I applied via Linkedin and got contacted by an internal recruiter for a 25 minute video-call. This was followed by a video call with the line manager and team leader, for which I was told to allocate 90 minutes.
I had to prepare a presentation, following these instructions:
Presentation: We would like you to prepare a 10 minute presentation covering the following topic – the format is up to you: “We are committed to bringing clients the best in creative problem solving, enabling healthcare companies to innovate with confidence, maximize opportunities, and ultimately drive human health forward.” Can you prepare a presentation in which you share an example of a time you have driven healthcare forward or an example of when you drove your own solution to a problem forward.
I also had to complete an assessment in 10 minutes time, and the e-mail with the assessment questions was sent out 12 minutes prior to the start of the interview.
This was the assessment:
You go out to lunch having completed all your morning tasks. On your return you find that there are now several items in your in tray.
Review each task and place in the order that you would carry out each task. For example record number 1 in the central column against the item you would tackle first, and so on down to item 11 as the task you would tackle last. (Please allocate each number only once) Please give a brief note as to your reasoning behind your decision.
Please note - There are no defined right or wrong answers or final order, the reasoning behind your choice is relevant.
You have 28 new (unread) emails.
You have a deadline to return a piece of work to Business Development which is required for a bid request due to be sent to the customer by 4.00pm today, the problem is you are waiting for information from another department to be able to complete it.
You receive an Instant Message (business internal communication system) from a friend who works in another department, she is very upset about a personal matter and asks if you can meet her in the print room, she needs your advice.
Your voicemail light is on, you have 7 new messages.
You have a daily report to run, it ties up your PC for about half an hour.
You have just realised that you have forgotten to get a birthday card and gift for your best friend whom you are meeting straight from work (5.00pm) to go out to celebrate.
You find a hand written message on your desk from a colleague to say they answered your phone in your absence; it was an urgent message from your bank, they are asking you to call them.
One of the two Project Managers you support has asked for your help with a presentation he has to prepare this afternoon, you did it last time for him with great success… but it took about an hour and a half, he apologises for the short notice but he’s stuck.
You have a conference call in half an hour with a client, the call is scheduled for an hour, as you are presenting an item on the call and had set aside 15 minutes before the call to run through your presentation.
Your partner calls to say they have had to go home from work early as they are unwell, but they have forgotten their keys, they ask if you pop home and let them in, it would only take 15 minutes.
Reception had passed on a message to your colleague in error, your colleague now passes the message that the second of the two Project Managers you support has no mobile signal on her phone and needs you to deputize for her on an hour long call with our US colleagues at 5.00pm, you have all the information required for the call.
Now, in 10 minutes I have failed to even understand who would write 28 e-mails to me during my lunch break, why would my partner call me given that I am single, and why would I be supposed to take a call at 5.00 PM given that my workday is supposed to finish then and I am not paid for extra hours.
I am very happy that the interview went so shitty that I will never hear back from the company.