Interview Series Part 1: My Recent Interview with Malaysia-Based India R&D Director from Pharmaceutical Company

<WARNING: ALL PERSONAL OPINIONS>

Actually, I have quite a stable job currently, albeit a bit stressful due to demanding Chinaman-Style boss. But, the pay is decent, and I can get off from work usually at 530pm. So, no bragging at all, just a normal worker in a factory. But, from time to time, I will try to interview and engage myself in better Q&A. But this time around, this R&D director seriously got on my nerve. And then, one of my fb friends keep on saying I don't have the followings (which I think the R&D director will think the same), I will need to rebut:

• Industrial exposure
• Technical and R&D knowledge

NO.1: Industrial Exposure

Actually, my R&D experience is mainly in laboratory scale. So, in term of technology transfer, I only recently have the experience. But, the interviewer kept on saying I have none, which I disagree totally. Overall, we don't use this fancy term, but my work can be pilot-scaled-up at the production level. We usually just issued memo here. Yet, he disregarded all my experiences despite my explanation. 

This was further supported by my acquaintances on FB. I have told them that my current experiences mainly pure R&D with DOE design, and safety modelling engineering. And he used FMEA as a DOE too, which was not so correct based on my chemicals engineering context. But, again, the way he explained was very condescending. FMEA, is a risk modelling, but globally being adopted into different fields, and usually you can correlate both DOE and FMEA, but they are not grouped together (check here)

Just that I have no exposure to your so-called technology terms, doesn't mean I have no industrial exposure. It was mainly because I am in different industries. That's why as an interviewer, please understand not everybody would know your terminology. I can throw a lot jargons as well, like FSA, QRA, FEA and CFD, etc. If he does not know the terms, does this mean he has no industrial background/ exposure? No, this just means either we are too lazy (if we are from pharma), or we are from industrial background. 

NO.2: Technical & R&D Knowledge

Regarding technical and R&D knowledge, I believe it should be viewed in stages. For my preference, I prefer fundamental R&D research and then transfer of my findings to production scale. But, despite the position advertised as Principal Scientist, it was more to a process engineer job scope. Therefore, I cannot blame the interviewer because he was on-the-job training for years, and his senior did not do that good jobs in teaching him fundamentals of R&D. As a PhD holder, I believe these are not unreachable skills for me, but yet again, his altitude and view were too extreme. I could have designed a new material from scratch. But can he do it? That's the different between a scientist and engineer. 

Following four posts were for your entertainment. It is okay you disagree, but please bear in mind that, we are different in many ways. And politeness will keep us go longer and stronger.....

Email for enquiry: ipohboyjourney@gmail.comInsta: https://www.instagram.com/ipohboyjourney/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ipohboyjourneyFacebook fanpage: https://web.facebook.com/ipohboyjourney/