Express Scripts, first and foremost, is a service industry in the spectrum of healthcare. How do you provide great customer service in your role?

"Having worked as a Pharmacy Tech for almost ten years, I have witnessed our roles changing nationally almost on a yearly basis. Once just stashed away in a backroom with no patient contact, I now get to work hand in hand with patients and making sure that they are satisfied is the name of my game as a technician. I do this by conversing with them with a smile on my face as first impressions matter. Then, I use attentive listening skills and ask questions to help find out any needs that they have. By doing these things, I find that my customers walk away happy about our interaction. I think these qualities will translate well to patients of Express Scripts because of my positive attitude and my great communication skills over the phone."

Express Scripts unique business is reliant on great customer service and the organization holds service as one of its core values. Whether you directly care for patients with a compassionate approach or you work with customers through a dedicated commitment, your ability to provide great service will be essential to Express Scripts in the role you are interviewing for. For you answer, talk about ways that you provide excellent service to your patients or customers and be sure that you research the specific duties of the role you are interviewing for and tie your answer to the position.

"Working in patient billing, my customers are both the patients that I work with and the departments that I serve as well. Normally working with patients over the phone, I take a friendly and knowledgeable approach and this most often helps the patient understand our interaction better. My friendly approach puts a sometimes mad or worried patient at east regarding their medical bills. Being knowledgeable about the billing process and details helps them better understand why they are being charged for items and why insurance is covering or not covering things. I think these qualities would benefit me well in a potential role with Express Scripts."

Express Scripts was initially looking for someone with 5 years' experience in a similar role. Considering you have just 2 years' experience, would you be willing to accept this position at a lower salary?

"I would be happy to earn my way to the top compensation level if required. I do assure you that, despite my being shy of experience by a couple of years, I am a top performer and you would not be disappointed in my performance."

Are you willing to earn your way up if the interviewer does not want to offer you top compensation? Discuss with the interviewer what you would expect for compensation if offered this position.

"I understand I do not quite meet the qualifications of experience you are looking for and am willing to be compensated in adjustment to that fact. However, I do look forward to proving my worth to Express Scripts in hopes to be considered for the median salary for the role."

Do you think it is possible to be a good team member, yet disagree with the leader?

"I think that it is possible to be a great team member, even when disagreeing with the leader. It's all in how you maintain respect for each other despite the difference in opinion."

The interviewer wants to know that you can be diplomatic in the workplace, even when you may not agree with your leader. Show the interviewer that it is possible for you to be a good team member, yet disagree with the leader from time to time. Explain that you believe everyone is entitled to their own professional opinion, yet capable of maintaining respect for each other at the same time. Show that even if you disagree with the final decision they make, you support the direction the team is heading.

"I believe that being a good team member is more about attitude than it is about compatibility. You do not need to agree with everyone 100% of the time, to be effective in your job."

Why do you think you will be successful in this role with Express Scripts?

"I know I will be successful in this role because I have been working in this industry for five years with great training and mentorship. I have a solid understanding of X, Y, and Z (skills listed in the job description). Also, I have all of my updated certifications as outlined in your job description. I am well-prepared for this next step in my career."

Rather than just sharing how you have gone above and beyond expectations in the past, focus on how your qualities will help you to meet and exceed expectations with Express Scripts. Discuss the reasons why will you be great at this job. Talk about your qualifications and skills that will help you to do this job well. If you can, match your strengths to the requirements outlined in the job description.

"I believe my success with Express Scripts will come from having all of the hard skills that you are looking for, whether learned in school or gained through work experience. I know all the key players in this region and stay informed of best practices."

What is your greatest weakness?

"I believe I could improve on some technical skills including Excel and Word. Currently I am at a beginner to intermediate level; however, I would be more comfortable at an advanced level. I have enrolled myself in an evening/weekend workshop for the next six weeks. We will see how stellar my skills are after that course!"

Pick a weakness that is not a core skill for this position. You can be candid in your answer; recognizing that you aren't great at something and acknowledging your need to improve. Be sure to have an action plan in place for improving on this weakness. Perhaps you are watching TED talks to gain skills in a particular area, reading the latest-and-greatest book on the subject, or maybe you are taking a seminar at a nearby community center. We are all human with our weaknesses, so don't be afraid to share yours!

"I know this will come off as cliche, but it's truthful. My weakness is in not delegating. I know what I want to be done and how I want it done, so it's often easier to do it myself. However, it can inhibit my ability to grow. I cannot take on every step of a project; I need to be able to give the task or a portion of it to another team member or direct report, let go of the control and know it will be taken care of. I've spoken with my current manager about it, and we've developed a system where he can call me out on the behavior since often I'm not aware of it. By bringing awareness to it at the moment, I find my propensity to hold onto control has decreased, so I'm certainly moving in the right direction."

At 27,000 employees strong and working with customers and clients from all over the country, we value diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Why is that appealing to you?

"From my time of first leaving a rural small town in the heart of the country, I was really exposed to people of different cultures and colors when I first entered college. It was at this time that I realized how close minded my upbringing was in rural America where diversity was more of a myth than a reality. Through my time training as a Pharmacist and then working with one of the largest retails pharmacies in the country, I have really loved working with a wide variety of people. All of our backgrounds and upbringings give us a unique perspective on life and we can all learn things from each other to be better workers and people overall. There is no better example than one of my favorite techs that I work with in my current job. She was born and raised in Nigeria and worked hard to come to the United States and raise a family outside of poverty. Seeing her drive to succeed and become successful in our field is truly an inspiration and now she is attending classes on the side to go to Pharmacy school."

