Cayman Chemical Company Interview Questions
& Process

There were three interviews in total. They want to see that you really know your stuff, but it's important to be honest. They are really interested in hearing about why you love chemistry. Think about what sparked your passion for this field and elaborate on it. They're looking for genuine enthusiasm for chemistry, so if you have it, talk about it as much as possible. This isn't something that can be faked.

I interviewed with the manager and three other people. The last person I spoke with was a joke. He had already made up his mind about me because of a concurrent position and gaps in my employment, which the hiring manager was already aware of. He felt he had the right to judge me based on my name. *Awesome*. Even if they offered me twice what I was making, I would have declined to avoid working with that kind of person and culture.

I got an email from an HR person saying I was selected to interview. She gave me some dates and times to choose from and mentioned the interview would be about 2.5-3 hours since I'd meet with different people. On the day, I met with her first. She talked about the company and asked some easy questions about my education, like why I chose to go out of state for grad school. Then I met the lab director. He told me more about the company and the job, and then showed me around the lab. Afterwards, we sat down and he asked me to talk about my education and work history. He also asked about my experience with the specific instruments needed for the job. Next, I met with some junior lab members who also asked about my instrumentation experience. The interview then got more casual as they wanted to see if my personality would fit well in the lab. Finally, I met with two senior lab members. They also asked about instrumentation experience and my research background. Then they also got more social and tried to see if my personality would be a good fit. My impression of the company is that it would be a great place to work. They have a lot of products and services, which shows they are stable. They are also growing. The work environment seemed relaxed, with people dressing casually. Everyone was really friendly.

The whole thing took about 2 weeks. First, there was a 30-minute phone chat with HR. Then, I had a 1-hour in-person interview with the hiring manager and another scientist. We also got a tour of the place. I got an offer on Monday morning, just a few days after my interview on Friday.