Whenever recruiters ask an interview question, there is something specific they are trying to discover. They may be trying to understand an applicant’s value system, commitment to work, or views about particular subjects. Whatever the case, you need to research and adequately prepare if you are to make a positive impression on the hiring manager. Below are the top questions that recruiters at Johnson & Johnson ask applicants.
1. Why Do You Want To Work For Johnson & Johnson?
From my research and limited interaction with your company, I can already tell that it provides a conducive environment where I can offer my services while thriving in my career at the same time. I am looking for opportunities to work for an organization that fosters an entrepreneurial spirit that enables me to take ownership over my work and exercise autonomy in expressing my creativity.
While waiting to see you in the reception area, I noticed a lot of collaboration and teamwork in the office, which reflects the company’s democratic value system. I love working in places where everyone can make a contribution irrespective of status or position.
2. When Have You Exhibited Great Integrity In Your Duties At Work?
I have always disciplined myself to be a team player that displays a great degree of integrity. Truthfulness and integrity are values that I live by and always strive to practice wherever I go, whether at home or in the workplace. My motto is always being truthful and doing what suits the company, its clients, and others.
In my current position, I consistently handle cash deposits daily, and there has never been a discrepancy in the three years I have been in charge. I exhibit integrity by being an always reliable worker.
3. What Will You Do To Earn Your Colleagues’ Trust If You Were To Join Johnson & Johnson?
Courtesy, accountability, communication, and mutual respect go a long way. First, I need to integrate myself into the business process by asking questions, accepting advice, and being a good listener. I pride myself on my capacity to earn trust among colleagues, a fact that many can attest to. If I get an opportunity to work for Johnson & Johnson, building meaningful trustworthy relationships with my colleagues will be a top priority from my first day on the job.
I will create a robust communication channel that is key to building trust. I know that winning trust isn’t easy, and I fully can relate that it is not easy to have confidence in people especially those that you’ve just met. Usually, I let my actions speak on my behalf. My positive attitude and willingness to assist when needed are vital factors I utilize to gain coworkers’ trust. Also, my skills and experience will endear others to approach me for advice and ask for any task-related assistance.
I strive to connect with my teammates on a personal level so that we can collaborate better on duties and tasks.
4. How Do Your Colleagues Describe You?
Developing trust among my peers is an asset that helps me connect and network with like-minded individuals in the industry. My ability to bond and network has helped me build lasting relationships and meet key stakeholders in this field.
My honesty and integrity are something that my colleagues consistently point out about me. Additionally, I am highly respected and easy to work with due to my reliability and extensive experience. My integrity will help me effectively handle this role as a team is not just about getting tasks done but also about building relationships.
5. How Have Your Academic Qualifications Prepared You To Handle This Role At Johnson & Johnson?
I hold a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical technology from the University of Georgia. I graduated with first-class honors, which was a proud moment since I had to work part-time to raise my tuition fees. My work experience and academic journey have prepared me for this position at Johnson & Johnson. I plan to enroll in a master’s degree program in a science-based field at an appropriate time, which would be in tandem with my full-time job.
While at the campus, I worked part-time in the student’s council, handling all significant events in different departments, including financial planning, budgeting, digital marketing, and extra-curricular activities. During my final year, I participated in elective school politics and was nominated as the vice-chair of the institution, a post I held until I left. I believe this solid foundation has helped polish my leadership skills which will help me handle my responsibilities at your company better.
6. Are You Able To Work On Studies That Relate To Mammals Or Plants? Which One Do You Prefer?
One reason I took biotechnology in college was my interest and passion for studies involving all forms of life, including plants. I enjoy all kinds of studies and how they benefit humanity. While I am open to handling any research, studies that improve human health are my preference. However, I am available and ready to conduct any investigation at Johnson & Johnson.
7. Who Is Your Mentor And Role Model?
My most significant influence was my grandfather, who has played a fundamental role in my life. During my childhood, he influenced my love for nature, frequently taking me to the forest to observe exotic animals and plants. I always looked forward to those excursions, which sparked my passion for research. My fascination with plants and animals continues to grow, which led me to pursue a biology course.
