Novartis, founded in 1966, is a global pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland. The company, which has nearly 111,000 employees, uses innovative science and technology to reimagine medicine and improve people’s lives. Novartis has five key priorities that they implement to create values for the company, their shareholders, and society:
Unleash the power of our people: Novartis strives to create an organization where people are inspired, curious, and unbossed.
Deliver transformative innovation: The company challenges medical paradigms and explores new possibilities to cure disease, intervene in chronic illness, and improve quality of life.
Embrace operational excellence: Novartis employees are reimagining work, embracing flexibility, and building productivity.
Go big on data and digital: The company embraces digital technologies, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence.
Build trust with society: Lastly, Novartis strives to build trust with society.
Working at Novartis
Novartis aims to reward those who invest time and ideas into their company. The company enhances its people’s work experience by creating an inspired, curious, and unbossed culture.
Employees at Novartis enjoy flexible work schedules, volunteer programs, and other company benefits such as:
Health insurance
Three weeks of paid vacation
Automatic 2% savings plan contribution
Annual retirement contribution
Up to $1,000 matching in benefits toward child or elder care expenses with a Dependent Care Spending Account
Tuition reimbursement
Summer hours
Healthy lifestyle reimbursement benefits
Backup childcare
Disability coverage
Stock investment options
Employee Assistance Program
Life insurance
$2,000 employee referral bonus
What Is Novartis’ Hiring Process?
Online Application
To begin the recruitment process at Novartis, you must submit an online application. This form will ask you a few pre-employment questions, and you will have a chance to upload your CV and cover letter. Be sure that both of these documents are up-to-date, accurate, and tailored to the specific role at Novartis that you are applying for.
This application is the company’s first introduction to you, so you want to make sure you stand out from the other candidates by highlighting your skills and showcasing why you are the best choice for the job.
Initial Interview
You will move forward to the initial phone interview if your application is selected. This interview will be with someone from the human resources department and assess how your experience and skill set align with the opening role requirements.
The interviewer will ask questions to get to know you better and understand why you want to work for Novartis. Be sure that you know your CV well, so you are prepared to answer any questions they ask. It would also be good to research the company, the role you are applying for, and prepare a few questions you can ask during the interview.
Numerical Reasoning Test
The next stage of the hiring process is the numerical reasoning aptitude test. Most roles will likely require a numerical reasoning test to assess your analytical skills. This test will present you with information in a chart, graph, diagram, or table and ask several multiple-choice questions based on the data.
You will have an allotted amount of time to answer each question, so be sure you prepare ahead of time. Novartis will likely have CEB’s SHL or Talent Q provide the test, but you can ask which company they are currently using.
Excel Case Study
Depending on the role you are applying for, you may also need to take an Excel case study test. This exam will assess your analysis skills and your proficiency with Microsoft Excel. The test will likely ask you to work with a specific data set, perform calculations, and extract relevant information to answer questions or complete specified tasks.
There are many Excel sample tests online that you can use to brush up on your Excel skills and better prepare for this assessment.
Video or Phone Interviews
After completing the assessment portion of the test, candidates will interview with members of the hiring team. This interview will either be over the phone or through a video conference platform such as Skype or Zoom.
This interview will go into more detail than the initial screening. The assessor will ask you about your skills, past experience, and desire to work for the company. It is helpful to think about common interview responses ahead of time to prepare. Be sure to have some notes about the company and your CV nearby so you can refer to them during the call if needed.
Face-to-Face Interview
The last stage of the recruitment process is the final, face-to-face interview. This interview is more formal and will likely be with your direct manager or other team members. A lot of the questions during this interview will be behavior-based and will require you to refer to a past experience to give an example for your response.
When responding to these types of questions, it is always helpful to use the STAR format:
Situation: Set the stage for your response by explaining the situation. Give some context to your example so your interviewer can better follow along.
Task: Next, explain what the task at hand was. While in the situation, what was it that you had to do and why? What responsibilities did you have in this situation?
Action: Now that you have said what tasks needed to be done, explain what actions you took to accomplish the task. Talk about the different steps you took and the reasoning behind your decisions.
Result: Lastly, you want to explain what resulted from your actions. What was the situation’s outcome, and how did your actions directly reflect that outcome?
How to Prepare for the Novartis Assessment?
The Novartis hiring process consists of multiple assessments that you will want to prepare for in order to perform your best. During your preparations, check out online resources such as sample tests so you can understand what questions you will be asked and practice your timing.
Novartis seeks out employees who are innovative and dedicated to the company. Taking the extra time to study and prepare for these assessments will increase your chances of doing well on the tests and moving forward in the hiring process.
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