiteboard. They required solid business acumen and the ability to piece together complex context.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Business models

Soft Skills:	Intellectual horsepower Business acumen Influence without authority

Personality:	Energetic High tolerance for ambiguity Results-oriented

Globalfoundries

Position: Sr. Product Manager
Location: USA

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote

How did it all come along?

First interview by phone was arranged few days after application through MBAexchange. Onsite interview was arranged few weeks later. The recruiting process was professional. I was interviewed for 4 rounds,by hiring manager, 2 important stakeholders for this position, and HR.

Most difficult part / question?

Negociation on compensation package was the most difficult part.:)

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Combined Engineering and MBA background >8 years working experience in semiconductor industry, especialy the Marketing / Sales experience

Soft Skills:	Presentation

Personality:	Listening

Credit Suisse

Position: AVP
Location: Singapore, Singapore

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote

How did it all come along?

I was recruited off WWW. Telephone interviews from different time zones by HR, two line personnel, immediate boss, new incoming head of group.

Most difficult part / question?

Absence of face-to-face conversations makes it difficult to understand in depth the specific business practices, group workings, business processes critical for goals delivery.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Excellent knowledge of domain. Must be aware of all global and regional trends, must be able to apply locally. Similarly, for tech aspects of the role-programming languages, different systems, etc. must be competent and able to handle additional tasks. Multi-tasking.

Soft Skills:	Good to be able to approach people, conduct business conversations, reach different groups.

Personality:	Confidence in ability, curiosity for more and diverse knowledge including business aspects, ability to interact with people and maturity to limit conversations in the business domain.

Fiserv

Position: Senior Managing Consultant
Location: London, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

First approach via Linkedin, couple of phone calls and interviews over the phone. Finally an assessment day at company's premises including several 1-2-1 interviews, tests and case studies.

Most difficult part / question?

Length of process: duration between first contact (linkedin) and my first day at work was was over a year.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Broad experience in the particular field/industry.

Soft Skills:	Already proved in previous job(s) that you can be successful. E.g. building and maintaining relationship with new clients over a long period.

Personality:	Convincing and/while being yourself.

LafargeHolcim

Position: Manager, Special Projects
Location: Montreal, Canada

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I applied via an internet job board. I received a phone call from the hiring manager and we had a phone interview (I was based in Toronto at the time). I was subsequently invited to do an interview in the Montreal office. About 2 weeks later, I was offered the position.

Most difficult part / question?

The interview in the office.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Engineering degree Financial background in banking Process review ability

Soft Skills:	Good communication skills French

Personality:	Friendly and outgoing

Discovery Communications, Inc.

Position: Strategy Manager
Location: London, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I managed to approach Discovery thanks to a project I had completed with someone that moved to Discovery and recommended me to the VP Strategy

Most difficult part / question?

It was an intense conversation about the future of the broadcasting industry, it was very insightful and challenging at the same time

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Strong analytics

Soft Skills:	Cultural sensitivity

Personality:	Diplomacy

UBS

Position: Director
Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Status: Got the job

Applicant: Gilles Chevron

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

How did it all come along?

Was approached by a friend who was in charge of the Turkish market for UBS Wealth Management

Most difficult part / question?

The job description was out of the scope of my prior professional experience

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Good knowledge of financial markets and wealth management practice

Soft Skills:	Interpersonal / Relationship management

Personality:	Customer focused

Ford Motor Company

Position: Marketing Manager
Location: Basildon, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview in an assement center

How did it all come along?

About 20 people from my MBA promotion who applied for the Marketing Leader Programme were invited for a 2-day assessment in the UK. The company booked us the flight and accommodated us in their dormitories. There were a few written business cases to resolve, which were later discussed with 2 interviewers. There was a group debate role play, where groups of 4 candidates would each propose and defend a certain model of vehicle to be launched. The group would have to reach a decision on only one model. It was not a matter of being pushy, but rather to go through a proper decision process. In the evening we had dinner with some top executives, when we had the opportunity to chat and make questions about the company. During the second day, there were two interviews, one a bit more technical, with company executives, and a second with HR.

Most difficult part / question?

They were looking for a good cultural fit and a lot of enthusiasm, so it was a matter of being yourself. There were a few different technical profiles they were considering: M&A, Marketing, Product Management, and Finance, which would depend a lot on your pre-MBA experience.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	A lot would depend on the pre-MBA experience, but an emphasis on Marketing during the MBA would help.

Soft Skills:	Skilled negotiator, but not overly confrontational. Enthusiast on cars and the automotive industry. Clear communicator.

Personality:	Confident, but not arrogant.

Huawei

Position: Head of site solution
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

i was approached directly by the hiring manager who proposed to meet and review the opportunity in person. After the meeting we kept in touch, 5 months later he approached me again with an offer to join the company. It was handed over to HR then with with who we worked out details of the contract

Most difficult part / question?

HR is not really empowered, like everywhere you need to be in touch with Business owner. Note, Huawei offers a minimum set of benefits under given legislation, Will also not openly share salary ranges / job grading /

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	industry expertise,

Soft Skills:	drive, motivation, dedication

Personality:	curiousity

Bank of America

Position: Treasury Specialist
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Status: Got the job

Applicant: Mudashir Ibrahim

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

Two days after I applied for a job as advertised by a recruitment agent in Dublin, I got a phone call to ask if I am interested in 6 months fixed term contract with Bank of America as Treasury Specialist, I then signified my interest upon which my C.V was forwarded to the hiring manager, I was later called to attend the first round of interview with two managers within the department of Treasury, the interview took an hour thirty minutes and the feedback given the same day confirmed that I have been shortlisted for the second round of interview a week later.
This involved a senior manager from same department and HR. The feedback an hour after the interview was that I have been offered the position and that the contract was now 11 months fixed term contract as opposed to the 6 months initially advertised. According to the agent, the change of decision was based on my performance at the interview.

Most difficult part / question?

The competency based questions, that I had to answer with examples

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Treasury Operation experience, Client relationship and meeting deadlines

Soft Skills:	Treasury Systems (IT2 NET), Mysis, risk control techniques

Personality:	Attention to details Analytical thinking Can work alone with no supervision and work in team where it required

Accenture

Position: senior manager
Location: manchester, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

Approached by a recruitment headhunter to look a a role in Accenture which required experience hires.
Had a phone interview with an accenture recruiter, then two weeks later progress to a face to face interview for 2 hours with 3 partners.
After a week i received an offer for the role which I duly took

Most difficult part / question?

face to face interview.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	business transformation, lean six sigma and many years of experience in deploying the above.

Soft Skills:	ability to be successful through influencing

Personality:	collaborative in style with good listening skills

Standard Chartered

Position: Manager HR Communications
Location: London, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I was contacted by Standard chartered as they saw my CV in the INSEAD CV book
Initial interview with HR at their offices
Second interview with Gallup - over a hundred questions as part of a personality type tes to see if I was a good fit for the company culture
Third interview on the phone whith Head of HR

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	excellent communication skills international experience attention to detail project management communications planning

Soft Skills:	stakeholder management good at interacting with people from different cultures creativity

McKinsey & Company

Position: Senior Expert
Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview on campus
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I had to do two interviews on campus and a few weeks later did three interviews at McK's offices in Zurich. I got a see later and reapplied 3 years later when McK launched its IT practice "the business technology office". I had to do about 7 or 8 interviews at the McK office in Zurich and finally got the job.

Most difficult part / question?

Sometimes I found the cases a bit tricky.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Good problem solving skills, effective communication, good cultural fit, team player, international experience and extra curricular activities help.

Accenture

Position: Manager
Location: London, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I had an initial screening call from an existing member of the team I was to join, from that call I was invited to a back-to-back session with two senior managers in the business. One of the sessions aksed me to respond to a fictitious client brief and I talked through my approach and client interaction. From there I had one more very short discussion with a Partner which was mostly just to have the opportunity to ask them questions. In the end it was a very straight-forward process.

Most difficult part / question?

It took three months from beginning to end to actually agree the contract, which was quite protracted.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Sales, Marketing, Industry Experience

Soft Skills:	Creative, stakeholder engagement

Personality:	Personable, curious, passionate, client-focused

Accenture

Position: Solution Architect
Location: Austin, USA

Status: Did not receive offer

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote

How did it all come along?

I was called by a placement firm for a contract position that was supposed to turn into a permanent one as long as they got the contact, work toward that end, Accenture did not win the bid as a result no position, a lot of very hard working, smart people were involved

Most difficult part / question?

The time it took and the uncertainty of getting the contract for which the job existed in the first place

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Other / Do not know / No feedback received

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Smart, driven, self starter, savvy

Soft Skills:	As to deal with a lot of chiefs or at least folks who think there are

Personality:	Confident, team before self

Groupon

Position: Director Sales
Location: Berlin, Germany

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

After applying, I was contacted for a phone interview with one of the Recruiters. The successful phone interview resulted in an invitation to the headquarters. After being flown on site, I spent the day working along others in the role for which I was applying as well as interviewing with different people, including the CEO.

The job offer followed within a week.

Most difficult part / question?

The interview with the CEO, who asked questions such as "tell me something about yourself that's not on your resume." The questions were geared to understanding what motivates the candidate.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Sales skills Computer skills (office, salesforce, etc.)

