This was my third interview with MSD Czech Republic. While I appreciated the opportunity, I found it challenging to fully understand the specifics of the position based on the job description. The role was described as being at the intersection of data science and computational biology, and I was eager to explore how my skills and experience could contribute.
The interview process involved several stages. The initial screening with a recruiter focused on my motivation for joining MSD, my expected salary range, domain knowledge (including questions tailored to modern protein modeling approaches such as AlphaFold), and my level of experience with Python. About a week later, I had an on-site interview with the hiring manager. This stage included discussions of illustrative examples related to protein modeling, experimental methods for quantifying protein expression, and integrating wet lab data into predictive models. The hiring manager also provided an overview of the next steps in the interview process and mentioned potential relocation to Prague.
While the process itself was insightful and engaging, I did encounter a few frustrations. After the on-site interview, I waited over two and a half weeks for feedback, only to receive a generic response stating that the company had decided to move forward with other candidates. I reached out to the hiring manager for additional feedback but haven’t heard back since.
I understand that providing personalized feedback to every candidate can be challenging. However, I believe companies should also recognize the significant time, effort, and resources candidates invest in preparing for interviews and, in some cases (like mine), traveling on-site. Clear and constructive feedback would be highly valuable for candidates aiming to improve their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Additionally, I feel that job descriptions could be more specific to help candidates better assess their fit for the position and prepare for interviews more effectively. Greater clarity in outlining the role and expectations would benefit both the candidates and the hiring team by aligning expectations early in the process.