GENEWIZ Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and heard back about 2 days later for a phone screen. I didn't think I was a great fit for the role I applied for (position X), so I asked Anne Marie if there were other openings I might be better suited for. She said she'd pass my info along to see about a few other roles I mentioned. About 3 days after that, I got invited to a video call with the management team. The interview was a week later. I got a verbal offer shortly after that, and we finalized everything 2 days before the holiday. The first week back after Christmas, I received the official offer. The whole process took about 3 weeks. Anne Marie Stimmell was my HR contact and was patient, quick, and very helpful.

HR/recruiter reached out about the position and I expressed interest, which kicked off the interview process. The initial phone interview with HR and the hiring manager went smoothly. However, the third interview, which was supposed to be a follow-up phone call with HR, was missed by her because a colleague dropped by; she rescheduled. After the third call, she proposed a Skype meeting. Since it was pre-COVID, I suggested an on-site interview if it was feasible for everyone, which she agreed to and arranged. The on-site interview itself was positive, with the team and colleagues seeming fine. It involved a standard presentation, a panel Q&A, and a one-on-one meeting with the hiring manager, who unfortunately had to work from home due to a personal event and wasn't physically present. I only spoke with my potential supervisor over the phone, which wasn't ideal. Surprisingly, they didn't cover transportation costs to the airport, only the trip from the airport. I paid for everything upfront and submitted for reimbursement, which took over a month to process. Ultimately, I decided not to accept a position there.

Had a first phone screen with HR for about 30 mins to 1 hour. It was pretty basic, asking things like if I'm a USC. If you're nice and seem qualified, you'll likely get to the next stage. THIS INTERVIEW WAS ONLINE, the location is wrong. Due to COVID-19, everything's online. The main interview had 3 people and I think it went well. I had to prepare a presentation beforehand about myself, my experience, and how NGS technologies work. It was about 5-10 minutes, then they opened it up for questions. They asked about my specific skills, what kind of environment I'd be comfortable in, if I understood and was okay with Real-Time PCR, and where I see myself in five years. Remember to bring your own questions!

Applied for the South Plainfield, NJ location. Started with a 15-20 min HR call from California. The call was in-depth, asking questions to gauge knowledge and experience. I applied for one position but was recommended for another, which I initially thought was great. After the HR call, they contacted the hiring team at the site. If the team wanted to proceed, HR would let me know. A week later, I had my onsite interview. It required preparing and presenting a presentation to the hiring team. After the presentation, they asked individual questions. The questions weren't hard but felt unrelated to my resume or experience, asking things like 'what do you do for fun' and 'describe a time you were in a crisis.' It was not relevant to my position, and I felt set up for failure, especially since I didn't have experience in the position HR recommended. It took 3 weeks to hear back, and I found out I wasn't selected despite being overqualified. It's important to know the machines/instruments and study the company website. Presentation or credentials don't matter if the team doesn't feel you fit in.