Practice 40 Pfizer interview questions covering regulatory knowledge, clinical insight, and patient-centered innovation.
Question 21 of 40
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Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
The interviewer wants to know if you can be creative, or even ask for help when you are stuck on a complicated problem. It will offer insights into your network of other contributors in your field.

Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
"When faced with a complicated problem, I will look at the resources that my current company has provided me. The answer is almost always in there. If it's more of a moral dilemma vs. a knowledge-based dilemma, I will ask my supervisor for his thoughts and opinion since I value him as a mentor and expert in our industry."

Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
"To solve a complex issue, I will reach out to a manager or mentor from a previous role to ask them how they've handled such issues in the past. I am always ready to dive back into our handbook, but these types of scenarios are often not covered there, which is why I value a human, experiential approach. I know that there are so many folks in the industry who have so much to teach me and have already "been-there-done-that," so I love to utilize them as a resource."

Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
Maybe you look to a mentor or boss for advice. Perhaps you have handbooks, manuals, and systems you turn to for help. Offer some relevant examples based on your industry. If you work in the medical field, you may turn to textbooks, online research, colleagues, or even a patient's history to find the right solution. If you work in customer service, you may ask the customer what they need to find the best way to solve the problem. Show the interviewer that you are knowledgeable and equipped to handle these types of scenarios.

Kevin Downey has an extensive background in business management, recruiting, branding and marketing. He's volunteered his career coaching services at job fairs, lecturing on interview techniques and crafting winning resumes and cover letters.
The tools you have in your kit will reveal how resourceful you are at your job. If you've collected a library of information over the years, whether through physical copies or a digital library or resource, detail this and emphasize any systems or organization you've implemented to access them.

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Anonymous Answer
When I have to solve a complicated problem, I will use all reliable information provided to me and if that is not enough, I will approach my supervisor. I always like to get a few more experienced employees involved, as they will have more experience, and it's always good to see it from another angle.

Rachelle's Feedback
Nice start! When it comes to the reliable information provided to you, can you be more specific (i.e., employee guidelines, online resources, training manuals, SOPs)?
Anonymous Answer
Research is one of my favorite parts of the job. When I have a complicated problem, I get motivated and start looking at scientific literature, databases, YouTube, and scientific community forums. If necessary, I design and run experiments to test my hypothesis.
Marcie's Feedback
Wow! You sound like you take enjoyment in solving hard problems! You've also mentioned multiple excellent resources for gathering additional information to assist you in making decisions. Providing an example of a time you successfully solved a complicated problem would further strengthen your answer.
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Written by Kevin Downey
40 Questions & Answers • Pfizer

By Kevin

By Kevin