With Express Scripts being such a large and diverse organization, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you thrive in a diverse environment and see the benefits of doing so. The organization puts a lot of effort in the diversity and inclusion arena, so they'll be looking to hear that you have the ability to work with people of different sexes, races, orientations, educational statuses and disability statuses. Talk about any specific examples that you can relate to in your life that show your ability to thrive in a diverse setting and talk about why diversity is important to you.

"As a project manager, I've seen diversity and inclusion work to great potential many times among projects that I've led. Early in my career, it wasn't uncommon for large project groups to consist of late career men and the lack of new knowledge and new ideas on these teams was dumbfounding. Fast forward to 20 years down the road, the teams I work with are filled with people from all different nationalities, genders and education levels and the great ideas that stem from these diverse teams far outweigh the ideas of a team that isn't diverse. If hired for this role, you'll see that part of my approach to creating a sound team for projects is based on diversity."

In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

"I am a great problem solver because I do not allow stress to cloud my judgment and mute my sound decision making. I am a keen observer with a great memory which allows me to recall unique solutions or ideas."

Employers want to know that you have a methodical approach to problem-solving. Consider the skills and qualities that help you successfully face problems. Perhaps you have a keen eye for detail. Maybe you can see opportunity when others can only focus on the issue. Share your strengths as a problem solver, and your ability to come up with innovative solutions.

"I believe I am a great problem solver because I am sure to gather as many facts as possible, I look at the problem and its potential solutions from multiple angles, and I am not afraid to make a creative decision that might seem off the beaten path."

"I focus on the problem at hand. I become very mindful of the situation, be conscious about not allowing stress to cloud my decision-making, and think to myself what would be the best next step."

What type of work environment do you dislike working in?

"I can be productive in most work environments, so long as the mentality is positive and teamwork is encouraged. I cannot work in an environment that feels negative or toxic."

Are you pretty flexible in your ability to work in most environments? Have you experienced a position where the atmosphere wasn't conducive to your productivity? Be sure to know the type of situation offered in this position prior, to the interview. If you aren't completely clear on the workplace environment or culture, kindly ask the interviewer to expand on the work environment for you.

"I prefer to focus on the positive, so if it's okay, I would like to share with you what my ideal work environment looks like. My ideal environment is organized, collaborative, positive, energetic, and encouraging. I love working with like-minded people who set challenging goals for themselves. I thrive when I work for supervisors who encourage curiosity and creativity in problem-solving."

"Although I have proven to be productive in any type of work environment, I feel that where there are employees with a negative attitude and who lack the motivation to be productive, it provides for a less-than-ideal working environment."

A typical day at Express Scripts may find you having to thing of quick solutions for clients or customers. How have you shown your ability to think on your feet in the past and make important decisions?

"As a Pharmacy Tech in a retail setting, the job can get pretty monotonous at times but I really flourish when a customer issue happens. One Sunday, when we work with pretty limited staff, I realized that a fill received for pickup later that day was out of stock in our pharmacy. Knowing that this was a drug common for blood pressure control, it wasn't something that should be pushed off for the patient. Seeing that we were due to get a shipment on Tuesday, I called to our other location in town to see if they had it in stock. In hearing that they did, I called the patient to let them know about us being out of stock and that he could drive to the other location to pick up. While slightly inconvenienced, the customer was willing to drive there and very happy that I called ahead of time to help avoid multiple stops."

Due to the fast paced and unique nature of the business that Express Scripts operates, you will be empowered in your work to think on your feet and make decisions that provide solutions to customers. Give your interviewer some examples of times that you've been empowered in your work in the past and reiterate that you are able to handle these situations with ease. Talk about your ability to use sound judgement and resources wisely when making impactful decisions in your job.

"In my current role, I work in a pretty remote clinic away from my supervisor and our clinic has only one provider. We operate as a family practice along with some urgent/walk-in appointments available. One late Friday afternoon, in the middle of flu season, we had a huge influx of walk in patients that was extremely rare for our clinic. Knowing that the influx of patients would take a great amount of time to work through, I first communicated with each patient in the waiting room an estimated time frame to be seen. At the same time, I was triaging symptoms of patients of basic questions. If they had the common flu that was going around, I let them know of the over the counter remedies that we would talk to them about and several of the patients thanked me and went directly to the pharmacy for treatment. For the rest of the patient, the provider and I worked diligently to ensure that all were seen and taken care of in a timely manner."

"On Saturday mornings, we are supposed to have 3 technicians. On this specific Saturday, due to a staffing shortage, only 1 technician was scheduled. However, that one technician called out sick that morning, leaving me alone for a few hours to operate a pharmacy with a drive-thru, during flu season. I chose to stay positive and clear-minded to focus on my game plan. I communicated with every customer to set their expectations. I reached out to the store manager for register assistance when possible."

Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?

"I once worked at a small medical facility where the primary physician was very demanding. When he would walk into the facility, employees would quietly announce that he was in the building, so that everyone could be prepared for his arrival. This physician had great intentions; however, his people skills were a little rough. I could see that he meant well, and I recognized that he wanted to do a lot of good things. When we interacted, I always took his feedback with the understanding that he didn't mean things as harshly as he might say them."

Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize there are some folks out there who are quite difficult to please. Think about that one person at work who is seen as hard to please. Perhaps there is someone at work who tries to intimidate others. Talk to the interviewer about what made this person challenging and what their relationship was with you. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone and be sure to end your response on a positive note.

"In my previous position, I did have a coworker who didn't pull their weight. This unmotivated coworker created more work for the rest of the team by being slow and unresponsive. Our team started to complete most of the tasks when it came to group projects. It didn't take much time before our department head noticed this particular individual was slacking. I feel like, in most instances, the underachievers will weed themselves out over time, and it's rarely worth making a fuss over."

"- A pharmacist who others thought was intimidating and scary to work with. - In understanding her more, she's a great pharmacist who just had a lot on her shoulders and felt the pressure as a manager and didn't have a fully supportive staff and partner before I became her partner. - I'm able to successfully interact with her because I remain calm at all times which has helped to ease her stress level and keep her calm also. I also take it upon myself to help out in many aspects of running the pharmacy so that she may focus on her tasks as a manager."

If Express Scripts hired you today, what would you accomplish first?

"When we were speaking earlier, you mentioned that you were urgently seeking to improve the level of patient care and compassion at this facility. I want to offer my strong skills when it comes to building patient rapport and help to improve the satisfaction of everyone that uses the services of Express Scripts. I plan to make a positive impact very quickly."

When you start a new position, it is essential to set a goal on how you will make a positive impact quickly after being hired. Tell the interviewer what your impact goal is, should you be the successful candidate. If you want to make an impact with your answer, refer to the immediate needs of the company such as increasing budgets, or improving patient care, for instance.

"This question is a delicate one, and you need to show respect for the onboarding process, then give a moderately ambitious project that you could execute. This concept is often called your 'value proposition' in marketing. "Hire me because I'll do X." But remember this is your campaign promise, if hired, it will likely be your first target to hit and depending on the environment, it could make or break you. The best approach is to give a functional analysis of the employers' needs and your skills."

If you could expand your knowledge and expertise in any healthcare service area, which would you choose?

"If I could choose any area of healthcare services to be a subject matter expert in, I would choose geriatric care. I do feel that this particular focus is not as popular as some, and become an expert in it would allow me to snowball in my career."

There are many facets of health care. If you could choose any area of healthcare to specialize in, which would you choose? Be sure to tie your answer into some aspects of what Express Scripts does.

"I have a variety of interests within healthcare service, so that is a tough question for me! I suppose if I had to narrow it to just one area of expertise, I would say palliative care and the necessary family care that comes with it."

"I would choose to be an expert in diabetic care as diabetes is a leading cause of death and per the CDC, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has doubled over the last 20 years."

Talk about a time that you were willing and able to help solve a problem that others were reluctant to. Why did you do this?

"My current position in quality assurance auditing is with a very large and remotely spread healthcare organization. During the last several years, we have been working with our critical access hospitals in pretty spread out areas away from the main campus to audit their compliance with new procedures in their Emergency Departments. Over time, I noticed that no one on our team was volunteering to audit the two furthest outreaching hospitals from our office, which were over a four hour drive away. Each critical access ED review was a day's worth of work, so I approached my director about approval for travel and hotel reimbursement to spend a full day at both sites and do a great job in the audit process. In the end, the audits went great and my director commended me for stepping up to the plate. I think a majority of my team were more worried about having significant non-compliance in the remote areas when that was not the case at all."

Express Scripts prides themselves on being a healthcare opportunity company, tackling problems that others don't, won't or can't. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have the same philosophy when it comes to problem solving. For your answer, think of a particular situation where you jumped in find a solution to a problem that others were reluctant to handle. No matter the situation, make it clear to your interviewer that you took action because it benefited a patient, customer or your organization in a positive manner.

"In my current role as an infusion nurse, I work with a great team of individuals in the home health setting working with some great patients that really need our services. Last year, we had a new patient come to us for services that was deemed to have a pretty unsafe environment because of the pets that they owned. The patient had several macaws that flew around the house uncaged and a very unruly dog that snapped at our first nurse that visited the patient. In our team huddle the next day, that nurse all but refused to go back to the patient's house and no one else stepped up to fill in. Having worked with a patient in a similar situation before, I volunteered to take over the patient. After a meeting with the initial nurse, I called the patient and laid out my expectations that the birds be caged and that the dog be kenneled prior to my visits. The patient agreed and we worked out a predetermined 3 day per week schedule that I would follow. From there, my time with the patient went very well and my ability to face the problem head on and talk with the patient help immensely."

"- The patient was shorted 2 months' worth of her medication. - We tried to order the medication but there was a supply shortage at the manufacturer's level - After about a week, the issue remained unresolved as I believe my coworkers were just waiting for the product to come in on a future delivery and assumed no one in the area even had it as there was a supply shortage. - I really wanted this issue resolved sooner rather than later, especially since it was an error our pharmacy made. - So I reached out to other stores to see if anyone else still had the medication in stock. - In the whole district, there was only one store that had one month's worth in stock. - I figured that I better take that one box for now. - The next day, I went to that store to pick up the medication and brought it back to my store where I called the patient and informed her."

