INC Research Project Manager Interview Questions
& Process

A recruiter called me first and asked some questions about my resume, mostly wanting more details on the specific therapeutic area I applied for. About two weeks later, I flew from the Mid-Atlantic to Texas for an in-person interview with senior folks from the therapeutic area. This face-to-face involved three separate interviews with an executive, a VP, and a director. Afterwards, I had to give a short presentation about using project management skills when dealing with heavy workloads or assignments. This was basically to see if the team could get a sense of your understanding of how the industry works for people directly involved in clinical trials and how well you communicate in public.

Got approached by INC via employee referral in July 2015. My first chat with the recruiter went great, he seemed impressed, though he initially missed our scheduled call. After that, he was kinda slow to get back to me. Then I spoke with the Sr. Director, and she was impressed too. Next up was an online interview with the PD (hiring manager) and a Sr. PM. Funny thing, the hiring manager didn't show because of a family emergency, so I interviewed with the Sr. PM instead, and he was impressed. The whole team liked me after multiple interviews over 3 months and offered me the job, but wouldn't negotiate on anything. Then, on the day I was supposed to start, they pulled the offer with just a 2-line email. What a way to show how 'at will' employment works. It took me another 3 months to find a new job and realized a good hiring manager actually stays in touch and helps you out.

I was referred by an employee. The first step was a quick recruiter call where they mentioned I was overqualified but might negotiate salary/title. After confirming, I had the first interview with the Hiring Manager, two VPs, and two other VPs. This interview was mostly standard questions, except for one peer who used a rapid-fire, interruptive style for his half-hour segment, leaving no time for my questions. I emailed the recruiter for feedback and next steps, and after a week, they invited me for a second interview with leadership. Scheduling the second interview took about a month. This one was more standard, discussing methodologies and expectations with the leadership team. However, I discovered during the day that the Hiring Manager didn't know I was there for the second interview, finding out only when a leader asked him about my potential role. He also implied he only intended for me to meet one or two leaders, not the whole team, suggesting a disconnect between him and the recruiter. The Hiring Manager indicated a decision would be made by month-end. I didn't hear back. I followed up at the end of the month about the timeline, but still heard nothing. To confirm I wasn't moving forward, I checked the job postings and saw a decision was made and I was no longer a candidate. Overall, it was a pleasant interview experience, though the Hiring Manager questioned if he could keep me challenged. I wish the organization well, but it wasn't the most professional HR experience, and felt like a waste of time given my overqualification.