Smithers Group Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process was typical. It included a phone screen followed by the on site. Everything appeared great including communication and travel arrangements. The great impression changed as soon as I arrived for the interview. 90% of the employees I encountered during the lab tour appeared disengaged and not interested in greeting visitors. The lab spaces were not very impressive either. It did not take long to realize that the very low Glassdoor ratings are quite accurate. The interview session was not stellar either. The interviewers were more interested in "sizing' me up rather than having a logical interview dialog. Several attempts were made to follow up with the hiring manager after the interview . I sent thank you notes to everyone and I sent followup emails to the hiring manager. I even called the hiring manager because I felt like we had a good rapport leading up to the interview. I have yet to get a response. I've dodged a really big bullet. These are not the ideal people with which to work. Once again, the poor ratings prove to be true.

I applied online and they reached out pretty quickly. First, I had a meeting with the department head and HR, plus a facility tour. It was a pretty standard interview that went on for a few hours. Then, there was a phone chat with the VP and another HR person. After that, I met with all the department heads, which was a bit nerve-wracking but good for getting a feel for management. They took turns asking about my resume and how I'd handle different scenarios. The interview paused while they discussed their thoughts and questions. Then it restarted with more questions and a chance for me to ask them things. Overall, it was a typical, though slightly tough, interview process. My only issue was not hearing back after three interviews. My emails and calls to HR were ignored, which was odd since they mentioned few candidates. After taking time for the interviews, it would have been nice to at least get a notification that they chose someone else, rather than just realizing no offer is coming.

The interview process was quick. The questions asked were unclear and seemed unfocused. It felt like they had already decided on a candidate before I even arrived, making the entire experience feel like a waste of my time. I was ready for a much more in-depth interview, but it wasn't compelling at all. I guess they have to interview many people to seem thorough, but their lack of effort felt a bit insulting. I've had more engaging and professional interviews for less demanding jobs at smaller companies. I did my best, but they clearly weren't considering me for the role, and they made that pretty obvious.

I had an initial phone screening with HR, followed by a 1-hour interview with two department managers. Then there was a 2-hour tour of the laboratory. I received an offer letter two weeks after the initial phone interview. Overall, it was a really good experience, the atmosphere was relaxed, and they answered my questions insightfully.