Tell me about yourself.

"A bit about me - I love to travel, read, and conduct research. I am a recent grad from Columbia University and have spent the past 12 months traveling the world. It was the best experience that I could have given myself as I was able to learn so much from seeing how the rest of the world lives. I returned to the US just last month and had been actively looking for work the past couple of weeks. I am looking forward to getting into the routine of a career again."

Take a few minutes to tell the interviewer a few things about yourself. You can begin with your recent education, family life, volunteer work, or talk about your travels. Bring up anything that is interesting and highlights your ability to be a responsible, reliable, and bright individual.

"I am an avid marathon runner and have traveled to 10 countries in the last eight years to compete in a variety of races. I am a competitive individual and enjoy keeping fit. Being newer to my career in healthcare services, my biggest goal as of late has to take as many related courses and workshops as possible. I am eager to get a great start on my career."

"- 24 years of experience in retail pharmacy with 20 of those years as a pharmacist. - I also have experience working with Express Scripts when they were looking for an intern for the summer of 2001 to assist the pharmacists in the Doctor Calls department. - In my current role, I'm a staff pharmacist at a 2-pharmacist location where we fill about 2400 prescriptions per week. - On top of our usual workload, we are currently doing 30-80 vaccinations per day. - I am here today because I believe my years of experience in providing great customer service in a fast-paced pharmacy setting as well as my ability to learn fast, my attention to detail, and my strong work ethic all make me a great fit for this position."

What do you know about our business model here at Express Scripts and what part do you see this role playing in that model?

"Having worked in a large retail pharmacy that more often than not didn't put the needs of the customer first, Express Scripts' business model is very refreshing to me. I love the fact the mail prescription service is saving both customers and insurance providers millions of dollars on an annual basis, helping to keep coverage costs low for the majority of the population. As well, the use of generic drugs and a great network of retail pharmacies keep options open for the clients here and this is a business model I would love to be a part of. As a Pharmacist, I truly believe that the patients needs must come first and that is very apparent "

As a Pharmacy Benefit Manager, Express Scripts has really ridden the wave of the Affordable Care Act to help provide great services and lower costs to patients needing pharmacy benefits. They have also provided a lower cost and great benefit for pharmacy insurance plans. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear that you have a basic understanding of the business of Express Scripts and how your job can help in that mission. Talk about the benefits that they provide to customers over their competition and how you are a believer in this model.

Do you prefer to work in a team based position or individually?

"Whether I am doing an independent project, or working in a team environment, I always give my best. I enjoy the camaraderie of working in a team, but I can be successful working autonomously as well."

In which situation are you the happiest and most productive? Talk to the interviewer about your preference when it comes to teamwork or working individually. Be sure to avoid pigeonholing yourself into one particular scenario (IE: I only like to work by myself). You may work well without the need for much management or direction, or perhaps you are better driven in a collaborative and team led environment. Either way, be honest with the interviewer about your preferences without leaning negatively, either way.

"I have found, in the past, that I work well in an individually driven environment; however, I can certainly be productive in a team-based setting as well."

"Whether I'm working in a team or by myself, I can produce quality work. If I am working individually, I pride myself on being very resourceful and not requiring much direction or management. If I am working in a team, I pride myself on being able to work very well with others to achieve our common goals. I very much enjoy the camaraderie that comes from being from of a team."

Patient care requires a strong amount of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?

"I understand that compassion is one of the top qualities that I need to bring to the workplace, being in the healthcare services profession. I consider myself a very compassionate individual. I am warm hearted, responsive to my patients' needs, and always empathetic."

To succeed in the healthcare services industry, you should have a solid level of compassion for your patients or customers. Talk to the interviewer about the compassionate qualities that you possess. How would you rate your level of compassion for others?

"Some ways to describe yourself could be: - Understanding - Warm Hearted - Empathetic - Responsive - Charitable - Tender Hearted"

"I consider myself a very compassionate person. I give my patients the time to express their concerns and listen to their questions, with empathy and understanding. I find ways to resolve their issues and persist until we come to a solution."

How would you describe your personality?

"I would describe my personality as approachable, light-hearted, and positive. I believe that, if asked, my colleagues and supervisor would say the same about me."

Personality and character are two very different things. The interviewer is looking for more information on your traits vs. your integrity. Your example could include buzzwords such as introverted, energetic, and confident.

"I'm genuinely easy-going, probably from all the international travel I experienced in my 20's. I like to do the right thing, and sometimes I get stressed trying to reach that goal, but I think it's a worthwhile endeavor. I can be funny, but my sense of humor is pretty dry, so people don't always know that about me when they first meet me."

"I'm a very calm, even-keeled person as many have said about me. People find me very approachable as they often come to me for questions or advice. I'm usually pretty quiet and keep to myself to focus on the task at hand but do enjoy the company of small groups."

Talk about a time you had to be flexible in a working relationship or partnership with a particular customer, client or patient. What were the keys to you being flexible that made the interaction successful?