8. Share A Challenging Experience At Work And How You Overcame It?
When an emergency arises at work, I try to respond in a calm, reassuring manner. Perhaps my skills stem from being a firstborn and having to help raise my siblings. I am a born leader, so my team often looks up to me for solutions. When a problem arises, I quickly look at the facts and make decisions based on the risks involved. I ensure that communication channels are open and each department has the correct information at that particular time.
A particular instance where I had to think fast was when a team member failed to show up for work at the last minute. Their absence led to a significant pile-up of tasks and a backlog of activities. If not addressed promptly, it could have led to our company losing a very lucrative deal. I quickly called a recruitment agency and requested a temporary replacement. I had a transitory staff send to us, and within one hour, there was no vacant position and a swift movement on our production line.
When handling more complex challenges, I promptly analyze the problem, gather relevant teams, and set up quick meetings that include group calls. Other alternatives include organizing group discussions through Skype or Zoom for shareholders to brainstorm and agree on the best way forward.
9. In Your View, How Would You Describe Success?
I consider myself successful after I have fulfilled my obligation to my team, department, and company. I believe that my duties and responsibilities motivate me to work hard and motivate me to attain company goals. Success is tackling my duties to the best of my ability and ensuring I complete tasks within set deadlines.
I also view success as a learning curve. As someone motivated by new or complex challenges, I want to learn new skills and perfect existing ones. I wouldn’t like to be in a situation with nothing further to learn or achieve. Success is leaving work satisfied that I have made my contribution and learned something new or beneficial in the process.
10. How Do You Select Work When Tackling Multiple Duties Or Shift Between Priorities?
Before leaving the office, I always document duties that need my attention the following day. I record all incomplete assignments that need action, listing them from the most urgent to the ones that I can leave for later. I also have a checklist that helps me manage my workflow and reminds me of my responsibilities. Creating a worksheet helps me remember all my tasks and reminds me to do them in good time.
While my daily checklist helps me to manage a steady workflow, I realize that priorities can shift unexpectedly. Knowing this, I always create room for adjustments or changes to my daily workload.
11. What Process Do You Undertake In Setting Deadlines At Work?
First, I communicate with my team to single out all the pending assignments. Then, I group them depending on urgency and due date. I then create a work calendar based on my availability. Usually, I give myself an allowance of at least one or two days to complete my tasks to have ample time for conducting any additional review before submission.
12. How Do You Sustain A Healthy Work-Life Balance?
Whenever there’s an overflow of assignments needing more time to complete, I immediately communicate with my boss to let them know. If I notice there’s an overwhelming workload, I share it with my team to determine which duties can wait and which ones demand immediate attention. That way, business processes operate swiftly without inconveniencing any department. Prioritizing tasks prevents them from becoming unmanageable as it gives me time to reevaluate my expectations concerning deadlines.
13. What Are The Major Qualities You Desire To Find In An Employer?
I am thrilled to work for a successful and innovative company like yours. I look forward to developing the skills and experiences I have acquired in technology to help streamline processes. I desire to work for a company whose mission resonates with my belief system, like Johnson & Johnson. I search for job opportunities that offer roles I am passionate about because they allow me to exercise my resourcefulness.
14. Why Should We Hire You?
Based on your job posting and the research I have conducted, your company is looking for a tech-savvy human resource manager with strong interpersonal and communication skills. I believe that my skillset and experience make me an ideal candidate for this position. I am an accomplished communicator with years of experience creating and arranging oral presentations. My writing skills help me to create compelling and persuasive emails that lead to conversions and sales from prospective customers.
I am also conversant with relevant software applications and programs such as project management systems and cloud storage alternatives. Knowing the positive impact that software applications have on business processes motivates me to want to bring my diverse skills to your organization.
15. What Is The Biggest Strength You Possess And Would Bring To Our Team?
One of my greatest strengths as a human resource manager is utilizing my expertise using human resource management software such as employee management systems, applicant tracking software, and employee onboarding applications. In my last role, I noticed the recruitment team was taking too long in giving orientation to recruits. Since I have experience with robust onboarding software, I minimized the time spent positioning new employees.
Also, I managed to teach different teams how to track job applications, utilize performance management systems, and integrate employee management applications to manage employee training and forecast workloads. Using technology, the company saved over $10,000 each year in new purchases and recruitments.
