Sandoz Interview Questions
& Process

The process was unclear and feedback times were unreliable. The process should be explained from the start, and if feedback deadlines are promised, they must be met: even an automated, albeit ugly, email is acceptable instead of silence. The silence is eventually broken by someone calling to justify themselves and say they would have answered sooner or later, even if not within the stated deadline, after repeated requests for fear of a communication crisis. If a two-week deadline was stated after the second conversation, which was never met... six? Maybe more?

The interview process involved an initial HR call, followed by a presentation test, and then a group presentation. There were also extra questions asked throughout. The most important thing they wanted to see was your ability to provide clear direction and demonstrate a problem-solving mindset, along with strong Excel and presentation skills.

Overall mixed experience. I had 4 stages: 1. Phone screen - straightforward enough with their internal recruiter asking some basic experience questions 2. 1:1 with Engineering manager - discussed experiences in more detail and got a positive overview of the company and of this individual. 3. In person half day with several senior members - positive experience answering problem solving or theoretical questions. Found out more about ways of working and future project workload. 4. Meet the team - met 2 PMs and a bit more of a get to know you experience. It sounds like Sandoz works on interesting projects and has food individuals who are pleasant to be around. The downsides were that the organisation was poor. My interviews were often rearranged at short notice, so felt like not so much of a priority for the hiring team. The communication was also poor. I had to chase up for dates at regular intervals and they were often a bit behind their own deadlines for getting back to me, even though it was with a positive decision. Ultimately i was rejected, but after 4 rounds I would have anticipated a phone call. Instead, the rejection came in the form of an automated email (actually from Novartis who still handle recruitment for them) which was very generic. The type of message I'd expect after the phone screen only, or even before. Overall these issues presented the company as somewhere that is perhaps overly chaotic and it undermined the positive experiences I had in the actual interviews.

I got an interview invitation one week after I applied. The first interview was with HR (~45mins), where they asked about my background, previous experiences, and motivation. The second interview happened a week later with the Hiring Manager. This was a technical interview, but quite short (~30mins). The manager told me I was the most qualified candidate and invited me for an in-person interview right away. The third in-person interview was two weeks later and was more casual. It involved meeting the team members and a lab tour. I thought everything went perfectly and expected an offer within days. However, after two weeks, they said they chose another candidate with previous industry experience. They never replied to my questions about their decision. For two weeks after their final decision, the job kept getting reposted on LinkedIn frequently. I asked HR if they were still looking for someone, but got no response. It was a very strange and non-transparent experience. I felt misled by the manager, especially since they said I was the most qualified. They should have stood by their word and not ghosted me.