"In the corporate sales world, I often have to assess a customer's personality and needs and alter my approach to them to make a successful sale for both myself and my client. Just recently, I was working with an international organization that was looking to use our database with their customers in foreign language speaking countries. Having not run into this situation before, I ensure the customer that I would work with our programming team on the ability to have a functioning multi-lingual system on the program, which was outside the normal scope of my duties. But knowing this could be a huge sale, I worked closely with our programmers to find a great solution and make the sale to the customer in a fairly short amount of time. Near the end of the sale, my client's CEO thanked me personally for our flexibility, noting that we were the only company that was willing to look into this for their needs."

Express Scripts believes that the backbone of their business is alignment, or the ability to link goals and beliefs with customers, clients or patients. For this interview question, your interviewer will be looking to hear about your ability to be flexible when working with others to aid in the alignment to one common goal in working together. For your answer, stress to your interview that you have the ability to work with a variety of people in helping to work towards a goal together and explain how your values and traits aid you in this process.

"In my current role as an RN in the home health setting, I often have to be very flexible in working with patients in their homes as their home environment is very different from an inpatient hospital unit. A few months ago, a dialysis patient I was starting to see lived in a very remote area about 20 miles outside of town and was living alone at the time. During a winter storm and knowing he needed care for the day of and the days following the storm, I contacted my colleagues to help provide coverage for a couple of more local patients so I could have the time with this patient. I even had to go to the extent of driving my spouse's truck on the days following the storm to see the patient due to high amounts of snow and lack of a plowed driveway for the patient. Communication in working with my team was key to make this happen for the patient."

Express Scripts seeks to hire those with strong problem solving skills. When were you able to successfully resolve a problem in the workplace?

"In my most recent position we had a consistent problem with employees showing up late for their shifts or calling in sick at the very last moment. Rather than the typical documenting and reprimanding style that management usually takes, I decided to track the results of an accountability reward system. For 180 days, my employees were rewarded for coming to work 10 minutes early. Also, for every month with zero sick days, a bonus was added. In the end, we awarded those with perfect attendance a $600 bonus. The bonus' cost us less money, in the end than the cost of lowered productivity due to absent employees. The program was a success, and upper management chose to keep it implemented for another six months. We will re-assess in December, but it seems to be working very well."

Problem-solving and dispute resolution are critical skills to possess. Display to the interviewer that you are capable of problem-solving within the workplace. Talk about a time when you were creative, proactive, and displayed the leadership qualities required to resolve a workplace issue.

"I was working in a clinic where the primary population was low income. We had a lot of concerns with patients not showing up for appointments when expected. The staff wanted to start double-booking patient time slots. Instead, I got permission to spend a day in a highly-rated clinic serving the same population. Instead of scheduling, they had these 'drop-in mornings' with a common waiting room. I took these methods and incorporated them into our setting. We did that twice a week, and it completely solved our scheduling problem."

At Express Scripts we seek to hire individuals who have ambitions of growing their career. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?

"In 3-5 years I would like to see my career with Express Scripts include a path towards a leadership role. I am very keen on paving a long-term career in the healthcare services realm and would love the opportunity to do that here."

Every hiring manager would like to know that their investment of time and training will pay off. Assure the interviewer that you see this position as a long-term fit. How does this role with Express Scripts fit into your longer-term plans?

"One of the attractive points of working for Express Scripts is that you care about the growth of your employees. I'm motivated to learn and am looking for a long-term fit. In 3-5 years I'd like to be grounded in the clinic, learn about this site, your patient base and earn certifications that would help the unit advance. Personally, I'd like to get involved in some of the local volunteer organizations. I speak Spanish, and I have an interest in urban outreach so it would be nice to do something formal in that context...health-education or fundraising."

Have you ever been involved in ordering medical supplies, maintaining inventory, or other types of health care related administrative duties?

"I have experience in ordering medical supplies and maintaining inventory. I fully understand that there is an art to being properly organized when it comes to the availability of supplies. For medical ordering and inventory, I have used a variety of software and programs such as ABC and XYZ."

The interviewer would like to know if you understand what it takes to keep on top of ordering medical supplies and inventory. Assure the interviewer that you are capable of foreseeing needs, and making the appropriate action. Highlight your ability to be responsible when it comes to related administrative tasks.

"Yes. I used to do this in my former position. I was responsible for maintaining supplies on the general surgery ward for five years. It was great at working behind the scenes with the result being efficiency for others."

At Express Scripts, we value the passion of our employees to fuel our mission to be engaging and always reaching for better results. What drives you to succeed in your work?

"I knew at a very young age that becoming a nurse would be in my future because of my innate desire to help those in need. I have always been a caregiver, whether it was for my siblings when I was younger or the patients I have cared for during my career. I think that my skills and passion for helping those in need will translate very well to the Phone Nurse role. In the end, your clients that need consulting from home are in a very vulnerable place and my ability to provide compassionate and knowledgeable care would be extremely valuable."

Do what you love and love what you do are key words that are instrumental in the success of any person in the working world. To be great at what you do, you need to passionate about it and your interviewer will be looking to here what drives you to be successful and passionate in your job. Being that one of Express Scripts values is passion, talk about your drive to succeed from both a personal and an organizational level. Telling your interviewer what drives you is great, but just make sure that it relates back to the organization and making the team as a whole better.

"A career as a Pharmacist came naturally to me because of my desire to help people blended well with my love of the sciences. As I made it through Pharmacy school and into the workforce, I find myself driven on a daily basis to provide help to those in need. Pharmacology is an unknown to most of the general public and my expertise is needed by the patients that I work with and they truly do drive me to get out of bed every morning and report for duty that day. Here at Express Scripts, you would find that my passion to help others would translate nicely into this role. I have always been intrigued by your business model and I have seen more and more patients and health plans going to this model as the new future of healthcare."

