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Seeking a position as an applied biostatistician – an employer’s perspective

Gain insights from an employer's perspective on hiring applied biostatisticians. Learn about essential CV elements, technical and non-technical skills sought after, interview tips, selecting references, starting salaries, and more.

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Seeking a position as an applied biostatistician – an employer’s perspective

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  1. Seeking a position as an applied biostatistician – an employer’s perspective Tony Panzarella, Manager, Biostatistics Department Princess Margaret Cancer Centre panzar@uhnres.utoronto.ca

  2. Outline • Your CV • Who hires applied biostatisticians anyways? • Technical skills that employers seek • Non-technical skills that employers seek

  3. Outline cont’d • Courses and GPA • Interviewing – what to say and what not to say • Selecting your references • Starting salaries

  4. CV • Engaging covering letter “Your ad in the Toronto Star caught my attention…” • Clear, concise and well written • Limit to two pages, if possible • No time gaps • Ordered chronology • New graduates should emphasize education before work experience

  5. CV • Always keep your CV up-to-date • Include picture?

  6. Type of employers • Academic (Teaching Hospital, University etc.) • Pharmaceutical industry • CRO • Government (e.g. Statistics Canada, Cancer Care Ontario, ICES) • Market research • Other

  7. Job ad sites etc. • SSC • LinkedIn • Workopolis • StatSci.org • Jobs.amstat.org • Professional journals • Network!

  8. Technical skills • Good grasp of theory • Some applied experience • Strong programming (e.g. SAS, R, Stata) • Good problem solving skills

  9. Non-technical skills • Excellent communication (verbal and written) • Works well independently, and with others • Detail-oriented • Ability to meet deadlines • Organized

  10. Hypothetical • You have 2 candidates for a biostatistician position • One is technically superior (e.g. An ‘A’ student) but with a ‘bad’ attitude • The other is a ‘B’ student with an exemplary attitude • Who would you hire, and why?

  11. Non-technical skills • Attitude is one of the most, if not the most, important attribute when I consider an applicant. • You can’t teach this!!

  12. Education • Varied courses • Linear regression • Math. Stats • Survival analysis • Longitudinal data analysis • Logistic regression • Categorical data analysis • GPA equivalent to at least a B+ • Where did you earn your degree?

  13. The interview • Do know the organization you are applying to • Do keep your answers brief and to the point • Don’t be afraid to pause before you answer questions • Do represent yourself honestly • Don’t be late • Do follow-up with a thank you • Do have references readily available • Do ask questions! It’s a major decision for you!

  14. Technical interview questions • “How would you explain the concept of a statistical interaction to a clinician?”

  15. Technical interview questions • “Explain what a p-value is”

  16. Technical interview questions • “What is the difference between a uni-variable and a multi-variable analysis?”

  17. Technical interview questions

  18. “Good risk” subgroup

  19. “Poor risk” subgroup

  20. Question • Which is the better treatment?

  21. Common non-technical “questions”

  22. Sample questions – Work History • What was it like working for your supervisor? • What do you expect from a supervisor? Have you ever had difficulty working with a manager? • Describe your ideal boss. • Why do you want to change jobs? • Why did you resign? • What have you been doing since your last job?

  23. Sample questions about You • What are your salary expectations? • What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? • What are you passionate about? • What are your pet peeves? • What type of work environment do you prefer? • How do you evaluate success? • Describe a difficult work situation / project and how you overcame it. • Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it.

  24. Job Interview Questions About the New Job and the Company • What interests you about this job? • Why should we hire you? • What do you know about this company? • Why do you want to work here? • What challenges are you looking for in a position? • What can you contribute to this company?

  25. Interview Questions: • The Future • What are you looking for in your next job? What is important to you? • What are your goals for the next five years / ten years? • How do you plan to achieve those goals?

  26. References • Select very carefully! • Easily accessible • Recent interaction, if possible • Professional vs. personal

  27. What’s a fair salary? • Commensurate with experience • Know the marketplace • www.Amstat.org • Should you bring up salary at the initial interview? • How would you answer the following question: “What is your salary expectation?”

  28. Questions?

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