Episode 44
25 Interview Mistakes Biotech Candidates Keep Making (and how to fix them fast)
This episode is a practical playbook for biotech job seekers and career climbers who want to interview with clarity, energy, and impact. Carina breaks down 25 common mistakes that quietly cost candidates offers, from rambling to over‑indexing on technical detail to skipping metrics. You’ll learn how to answer the actual question asked, thread a positive through‑line across job changes, balance “I” and “we,” and anchor answers with outcomes and numbers. There’s tactical guidance for recruiter screens and onsite loops, including how to read cues to be concise, translate jargon, and prepare questions that reveal culture, expectations, and first‑90‑day success metrics. If you’re targeting roles across R&D, Quality, Clinical, or G&A in high‑growth biotechs, this episode will help you tighten your elevator pitch, signal motivation for the role and company, avoid negative framing, and follow up like a pro, so you leave every interviewer thinking you’re the obvious next hire.
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00:00 Opening: why interview mistakes cost offers
01:00 Mistakes 1–2: rambling past 90s and talking too much
02:00 Mistakes 3–4: CV rehash and over‑indexing on technical detail
03:30 Mistakes 5–7: answer the question, why this role/company, show up with questions
05:00 Mistakes 8–10: no negativity, credit the team, use metrics and outcomes
07:00 Mistake 11: ask first‑90‑day success metrics
08:30 Mistakes 12–15: comp/title fixation, interrupting, sounding scripted, ignore cues
10:45 Mistakes 16–18: jargon with recruiters, own failures, replace “no/but” with “yes/and”
13:30 Mistakes 19–21: highlight JD tools, follow‑up in 24h, handle tech issues fast
15:45 Mistakes 22–25: bring energy, positive through‑line, ask success metrics, close the loop