If you could expand your knowledge and expertise in any area of healthcare services, which would you choose?

"If I could expand my expertise in any healthcare service area I would choose anything within primary care. This is one of the reasons I have applied with your company. I feel that your focus will be a great fit with my long-term career goals."

The interviewer would like to dig deeper into your true areas of interest when it comes to healthcare services. They want to know that your passions align well with what Express Scripts is offering. Talk to the interviewer about the areas of healthcare you would like to focus on most, and then tie that information in with what the position at Express Scripts would be offering you.

"I'm interested in research. One of the things that attracted me to working with your company is your ongoing community-based research collaborations. I'd be curious to hear if the [clinic/hospital/program] had any needs in this area. Is this something junior staff can be involved in?"

At Express Scripts, mutual respect is an important value in the way that we treat each other and those that we serve. Why is it important to you to work in a respectful environment?

"Working as a Project Manager in a few different industries throughout my career, I'd say that one of the keys to my success with the staff that I have worked with has been my ability to develop a mutual feeling of respect and trust rather quickly. Juggling many projects oftentimes doesn't put me with leaders and employees that I'm working with for long periods of time. Because of this, I need to devote my full attention to people during my time with them by using great listening and communication skills and bringing a sense of expertise in my field. By doing this, the employees that I work with are able to trust me and show respect back in our working relationships. I'd look forward to bringing this mutual respect to the staff here at Express Scripts."

In the workplace, showing respect for your colleagues, clients and/or customers is extremely important to help you build lasting relationships that better the greater good of the organization. Express Scripts, due to the nature of their business, knows this is absolutely true. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to gain insight on why you feel that working in a mutually respectful environment is important. There are many answers to this question, so make sure that you hit on points that you hold near and dear to your heart while always keeping the greater good of the organization in the forefront.

"No matter if it is on the job or away from work with friends, family or the general public, I treat others with respect each and every interaction that I'm faced with. I pride myself on expressively showing gratitude to others for their efforts, being sincere in my communications and following through on what I say I will do. In the sales arena in the workplace, these qualities greatly aide in me building great client relationships and help the bottom line of the organization. On top of the bottom line, the respect I get shown back from clients as a sales professional is amazing because showing respect is very contagious."

In order to work for Express Scripts, you must be able to pass a full criminal background check. Do you consent to a full background check?

"I have a clean criminal record and am happy to comply with any background check you require of me."

Working in the healthcare services industry means that you are in contact with vulnerable people, children, pharmaceutical drugs, drug-related equipment, confidential information, and other areas of sensitivity. Assure the interviewer that you are able and willing to pass a complete background check. If you have a criminal record, you must disclose this.

"No problem. I understand that it's part of the job. But I want to be up-front, I have done a full background check before, and there is a possibility you will see a charge for possession of marijuana in the check. It was several years ago, and it's no longer an issue for me because I've made significant changes in my life to pursue this career. But I don't want you to be surprised by the information. I'm happy to answer any questions you have."

"I have a misdemeanor on my record from 15 years ago. I am happy to continue in the interview process and comply with your background checks should you allow for some exceptions."

What is your patient care philosophy?

"Every day at work, I remind myself that everyone I come across has their struggles. Every person we care for has a story. I make sure to get to know my patients whenever possible. Everyone has the right to compassionate care."

It's always a great idea to research the company before your interview. You want to get to know their care philosophy so that your answer can reflect what is important to them. What is the core of your care philosophy? Keep your answer concise yet sincere.

"I have three philosophies when it comes to my work. One for the clinic, one for me, and one for the patient. First, I work in a system, and I respect that. I follow the rules, I maintain my certifications, and I appreciate the policies and values of whatever site I work. Patient care is a privilege, and I respect the role I have in clinical care and the part other people have. Second, I want to be the best at what I do. Every day I learn something, and that's because I choose to get better. Last, I adapt to the individual. If I'm meeting the requirements of my position, and evolving within my profession, then I am free to adjust to my patient and be the provider they need. Some patients need a lot of attention; some want less, and some need boundaries. I have trained myself to adapt my communication style, so a patient gets what they need."

Talk about a time you had to reach out of your comfort zone to speak up for something that was important to the success of a project or a patient. What compelled you to do this?

"In my current role, my organization was implementing changes to our service call standards with customers that were placing calls to our call center on product issues. Because of large volumes of calls, we were to hold strict timelines of five minutes per call and we were supposed to limit our contact times with customers to this amount of time. Knowing that some calls often ranged up to ten minutes in length to successfully help our customers, I approached my manager to let her know my thoughts on how this would limit us in the Customer Service department. She definitely heard me out and thanked me for speaking up, but she indicated that the decision had been made from senior level management to implement that changes immediately. In short time, customers satisfaction survey data dropped significantly and it was a major hurt on our unit's morale. But knowing I stood up for what was right made me feel great nonetheless."

Express Scripts hold integrity of its employees as one of its primary values and this question is trying to hone in on your integrity by having you show that you are willing to speak up for what is right, even when it may be difficult. For your specific example, be sure to stress that you are a person that takes action to make sure that things are right for all involved in a work situation and that you are ready and willing to speak up, no matter who it is in front of. Projecting this will show your interviewer that you are a person of high integrity.