16. Share Your Thoughts On The Greatest Development In Pharmaceutical Companies Within The Last Two Years?
The pharmaceutical industry is experiencing a massive overhaul. In the past, it was slow in the adaptation of new technology. But currently, the industry is changing due to modern software and application development. Some popular trends in the pharmaceutical world include adopting artificial intelligence, big data & analytics, and the growth of tech startups.
17. How Do You Remain Relevant In A Continually Evolving Tech-Savvy Industry?
I dedicate a small portion of my day to focusing on tech news from reputable sites. For a more balanced approach, I get updates from monthly or quarterly publications focusing on tech information that informs on relevant tech topics. I also search online to get additional material pertinent to this industry. To save time, I usually set up keywords to receive specific news on topics that interest me.
Occasionally, I attend industry-related conferences and seminars whenever the opportunity presents itself. Industry seminars offer fantastic chances to identify innovative technology. I also create time to listen to industry experts, enroll in classes and engage with vendors to learn more about new launches of products and services.
18. Given A Chance, What Area Of Focus Would You Chose In Your Career Path And Why?
I would love to combine my excellent communication skills with my academic qualification as a pharmacist. I am looking for opportunities to integrate my writing and public relations expertise into a position in the healthcare sector. I am thrilled by the trends and improvements made within this industry and believe that my solid medical background can help me make a productive contribution.
In the future, I hope to manage a healthcare facility’s communications and publication department. However, I intend to achieve that by sharpening my skills. I also hope to develop training materials to help learners in institutions of higher learning.
19. Given An Opportunity To Further Your Studies, What Field Would You Focus On, And How Would That Benefit Your Career Path With Us?
I’ve always been interested in research because it helps find the root of some problems and how to solve them. My enthusiasm for exploring living things led me to pursue a career in biotechnology. I want to niche down and become a biopharmaceutical specialist. I would love to play a role in discovering, manufacturing, and commercializing healthcare products such as cosmetics, skincare products, and vaccines.
Having already acquired my undergraduate degree, I intend to pursue my master’s in a related field to help me play a significant role in developing products for your company. Later in the future, I hope to enroll for a Ph.D. to gain additional knowledge in this subject.
20. What Is Your Salary Expectation For This Vacancy?
I feel that a yearly salary of between $68,000 and $75,000 is in line with the industry’s average and adequately mirrors my skills and experience. However, I am open and flexible to hearing about the company’s compensation prospects for this position.
21. If You Get This Job, What Do You Intend To Accomplish In The First 3 Months?
In the first three months of working in your company, my strategy is to focus on orientation and acclimate to the company’s culture. To accomplish this, I would visit different departments and learn from colleagues to understand how I can better serve in my new role.
22. Share An Experience Where You Excelled In A Team Work Setting?
In a previous position in a manufacturing firm, I worked with a team in a facility producing medicines for various ailments. Many of my responsibilities entailed maintaining high standards in the quality control department. I noticed that we were taking too long in handling new projects, which resulted in expenses exceeding the amounts stated in the budget.
With my IT knowledge, I shared my thoughts with my team. They gave the go-ahead for me to integrate project management software to help streamline processes. My colleagues were thrilled since that move helped improve efficiency and minimize expenses by 30%. From that experience, my associates always sought my advice before starting any new projects.
23. If You Get This Role, What Kind Of Leadership Will You Bring On Board?
Having held leadership roles for over two years has taught me to encourage my team to set goals that directly align with company objectives. In a past role as a supervisor, I consistently held monthly meetings with my team to review our progress and devise ways of refining existing production processes. I believe that coming together as a team to streamline operations is an excellent solution to staying in touch and achieving more as a department.
24. How Do You Meet Deadlines And Ensure Projects Remain On Schedule?
First, I organize meetings with relevant teams to allow individual members to share their progress. As the project progresses, I check on each person to provide additional clarity, address any setbacks and forge the way forward. Conducting individual follow-ups helps members request assistance whenever they need it. My availability to help junior staff encourages success and allows members to focus and concentrate on tasks.
25. How Do You Rate Your Performance In This Interview This Far?
I believe this interview has been an eye-opener and quite informative. While I am happy with my performance, I am open to clarifying any unclear responses.
Conclusion
If you have an upcoming interview that’s making you anxious, don’t be. As long as you conduct your research and prepare beforehand, you have nothing to worry about as your confidence will show and is one quality recruiters are looking for.
