Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Interview Questions
& Process

So, the interview process starts with a quick screening, then you meet with the hiring manager. After that, there's a longer session, like 3–4 hours, which involves a panel interview, discussing a case study, a technical round where they ask domain-specific questions, and a presentation, usually about the case study. They also want to see how you communicate, align with the business, and collaborate with other teams in a stakeholder meeting. They check both your technical skills and soft skills.

It started great, the team was super communicative. I had an initial screening call with a future colleague, she asked about my interest and answered my questions. Then I had 3 more interviews: first with the manager, then their manager, and finally the head of the team. They said it sounded promising and they were still interviewing other candidates. After that, I was ghosted and just got an email saying they hired someone more analytical.

First, there was an HR screen that lasted about 10 minutes. The HR person seemed to know nothing and wouldn't give me any info about my interviewers due to confidentiality. It made me wonder if they were incompetent or struggling to fill the position. Shortly after, I got an email about a panel interview with other Genetic Counselors. It was pretty standard, and we ran over the allotted 30 minutes because it wasn't enough time. HR told me they would be the point of contact for all communication. More than three weeks later, HR emailed me asking me to interview one-on-one with a Medical Doctor. After I confirmed, they sent another email about meeting a different Medical Doctor one-on-one. The whole process was very disorganized. The first MD was great, open, and enthusiastic about me, which made me excited too. However, my interaction with the second MD was awful; she was rude, arrogant, blunt, and kept putting me down. I initially thought she was impressive based on her CV, but she was either power-tripping, having personal issues, or just toxic. Seeing this major red flag, I didn't follow up with HR and don't think anyone should work there for such low pay. Before this, I asked HR about their timeline, but they were clueless, as usual. They probably know this person drives candidates away, so I didn't bother emailing them to withdraw my application and wish them luck finding someone. As scientists, we work with well-known scientists and MDs, and I've rarely encountered such a difficult personality. I feel for the Genetic Counselors working with her. CHOP is a large institution with a good reputation, so it's likely better elsewhere, but the pay is really bad.

The hiring process has two main parts: a first screening to check if you're basically qualified and a panel interview with the nursing manager. The screening is just to make sure only the right people move on. Then, you'll meet with the nursing manager, and maybe others, to talk about your experience, skills, and if you'd fit in. It might take a few days because they check everything carefully. They need time to think about everyone and make a good choice. It might seem long, but it's to make sure it's a good fit for you and for us.