"In my time working in patient billing as a Medical Billing Specialist, I have had to remain on my toes at all times due to changes in healthcare coding and billing from a legal perspective. When ICD 10 was implemented, my manager was unwilling to make changes in some of our communication processes with coding staff. Knowing these processes needed to be reconsidered due to the drastic changes ICD 10 would bring, I spoke up at a time that I normally wouldn't. Taking the point of view of the patient and not wanting billing errors, my manager worked with the entire revenue cycle team to bring about some great process changes."

At Express Scripts, a vital function of any position is the ability to work closely with our clients and partners to deliver excellent results. Talk about a time you had to be a team player in a difficult environment. What made it difficult?

"My career path to becoming a Project Manager in the healthcare field has placed me with some very dynamic teams and individuals that I've had to partner with. When doing consulting work, I was working with a team of leaders from a small private clinic to revamp their practice optimization. During the initial meetings on this project, it became evident that the CEO of the organization wouldn't be a team player and was trying to call all of the shots. After about the third meeting, I asked if he and I could speak following the meeting. I approached him from the standpoint that I was hired to consult and lead the project and that if he wanted to make all of the decisions himself that he should just do so without input from others on the team. This conversation was really a turning point for him because he didn't personally realize that he had become so dominant in the conversations and no other members of the team would call him out. In the end, he was very appreciative of my effort to talk to him face to face to help the team as a whole."

Express Scripts strives to get better together through collaboration with clients and partners of the business and chances are good that your potential job with the organization will put you working closely with others outside of the organization. Because of the large numbers of customers and patients that Express Scripts works with, it is human nature that there will conflict along the way in spots and your interviewer will be looking to get insight on your ability to work well with others when times get tough. Think of a time where you had to do this with a particular person or group of people. Keep your answer focused on your ability to work with anyone towards a goal much larger than yourself and the team.

"As a young nurse early in my career, one of my more experienced colleagues was very bullying to new staff in the department. And while she had a lot of great skills and an excellent bedside manner with patients, the tension created by her among staff ultimately impacted patient care. Being the type of person that wants a cohesive work team, I sat her down one evening after we worked a shift together and I let her know that I thought she was not a great team player because of her actions towards me and a couple of other nurses that I had witnessed. She brushed it off as it being her job to show the rookies the ropes in the school of hard knocks, in her words of course. In wanting to see if my words had any impact, things didn't improve over the coming weeks so I approached our Administrator to try and tackle the problem. Looking back, I was very proud of myself for first talking to her face to face."

In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?

"Everyone is emotional to a certain degree, and I would consider myself kind-hearted and open. A career in healthcare can be emotional at times; however, I choose to focus on the positives. For instance - if we are close to losing a patient, I will focus on the positive memories rather than the illness. This mindset has consistently allowed me to continue with a productive shift no matter the emotions that come my way. "

The interviewer wants to know if you consider yourself to be an emotionally driven person. Talk to the interviewer about your emotions and if they have ever affected your productivity at work. Keep in mind - almost everyone is an emotional creature to some degree, but there are other ways that you can describe yourself that have a more positive connotation. If you are passionate, you could choose to refer to yourself as: - Expressive - Communicative - Open - Unreserved - Warm Hearted

"This is a great question. I think the right answer is, 'of course, but not for long'! We've all had those tough cases. A child dies, a patient yells at you, or you have to give someone a cancer diagnosis. Its professional to take a few minutes after an encounter like that and let those emotions come and go. I cope with these emotions by telling myself that it's not my story, its the patient's story. I think it's okay to be moved by someone else's experience, but I don't need to make it mine."

Talk about a time where you took a problem and ran with it to find a solution. What motivated you to be the problem solver in this situation?

"In my current position as a Pharmacy Tech at a small, independently owned pharmacy, our stock room had become a complete chaotic mess and our original organization of inventory became very difficult to navigate. Seeing that the extra time spent seeking out correct medications was causing patient delays to a significant degree, I approached our store owner one evening as we were closing. Knowing that he wouldn't be one to take the time to clean and organize a new system, I asked if I could work overtime that coming Saturday to reorganize and relabel our shelves for the ease of everyone. He agreed and our whole team was thankful that I took the initiative to do this. Over two years, the system has remained intact."

As a healthcare opportunity company, Express Scripts sees potential where others see a problem and the organization expects its employees to be natural problem solvers. For this question, your interviewer will be looking to hear your willingness and readiness to tackle an issue that others were hesitant to. Think of a great example of a time that you did this and expand on your motivations for why you were willing to face the problem. Be sure to project yourself as a person that is willing to do what it takes to achieve results through sound problem solving skills.

"When I took my most recent position in quality assurance, I realized quickly that the software we were using just wasn't sufficient enough on the analytics and reporting end of things for us to be doing an effective job. With the experiences that I brought with software programs, I approached my director about purchasing new software. With his guidance, we drafted a proposal to our senior leadership and that went over without a hitch based on the data I provided and showing the potential the department was missing out on."

