Interview Your Interviewer

Want an impressive career trajectory? Ask powerfully purposeful questions. It’s interesting that while Pharmacist job seekers all have specific concerns about each position, they often struggle to ask the truly important questions that help them evaluate if a position aligns with their career goals, personal values, and professional aspirations.
Starting your career in the right environment can often determine your career trajectory. Know that you’ve found a great fit by interviewing your interviewer. Ask insightful questions. Truly listen. Then consider what they are saying – and what they’re not.

Here are 11 powerful questions that I encourage you to incorporate into your PharmD interviews:

1. How does the pharmacy team collaborate and communicate with each other and other departments? Communication is critical to team and personal success. Is it a collaborative or siloed work environment? You should look for signs of effective communication and support among team members. Have the courage to ask for specific examples of how collaboration and communication helped solve a specific problem within the department.
2. Can you provide examples of how the company has implemented employee feedback to improve the work environment?  This question helps determine if the company values employee input and takes action to enhance the workplace. It indicates a culture of continuous improvement and responsiveness to staff needs.
3. How does the company recognize and reward its employees' achievements and contributions?  Understanding the recognition and reward systems can give insight into how much the company values its employees. It’s important to know if hard work and achievements are acknowledged and celebrated.
4. How does the company handle conflicts or disagreements within the team? This question provides insight into the company's approach to conflict resolution and whether they have a supportive and fair process for addressing issues that may arise among staff.
5. What recent changes has the company made in response to the evolving pharmacy industry or healthcare landscape? This question can reveal how proactive and adaptable the company is in staying current with industry trends and challenges, indicating their commitment to innovation and improvement.
6. What do you enjoy most about working here, and what would you change if you could? Asking this question can provide a personal perspective from the interviewer about the pros and cons of working at the company, offering a candid look at the company culture from an insider’s view.
7. What are the key responsibilities and expectations for this pharmacist position? While this may seem like a softball question, what you’re really looking to uncover are any hidden organizational challenges related to structure, workflow and team dynamics. Look for inconsistencies between your interviews. Well structured organizations will have a consistent response from each person that you are interviewing with.
8. What qualifications and skills are most important for this role? Assess how your background aligns with the position by understanding which qualifications, certifications, and skills are required and which are preferred for this position. Follow-up by asking how you compare to other team members. This will provide insights into where you may fit in the team hierarchy and how you may need to approach career growth.
9. What opportunities are available for mentoring within the company? Showing your desire to be a part of internal growth makes a strong impression. Always ask about mentoring opportunities where you can mentor others and find a mentor for yourself. The answer will reveal deep insights into the company culture.
10. What are some examples of career advancement within the company? The response to this question often reveals a lot about the company’s culture and values. Listen for structured development, growth, and support systems. Be cautious if the interviewer is vague or avoids the question. Lack of clarity or examples may suggest limited opportunities and indicate a lack of investment in their employees' long-term success.
11. What are the biggest challenges faced by pharmacists in this role and at this company? Seek to understand potential challenges you might face and how the organization is supporting the people working to overcome these challenges. It’s vital that you determine what issues are and if you’ll be expected to resolve them individually or as a team. Again, listen to what they say, what they don’t say and how they say it. Dig deep by asking follow-up questions that examine details within their answer.
    

These questions will help you make an informed decision about whether the company will offer you fertile ground to grow and achieve your personal and professional goals.

Does Asking the Interviewer Tough Questions Really Work?

You bet! Take Sarah for example. She came to us after feeling stuck for several years. Advancement and growth simply weren’t part of the company culture. It was a good place to work, and she enjoyed her coworkers, Sarah knew she needed more.

