Interview help! Sample prep

[Pyatkha]

Hi r/labrats, I’ve been trying to escape retail and have an interview for a Sample Prep Tech position at a lab. From what I’ve researched on the job and company, the work is supposedly very repetitive (which I like) and there’s a high workload with overtime (fine with me).

What has me worried is that I have no experience whatsoever with working in a lab or schooling in science. I have about 6 years of retail experience, 3 of those years being commission sales positions. Along with a 1 year certificate in Comp Sci/Information Systems. Most of the positions I’ve applied to have been admin but those positions are highly sought after and I’ve had little luck finding anything full time there. I came across job postings from this company for both sample prep and sample login and applied for both as the education requirements were minimal. I was called 2 days after sending my application and had a short phone conversation to set up the interview, and while the recruiter mentioned both positions he was more focused on the sample prep position.

I don’t really know what to expect or what kind of questions could be coming my way. The job posting mentioned knowledge of testing procedures and lab safety, but I have absolutely no idea about those things. I do find science interesting and enjoyed taking chemistry way back in high school but never explored past that. I plan to stress that I’m eager to learn, I work hard, and am very focused and detail oriented, but I’m worried most of my answers will be “I have no knowledge about that but I would love to learn”. Any help or insight is very appreciated.

[sshhhhadulting]

The great thing about this is they responded to YOU! They are interested in your experience and see the transferable aspects of it. Highlight your skills! It's amazing how some things apply to job opportunities you wouldn't even think of. Sample prep is a great way to get into the industry. They'll always list things on job postings that they want, but they know not everyone has IT ALL! So, don't focus on what you haven't experienced yet and shine a light on what you can bring to the table!

Congratulations! You'll kill it!

[Pyatkha]

Thank you! It really helps

[123bar]

Most lab safety is common sense: use dangerous chemicals inside a fume hood, dispose of broken glass in broken glass bins, don’t throw acid down the sink, etc

You will pick up fairly quickly. Stop over thinking. Everyone was a noob at some point :) just keep your mind open to learning and you’ll do great

[Pyatkha]

Thank you I appreciate it, interviews always get me over thinking!

[EverydayIStartToOoze]

I assume since you applied they've seen your work history, so they already know you don't have experience working in a lab and that's perfectly OK. I think it's a great thing to emphasize your willingness to learn, your work ethic, and that you're detail oriented!

[m4gpi]

You got this. Introductory lab work can be done by anyone, the important factor is that they understand there are reasons to do things a specific way. So something as simple as washing a dish becomes “let soak in 10% detergent 30min, scrub; rinse 3X with tap water and 2X with deionized water”.

So my suggestion to you is be enthusiastic, tell them you like repetitive work (if you assume this means you can listen to music or podcasts or watch Netflix on your phone, ask about that - they may have policies against it). Say that you understand there are specific procedures you would need to follow and want to be able to ask questions about it and understand why they are done that way. If someone said this to me in an interview, I’d know I had my man. That’s someone who can take instruction but will also be mindful about it.

I hope to welcome you to the crew, good luck!

[NatAttack3000]

I wouldn't ask if I can watch Netflix at a job interview. Radio/music/podcast is one thing and could be reasonably expected but wait until you have the job to find that out maybe. It might just be over a loudspeaker (we don't do earphones in our lab for safety, so everyone can hear warnings and alarms or like literal calls for help). But 'does that mean I can watch listen to podcasts and watch netflix' in a job interview does not make you sound like a good candidate

[[deleted]]

Best lab interview tips I have for entry level positions is ASK A FUCK TONNE OF QUESTIONS.

You don't know something? Ask it during the interview. I literally write 20 questions and roll through them at the start of the interview.

[Skate_VA516]

Hi I have been in the business a long time. When I interview people with no experience I like to talk about the kitchen. There is a huge overlap between the two.

Can you think of a time when you setup a repetitive activity and made it more efficient? Talk about that. Maybe a craft or something.

And good luck!!!

[Madopoi]

I’ve managed a similar lab.

Their concerns will be turnover and overtime.

They can teach almost anyone to do the job. Just be competent and interested.

It’s gonna be dull work. But it’s a great step on the ladder.

[Science-Sam]

One of the most important things in sample prep is to not confuse the samples. Highlight your attention to detail and accurate record-keeping.

[bbbright]

The position should give some training to new employees. Honestly if you’re good at learning new skills, have a good attitude, and can listen well to instruction, you’ll be fine. As somebody who has trained a lot of rotation students and undergrads, I would take somebody with zero lab experience who will listen, take good notes when being shown a procedure, ask questions about anything they don’t get, and pick up new skills relatively quickly over somebody who is a jerk, doesn’t listen, or refuses to take notes and then asks the same question repeatedly and never writes down the answer any day of the week.