Express Scripts Interview Questions

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1. Express Scripts, first and foremost, is a service industry in the spectrum of healthcare. How do you provide great customer service in your role?
2. Express Scripts was initially looking for someone with 5 years' experience in a similar role. Considering you have just 2 years' experience, would you be willing to accept this position at a lower salary?
3. Do you think it is possible to be a good team member, yet disagree with the leader?
4. Why do you think you will be successful in this role with Express Scripts?
5. What is your greatest weakness?
6. At 27,000 employees strong and working with customers and clients from all over the country, we value diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Why is that appealing to you?
7. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?
8. What type of work environment do you dislike working in?
9. A typical day at Express Scripts may find you having to thing of quick solutions for clients or customers. How have you shown your ability to think on your feet in the past and make important decisions?
10. Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
11. If Express Scripts hired you today, what would you accomplish first?
12. If you could expand your knowledge and expertise in any healthcare service area, which would you choose?
13. Talk about a time that you were willing and able to help solve a problem that others were reluctant to. Why did you do this?
14. Tell me about yourself.
15. What do you know about our business model here at Express Scripts and what part do you see this role playing in that model?
16. Do you prefer to work in a team based position or individually?
17. Patient care requires a strong amount of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?
18. How would you describe your personality?
19. Talk about a time you had to be flexible in a working relationship or partnership with a particular customer, client or patient. What were the keys to you being flexible that made the interaction successful?
20. Express Scripts seeks to hire those with strong problem solving skills. When were you able to successfully resolve a problem in the workplace?
21. At Express Scripts we seek to hire individuals who have ambitions of growing their career. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?
22. Have you ever been involved in ordering medical supplies, maintaining inventory, or other types of health care related administrative duties?
23. At Express Scripts, we value the passion of our employees to fuel our mission to be engaging and always reaching for better results. What drives you to succeed in your work?
24. If you could expand your knowledge and expertise in any area of healthcare services, which would you choose?
25. At Express Scripts, mutual respect is an important value in the way that we treat each other and those that we serve. Why is it important to you to work in a respectful environment?
26. In order to work for Express Scripts, you must be able to pass a full criminal background check. Do you consent to a full background check?
27. What is your patient care philosophy?
28. Talk about a time you had to reach out of your comfort zone to speak up for something that was important to the success of a project or a patient. What compelled you to do this?
29. At Express Scripts, a vital function of any position is the ability to work closely with our clients and partners to deliver excellent results. Talk about a time you had to be a team player in a difficult environment. What made it difficult?
30. In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?
31. Talk about a time where you took a problem and ran with it to find a solution. What motivated you to be the problem solver in this situation?

Express Scripts Interview Questions

1. Express Scripts, first and foremost, is a service industry in the spectrum of healthcare. How do you provide great customer service in your role?

2. Express Scripts was initially looking for someone with 5 years' experience in a similar role. Considering you have just 2 years' experience, would you be willing to accept this position at a lower salary?

3. Do you think it is possible to be a good team member, yet disagree with the leader?

4. Why do you think you will be successful in this role with Express Scripts?

5. What is your greatest weakness?

6. At 27,000 employees strong and working with customers and clients from all over the country, we value diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Why is that appealing to you?

7. In your opinion, what makes you a great problem solver?

8. What type of work environment do you dislike working in?

9. A typical day at Express Scripts may find you having to thing of quick solutions for clients or customers. How have you shown your ability to think on your feet in the past and make important decisions?

10. Think about a difficult boss, professor or coworker. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?

11. If Express Scripts hired you today, what would you accomplish first?

12. If you could expand your knowledge and expertise in any healthcare service area, which would you choose?

13. Talk about a time that you were willing and able to help solve a problem that others were reluctant to. Why did you do this?

14. Tell me about yourself.

15. What do you know about our business model here at Express Scripts and what part do you see this role playing in that model?

16. Do you prefer to work in a team based position or individually?

17. Patient care requires a strong amount of compassion. Do you consider yourself a compassionate person?

18. How would you describe your personality?

19. Talk about a time you had to be flexible in a working relationship or partnership with a particular customer, client or patient. What were the keys to you being flexible that made the interaction successful?

20. Express Scripts seeks to hire those with strong problem solving skills. When were you able to successfully resolve a problem in the workplace?

21. At Express Scripts we seek to hire individuals who have ambitions of growing their career. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?

22. Have you ever been involved in ordering medical supplies, maintaining inventory, or other types of health care related administrative duties?

23. At Express Scripts, we value the passion of our employees to fuel our mission to be engaging and always reaching for better results. What drives you to succeed in your work?

24. If you could expand your knowledge and expertise in any area of healthcare services, which would you choose?

25. At Express Scripts, mutual respect is an important value in the way that we treat each other and those that we serve. Why is it important to you to work in a respectful environment?

26. In order to work for Express Scripts, you must be able to pass a full criminal background check. Do you consent to a full background check?

27. What is your patient care philosophy?

28. Talk about a time you had to reach out of your comfort zone to speak up for something that was important to the success of a project or a patient. What compelled you to do this?

29. At Express Scripts, a vital function of any position is the ability to work closely with our clients and partners to deliver excellent results. Talk about a time you had to be a team player in a difficult environment. What made it difficult?

30. In the healthcare services industry there are many emotions in a day. Have your emotions ever been in the way of your productivity?

31. Talk about a time where you took a problem and ran with it to find a solution. What motivated you to be the problem solver in this situation?