Soft Skills:	Endurance Ability to be tough and execute well from above Ability to manage well upward and downward Motivational skills

Personality:	Very driven and willing to self sacrifice (think 80hr work weeks)

Expedia, Inc.

Position: Director
Location: Hong Kong

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote

How did it all come along?

I was contacted by recruitment agency for several newly established roles. My first interview was with the hiring manager over Skype. A few weeks later, I was invited to meet face to face for interviews with 2 other Directors at their office, for a specific role. I received an offer 2 weeks later.

Most difficult part / question?

Case study was the most difficult part of the process, as I came from outside the industry.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Key account management, negotiations, analytics

Soft Skills:	Working with regional and international teams without formal reporting lines.

Personality:	Proactive, organized,

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Position: Consultant Mergers & Acquisition Services
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices
Prepared an A4 paper on how I could add value to the team

How did it all come along?

I was called by a friend who worked their and suggested that I apply.
I sent a CV which my friend presented to the partner.
I was requested to prepare an A4 on the value that I could add to the team, potential sectors and clients that I may target.
After an interview with the Partner of the M&A practice, I met with 2-3 other consultants, and was later hired.

Most difficult part / question?

None

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Strong Commercial drive Solid network Finance skills Broad perspective

Soft Skills:	Language Investigative Detailed

Personality:	Stature Stress resistant Drive

Bain & Company

Position: Consultant
Location: Brazil

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview on campus

How did it all come along?

Very fast, with immediate answers and feedback. Took me some days to get the final answer, still before the competitors started the process!

Most difficult part / question?

Case interviews

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Value addition, by cracking the case

Soft Skills:	Engagement

Personality:	Down to earth

Schneider Electric

Position: Strategy Manager
Location: Shanghai, China

Status: Got the job

Applicant: Yunyun QIAO

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

After 6 months internship at Alstom Grid, I was approached by a Schneider Electric employee, who was former Alstom Grid colleague, asking me whether I am interested in working for Schneider Electric.

I was thrilled to have this opportunity because of Schneider Electric's reputation in developing employees and its active participation in the Chinese market.

I went on to have face to face discussion with the VP of the business division and the human resource partner of that division. Then I got offer in two weeks.

Most difficult part / question?

The most difficult part was to convince the hiring manager that I can contribute to his business, because Prior to obtaining the MBA degree, I worked only in Semiconductor engineering and services industry, and I had no experience in electrical equipment industry.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	problem solving self learning

Soft Skills:	interpersonal skills conflict management

Personality:	proactive resilient

Symantec

Position: Senior Financial Specialist
Location: Mountain View, USA

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview on campus

How did it all come along?

About a week after the first-round interviews on campus, I was invited to the second round interviews. The experience was great, as my transportation was handled by their corporate travel agency. I booked a flight to arrive in the afternoon before the interview, and could have had the option to return a day or two after the interview. Symantec hosted a welcome dinner the night before the interview, and let us know all of the sights to see in the area after the interview. This was a welcome change, as my prior interviews were focused on efficiency i.e. out and in as expediently as possible.

Most difficult part / question?

Waiting to hear back regarding the offer.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Understanding financial modeling. True expertise in Excel.

Soft Skills:	Willingness to deal through inefficient and immature processes.

Personality:	Personality that matches a corporate job experience (this isn't a flashy Silicon Valley company).

Pfizer Inc

Position: Senior Tech Lead
Location: Austria

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

I was working as a consultant for an IT company that did projects for Pfizer. I helped transfer a complex IT project to new vendors in India. This is when the company approached me and tried to hire me for a short term project. I refused and demanded a longer-term engagement and better integration into their team. After some negotiations, they agreed.

Most difficult part / question?

The recruitment process was a clear struggle of power, a true negotiation. I was successful by signaling strength (e.g. refusing to cancel a developers conference I had registered for), but I felt it was a bit risky. This period of uncertainty was the most difficult part.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Demonstrable technical skills, track record

Soft Skills:	Navigate the corporate hierarchy, be professional and friendly, show respect

Personality:	Intelligence is valued, strong personality is rewarded, important to understand communication style of others

Abbott Laboratories

Position: Management Development Program
Location: London, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote

How did it all come along?

In one day I had 3 interviews via web cam - one with HR and two with commercial managers. A couple of weeks later another interview with the manager of the leadership program I was interviewing for. Several weeks later I interviewed with 3 more managers and I waited for another 3 or 4 weeks to get the offer. All the interviews after the initial 3 were over the phone, mainly because of long distances involved.

Most difficult part / question?