We talked about her goals, and she envisioned her career trajectory. It was clear that growth, learning, and expanding responsibility would be key elements for Sarah to feel challenged and find a path she could truly embrace. After discussing her options, Sarah decided to pursue transitioning into a hospital pharmacy setting. Interviews were set with several hospital systems, and we coached Sarah on how to ‘interview her interviewer’ to uncover the company culture, working styles, and management personality of the pharmacy team so that she could determine which hospital system might be the best fit for her and provide the professional growth and collaborative environment that she needed.

Sarah was nervous at first. It was a new approach. Turning the tables by asking firm, insightful questions can be tough. After her first interview Sarah called to share what happened, “I can’t believe it. It felt like I was losing the interview. The hiring manager wasn’t really engaged. Then I started asking questions and the hiring manager really opened up!” Sarah went on, “I think we hit it off. I learned that pharmacists regularly participate in interdisciplinary meetings with doc’s and nurses. And, they have a mentorship program for new hires! She even told me about some issues they’ve had and how they’re working through them.”

Sarah gained more confidence and sailed through interviews we set up with a few other health systems. In the end, she felt reassured by the responses she received in her first interview, pursued the opportunity and got the job.

We followed up with Sarah one year after she accepted her hospital pharmacy position and her experience reflected the importance of asking the right questions during her job interview.

Sarah found her experience one year into her new role: Company Culture and Values:  Sarah found that the hospital’s commitment to patient-centered care and teamwork was not just talk during the interview but a genuine part of the day-to-day operations. The values she had been drawn to were evident in how her colleagues interacted with each other and with patients. The culture promoted open communication and inclusivity, making Sarah feel like a valued member of the team from day one.

Professional Development: The hospital lived up to its promise of supporting professional development. Sarah attended several workshops and conferences, enhancing her skills and expanding her professional network. She also pursued a specialized certification in clinical pharmacy, which the hospital not only supported but also partially funded. The access to learning opportunities exceeded her expectations and kept her engaged and motivated in her role. Sarah is in consideration of being promoted to a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist role, where she’ll focus specifically on serving oncology patients. Working towards her promotion, Sarah has taken on some leadership responsibilities, helping her mentor oversee a team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by training new staff members and facilitating team meetings.

Work-Life Balance: The hospital’s focus on maintaining work-life balance was a significant factor in Sarah's job satisfaction. Flexible scheduling allowed her to manage her work hours effectively, reducing stress and preventing burnout. The organization’s efforts to ensure manageable workloads were particularly beneficial during the flu season when demands increased. Sarah appreciated the hospital's understanding of personal commitments, which contributed to her overall well-being.

Collaboration and Communication:  Sarah experienced firsthand the hospital's collaborative environment, which had been a selling point during her interview. Interdisciplinary meetings facilitated effective communication between pharmacists, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. This collaboration not only improved patient outcomes but also fostered a sense of community among staff. The mentorship program has been very rewarding. Not only is Sarah working with a mentor, she’s found that mentoring younger pharmacists incredibly rewarding too.

Sarah observed the hospital’s commitment to acting on employee feedback. The administration conducted regular surveys and held town hall meetings to discuss suggestions and concerns. This resulted in tangible improvements, such as upgrading the pharmacy’s technology systems and enhancing employee break areas. Sarah felt that her voice mattered and appreciated the organization's dedication to continuous improvement.

Personal Reflections:  Sarah’s thoughtful approach to assessing the company culture paid off, resulting in a successful transition to a new role where she felt supported, challenged, and valued. Her positive experience is a powerful example of how aligning personal values with organizational culture can lead to long-term job satisfaction and career fulfillment.

The Takeaway

Interviewing your interviewer is a powerfully purposeful approach to evaluating company culture that lays the groundwork for a successful and fulfilling career.  Sarah's journey exemplifies the importance of aligning personal values with organizational culture, demonstrating how this alignment can lead to sustained job satisfaction, professional growth, and positive contributions to patient care and the pharmacy profession.
It's never too late to direct your career towards an upward trajectory. We hope that you’ll use this article to inspire your journey and navigate your pharmacist career path with intention and purpose.