Why did you choose to pursue a future in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry?
According to their career page on their workplace culture, the team at Gilead has built and will continue a culture of excellence built on commitment, hard work, and passion. Your interviewer here is looking to gain insight into your commitment to your work by hearing you discuss what initially drove your passion for your field.
"I have always had a passion for and strength in the sciences and wanted to take that passion to serve a higher purpose. By working hard for my Ph.D. in pharmaceutical science, I want to focus my career on virology and the development of new drugs, and I can't think of a better place to break into the field than at Gilead. If I'm fortunate enough to join your team, I will work hard to get a great knowledge base and hopefully, one day direct a team into the future of new drug development."
"Data science has been in my blood from a young age with the dawn of the computer age and the internet. As you can see, over the last eight years, I have focused on developing deep-learning algorithms in several different industries; I'm very excited about bringing my skills to work in the pharmaceutical field here at Gilead. As I reach the back nine of my career, putting my work into helping others means a lot to me, and I'd love to be given this opportunity to shine."
Briefly discuss what led you to the path you took in your education and eventual career. Remember that they'll expect you to discuss your skills and passions. Then, talk about your passion for the overall industry and how your work helps better that. If coming to Gilead Sciences will be your first foray into the industry, highlight why you're passionate about becoming a part of it.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
I chose a career in the biopharmaceutical realm because I have always had an affinity for science and medicine. Gilead is the perfect liaison between these two fields in the sense that they are consistently putting forth new therapies and clinical trials for drugs that can change the lives of patients.
Marcie's Feedback
Excellent answer! You clearly and directly respond to the question. In addition, not only do you explain why you chose a career in this industry, but you also emphasize why you like Gilead in particular. Nice! If you wanted to build out your answer a bit more, you could consider briefly providing additional details about what you've done to support your interest in science and medicine (e.g., what you majored in, what jobs you've had in this field, etc.)
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