Applicants shortlisted through the main recruitment round will be invited to attend a two-day recruitment event at the ICR in Sutton, which takes place at around the end of January each year. The purpose of this event is to find out whether you have the ability, enthusiasm and motivation to succeed at PhD level.
Most critically, this will involve an interview with an academic panel on the Monday, and interviews with individual supervisors on the Tuesday. There will also be a range of talks and activities.
Those applying outside of the main recruitment round will be invited for interview at an appropriate time, normally with the aim of commencing the PhD in October, at the same time as the majority of PhD students.
Above all, remember that all students called for interview are going to be highly qualified – so you need to prepare carefully, to ensure your key skills and experience shine through and you stand out from the crowd.
Our values – developed together as an organisation – make it clear how each and every one of us work to meet our mission – to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.
Cancer Researcher interview questions
Interviews for Top Jobs at The Institute of Cancer Research
Director Interview
I interviewed at The Institute of Cancer Research
Interview
A great experience to meet driven people and hear more about some truly amazing science over a couple of interviews. Inspiring to be part of, and meet people from across the teams.
- Demonstrable, relevant experience and a passion for research.
SCIENTIFIC OFFICER Interview
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at The Institute of Cancer Research in Oct 2020
Interview
The process was fairly straight forward, I applied online, I think it was about 2 weeks after the application I got invited for a zoom interview. It was a group interview with 3 panel members, each one asked a couple questions each.
- What do you know about the ICR and NGSWhy NGS is importantWhat can you bring to the team/ what are you hoping to gain from the team?
In your opinion, what is the biggest issue the field of oncology will face in the next 10 years?
Interviewers may ask this question to learn about your knowledge of current and potential issues in the field of oncology. By answering this question, you demonstrate your understanding of problems the field may face, and you have the opportunity to address its causes and potential solutions. When responding, explain one significant issue and why its a problem. You may also describe a solution to the issue and how you might contribute as a professional in the industry. This shows your insight into the field and your dedication to bettering the field as a practitioner.
Example: “In the next 10 years, I predict that the biggest issue for our industry is a shortage of qualified professionals. Due to the aging population of the U.S. and current low enrollment numbers in medical schools, the demand for oncologists may outstrip the number of practicing professionals. The provider shortage may strain the current workforce, leading to higher rates of practitioner burnout and less effective treatments for patients. To combat this trend, I believe we need to invest more in training oncology nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants in specialized diagnostic and treatment techniques so they can support physicians.”
How do you keep up with the latest advancements in oncology?
Hiring managers ask this question to gauge your commitment to continuing education. Medical professionals have extensive continuing education requirements to stay up to date on the most recent industry findings. Showing your dedication to gaining new knowledge in your field demonstrates your work ethic and commitment to your career. To answer this question, explain some continuing education opportunities that you participate in, such as any professional organizations you belong to or any current educational programs in which youre enrolled.
Example: “As a professional with over 10 years of experience working in this field, I believe continuing education is an essential part of my professional role. Im a board-certified oncologist, and I participate in regular professional development and educational opportunities. Im involved in several professional organizations which allow me to access research through their academic journals and professional development events. Through these experiences, I learn about current research trends, new treatment options and the most recent evidence-based findings so I can remain relevant in my practice. Physicians need to be dedicated to learning for their entire careers.”
General oncology interview questions
Here are some general questions that interviewers may ask to learn about your personal habits, interests and values:
Example: “I’ve worked on several clinical trials in my previous positions, including designing them from scratch and managing teams that run them. I find this process very rewarding because I get to see how patients react to different treatments and medications. In one instance, I helped design a trial for a cancer treatment drug that was still in development. We were able to determine that the drug was effective in treating certain types of cancer, which led to its FDA approval.”
Example: “In my last role as a research scientist, I worked with large sets of data every day. My team and I used statistical software to analyze our findings on cancer treatment methods. We also used these tools to interpret the results of our experiments and determine which treatments were most effective.”
Example: “In my last position, I was responsible for ensuring that all of our products met customer expectations. To do so, I created a checklist of standards we used to test each product before shipping. This helped us ensure that every product shipped out met our customers’ needs and ensured they were safe to use.”
Example: “I’ve worked extensively with Microsoft Excel and Access programs. I find these programs useful for organizing data and creating reports that summarize my research findings. In my last position, I also learned how to use SAS software to analyze large amounts of data. This skill has helped me understand more complex data sets and discover patterns within them.”
Example: “In my previous position as a research scientist, I was working on a team that was tasked with creating a new cancer treatment drug. During our first meeting, we all had different ideas about what the drug should do and how it should be made. We decided to take some time to think about our ideas and come back to the next meeting prepared with more information. At the next meeting, we discussed each idea in detail and came up with a plan for making the drug.”
Recruiting to your patient involvement activity
Once youve planned your method, read on for more information about recruiting patients to your patient involvement activity.
Applicants shortlisted through the main recruitment round will be invited to attend a two-day recruitment event at the ICR in Sutton, which takes place at around the end of January each year. The purpose of this event is to find out whether you have the ability, enthusiasm and motivation to succeed at PhD level.
Those applying outside of the main recruitment round will be invited for interview at an appropriate time, normally with the aim of commencing the PhD in October, at the same time as the majority of PhD students.
Most critically, this will involve an interview with an academic panel on the Monday, and interviews with individual supervisors on the Tuesday. There will also be a range of talks and activities.
Our values – developed together as an organisation – make it clear how each and every one of us work to meet our mission – to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.
Above all, remember that all students called for interview are going to be highly qualified – so you need to prepare carefully, to ensure your key skills and experience shine through and you stand out from the crowd.
FAQ
Why do you want to work in cancer research?
What questions do they ask in a research interview?
- What is innovative about your research?
- How is your work distinct from your supervisor’s/principal investigator’s? …
- What influences have you been exposed to? …
- Who has influenced you the most?
- What has been your role so far in developing research ideas and carrying them forward?
What are 10 good interview questions and answers?
- Tell me about yourself.
- Walk me through your resume.
- How did you hear about this position?
- Why do you want to work at this company?
- Why do you want this job?
- Why should we hire you?
- What can you bring to the company?
- What are your greatest strengths?
What are the 5 hardest interview questions?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Why should we hire you?
- What’s something that you didn’t like about your last job?
- Why do you want this job?
- How do you deal with conflict with a co-worker?
- Here’s an answer for you.
