Easy Interview – Overall Neutral Experience – No – Tue, 8 Mar 2011
Interviewed Jan 2011 in Philadelphia, PA(took a day)
Early this year, I applied for the position of Quality Control Coordinator. Granted, I didnt have two years of QA experience in a healthcare environment, but I did have 2+ years of QA experience in banking and finance. Before I continue, let me mention a few things first:
- My interview was in the Wood Center, which is in a area that's TERRIBLE for parking. The Wood Center has it's own parking area underneath, but in the mornings, it's extremely packed. So, if you have an interview there, I highly recommend you catch the bus or get dropped off.
- Secondly, the HR lady gave me horrible directions. " Just go up to the fifth floor and go to the receptionist " may seem easy to understand, but when you walk in the building, you'll quickly realize how large the place is and how they have an plethora of elevators each going to different floors.
- Finally, the people who work there aren't too helpful in pointing you in the right direction. So prepare to read a bunch of signs and stopping random people in the halls for help. ARRIVE EXTREMELY EARLY.
I digress.
As I arrived to the correct room, I had to wait in the waiting area for about twenty minutes before my interviewer actually arrived. While waiting, I looked around at the environment -- boring grays and browns, large cubicles, pictures of older people (40-65.. I'm 25) all over the clipboards. Really slow-paced.
Fortunately though, during the interview, the lady I met with was very pleasant and easy to get along with. I effortlessly answered all of the typical behavioral questions with vibrant examples of my successes in the past and made the interview more like a conversation than an interrogation.
She then dropped the bomb on me : She wasn't looking for someone with a lot of healthcare exp at all -- she was more focused on finding someone with background in billing, finance, etc..
Right up my alley on paper, but I could feel in the depths of my gut that this wasn't the place I needed to be. The place just gave off indecisive vibes to me. She told me the next step (a second interview) would come in about a month, which I didn't have time for. I desire quick, consistent, cooperation. She was incredibly perceptive and i'm sure picked up on the fact that I loss interest in the position before the interview ended.
Which is probably why I didn't get a call back. That, or because of the fact I accidentally called her a different name at the end of the interview. :) My mistake. Anyway, It's all good though. Turns out that my friend got the position instead -- and he thinks it's barely alright. =P
Salary I asked for was 38k-45k. They were comfortable with that range.
Great opportunity. Your biggest obstacle is finding out if you can adapt to a slow paced environment, filled with people at the end of their careers.
Interview Questions
Describe your QA experience.
Answer Question
Do you have experience with billing software? MS Office?
Answer Question
Other Details
The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview