National Cancer Institute Interview Questions
& Process

They will ask you about your social status, your university that you graduated from, your previous experiences, and your graduation grade. They will also ask about any diplomas or master's degrees you have been taking and if you worked in the field of oncology before or not.

First there was a resume review. Then, we had a question and answer session where I had to show my interests and how they align with the mentors work. I also had to explain how I could contribute and how it relates to my future plans. Lastly, we discussed practical lab and writing skills.

I found the posting on Emory University's School of Public Health job board and sent my resume and cover letter via email to the listed contact. I received a response within 10 days and set up an interview for about a week and a half later. Because of the pandemic, the interview took place over WebEx. There were 4 people interviewing me: the Deputy Chief of the branch, two senior investigators I'd be working with, and the person whose role I was applying for. My video wasn't working, so it ended up being a phone call, but it went pretty well and lasted about 35-40 minutes. They didn't ask any technical questions, focusing instead on my experience with specific statistical software and other behavioral topics.

It involved standard government form questions and general inquiries about motivation and ideal work environments. A notable aspect of the NCI office of grants administration is their tendency to promise anything to secure a candidate. For example, if you express a need for something, they'll assure you it's readily available or a common practice. I specifically inquired about telework due to a long commute, and was told "all our staff start with 3 days a week". This was a deciding factor for me. However, upon starting, the reality was a 6-month probationary period with no telework, followed by a gradual increase of one day per month every six months. When I raised the discrepancy, they denied making the initial statement. Through conversations with colleagues, I learned that management often agrees to stated needs during interviews, knowing they can backtrack once the candidate is hired. If I had a do-over, I would've requested written confirmation of all benefits discussed during the interview from the onboarding contact. I was too excited about the position to anticipate being misled.