The fact that it was spread over a long period of time.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- Not applicable / I got the offer

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Typical use of Microsoft Office and an experience with Pharma/Healthcare industry

Soft Skills:	Leadership skills

Personality:	Multicultural, adaptable and mobile.

Abbott Laboratories

Position: Sr. Project Manager
Location: Alameda, USA

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

Two rounds of phone interviews followed by two face to face interviews at Abbott office. I have met coworkers, and managers in 5 different groups that may have direct involvement with my job function. HR was the final interviewer who gone over some situation interview questions. Few weeks after the interview, an offer letter was given to me.

Most difficult part / question?

Face to face interview is the key, how to make your case that you are the right one for the company and impress other people may have direct work relationship.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	FDA regulated industry knowledge is a key, unless you already in it, this is a catch 22.

Soft Skills:	Communication, communication, communication.

Personality:	Attitude is everything

Amadeus

Position: Strategy Analyst
Location: Paris, France

Status: Did not receive offer
Applicant: Massimo Fontana

First contact

Off campus, I applied

How did it all come along?

Seven days after applying, I’ve just receive a standard e-mail: Unfortunately, we do not have any available positions that correspond to your profile at present.

Main hurdle to get the offer

- The company is looking for someone with different hard or soft skills
- Other / Do not know / No feedback received

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Much younger and no experience

Soft Skills:	French and English not as a mother language

Personality:	Can’t answer

GlaxoSmithKline

Position: Product specialist
Location: Greece

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview on campus
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

1:1 interview with the Area Manager, then an interview with the Sales Managers the same day.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	BSc, MSc or MBA

Soft Skills:	Communication

Personality:	Extrovert

Johnson & Johnson

Position: Brand Manager
Location: Maidenhead, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

After I finished my MBA at Imperial College Business School, the carriers department sent my resume to J&J and they called me for some interviews at J&J office. At first I had a 1:1 with RH, and second an interview with HR and 2 marketing managers. They presented me a case and gave me 1 hour to prepare a presentation. Basically the case was to set up a marketing plan for a Venezuelan wine which was entering in the market. I presented it and questions were asked after it. I received an offer 1 week later.

Most difficult part / question?

The case, since time was short to develop it

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Business, market knowledge, brand building

Soft Skills:	Presentation, negotiation

Personality:	Team player

Johnson & Johnson

Position: EMEA Marketing Manager
Location: Leeds, United Kingdom

Status: Got the job

First contact

On campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices
- Interview in an assement center
- Interview with online/offline tests

How did it all come along?

I was first given a phone interview with HR that was primarily trying to determine my 'fit' in the company based on various past experiences. The next step was traveling to a recruitment/assessment center at the headquarters in the U.S. in order to interview for a variety of different roles. After this I had subsequent in-person interviews at the offices in the U.K. with the hiring managers. I was then extended an offer roughly 2 weeks later. The whole process started in Oct 2010 and I received the final offer in March 2011.

Most difficult part / question?

Many different interviews, often without understanding what role I was being considered for.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Previous commercial experience, understanding of healthcare/medical device sales and marketing, strong strategic viewpoint by ability to execute tactical plans

Soft Skills:	Interpersonal relationships, networking abilities.

Personality:	Sense of humor, directness

Merck & Co.

Position: SAP CoE Consultant
Location: Milan, Italy

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

Initial interview with a headhunter... then 3 interviews at the office.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	SAP Expertise, English knowledge

Soft Skills:	Communication and team working

Personality:	Open-minded, flexible, willing to travel

Philips

Position: Marketing Associate
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I applied

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

Phone interview, then they flew me to Amsterdam for face to face interviews with hiring manager and other senior managers. After that, there were two more interviews with the U.S. based senior marketing people.

Most difficult part / question?

Getting to Amsterdam, since my U.S. student visa was about to expire and I was unsure to be able to get a visa to enter the Netherlands.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Functional marketing/sales experience

Soft Skills:	Interpersonal, communication

Personality:	Likes to work with very diverse people, different cultures.

Siemens

Position: Sales Director
Location: Milan, Italy

Status: Got the job

First contact

Off campus, I was approached

Interview types

- Interview over the phone / Skype / remote
- Interview in the company offices

How did it all come along?

My recruitment was quite particular. Siemens knew me for my several success results. I had a contact in my office with the request to join Siemens. I took about two/three months to think about. Then I received a last call to take a decision. So I made the choice and in three days I was in Siemens.

Most difficult part / question?

The most difficult part was to agree about the pay roll: too high the variable part then the fix salary part. I always had a very good performance, but Siemens SpA never paid me the correct amount.

Preferred skill-set and personality traits

Hard Skills:	Do good business, but not better than your boss

Soft Skills:	Social skills

Personality:	Yes man