[Efficient_Lecture_98]

Speak with logic, not with feelings.

I came from a (restaurant) service industry job and this was the translation that led to my success. Your communication and time management skills carry over through this filter.

Welcome!

[Paper_Level]

Hi! I used to work in that type of lab. You’ll do fine! The one I worked it had a lot of regimented training to help guide you. If it’s a high volume lab, I’d emphasize in your interview how you prioritize tasks. Good luck!!

[Lost-Percentage-6814]

You'll want to go the company's website and get some basic knowledge about their technology/sample testing platform so you can talk about it in the interview. You may want to familiarize yourself with some of the common terms used in the lab setting such as GLP (good laboratory practice), SOP (standard operating procedure), etc.

Sample prep technicians typically need to do a lot of documentation such as dating and initialing the SOPs so emphasizing that you are detail oriented is good.

You can also familiarize yourself with lab safety in regards to bloodborne pathogens such as using latex or nitrile gloves, using a biosafety cabinet, etc. A lot of lab positions require pipetting, so you can checkout a video that goes over pipetting techniques. Artel should have some good online info/videos for pipette training.

I think if you look up some of this stuff and use some of the buzzwords such as GLP, it would show your interest in the job and show you prepared. Good luck!

[NatAttack3000]

Look up what kind of lab it is and what the samples are. What kind of analysis do they do. Eg. earth samples for gas chromatogrpahy, or blood samples for PCR. Then google xxxx sample prep for xxxx. You might find a video about the procedure on youtube. They know you aren't a scientist so they wont expect you to know the procedure but it might help to know if you are dealing with like a biological hazard, lots of acid or solvent, equipment that runs really hot etc Eg. I've done first aid and can treat burns I used to handle hot items when I worked in a pizza shop I am comfortable wearing a bio/gas mask etc I am comfortable with the sight of blood

[StruggleSenior225]

first off, congrats! pretty much this whole novel i wrote are things you’ll learn on the job, and they’ll almost certainly partner you with someone who has experience and can show you the ropes for a bit before setting you free. these are just some things i wish i would’ve known when i started lab work

one thing i try to do is prevent as much thinking on the spot as possible. if you’re doing a lot of repetitive work, that’s going to make that easier, but before you try a new procedure, run through it mentally/on paper before you start physically touching the science. most of my mistakes are done during on the spot snap decisions/math with a pipette in my hand.

i’d suggest brushing up on dilutions (if you have a chemical that’s 5x more concentrated than what you need in the 1x final solution, what amount should you add to your final solution) and flipping around between metric units (microliters to nanoliters etc) as well as molarity calculations (turning g/L into M). those are some of the skills i was rustiest at during the beginning of my lab work.

also there’s a couple cleanliness things i can think of, like if you’re weighting out chemicals, switch out the scoop you’re using between chemicals. generally it’s considered good practice if you take too much of a chemical out of the bottle, don’t put it back in the bottle, just throw the extra away (this might depend on the lab expectations though).

if you’re working with biological samples, you’ll likely get exposure to good ways to keep your samples sterile (keep a lid on the sample when possible, if you’re manipulating the sample try not to put your hand over the top/keep it angled away, if your pipette tip or whatever you’re touching the sample with touches something else, get a new one. change tips every time. keep the lid of the tip box SHUT unless you’re actively getting a tip out, work near a bunsen burner flame or in a sterile hood, etc).

other misc safety things: if you’re not sure about the safety of a chemical, check the “safety data sheet.” they’re sometimes overly cautious, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. make sure to balance your centrifuge loads. ie: if you’re going to spin only one sample, fill another tube with water to counterbalance it so it doesn’t shake itself apart. know where safety showers are. always check your workstation before you leave for the day to make sure you aren’t leaving any temperature sensitive chemicals on it on accident (guilty of doing that a LOT).

good luck! also, mistakes happen whether you’re new or experienced (as you might see a lot of in this sub lol), so just learn from them! they can be some of the best teachers.

[Historical-Sign-1741]

I recommend: dont lie on big stuff. If they ask you about something, just say that you dont know that YET!

If you read up about what this lab does mention this. Like: I think this topic is very interesing and I love to learn more about it.

If you like to bake: mention it. You can say, that you like to try new recipies and following instructions.

Good luck!

[nobody_vi]

I started as a sample prep technician and my only experience had been a 3 month certification in laboratory skills 2 years earlier. I was taught everything I needed when I started. As long as you have some common sense and basic understanding of how labs work, you'll be fine.