In a competitive job market, how applicants present themselves in interviews is critical. Asking about promotions and expressing dislike for the work they’d be doing are just a few reasons hiring managers don’t extend job offers.
Saying the wrong thing in interviews has more downsides than just second-guessing responses or feeling embarrassed. It can also keep biopharma professionals from getting coveted job offers.
To learn what candidates say that makes hiring managers not hire them, BioSpace collected feedback from managers as well as talent acquisition and recruiting experts and dove into a related Reddit thread. In some cases, it turned out that what applicants said wasn’t the only reason they missed the mark. What they didn’t say also proved critical.
1. They’re In It for the Money
Money is a prime reason many biopharma professionals pursue jobs, as noted in a career planning survey late last year that informed the BioSpace 2026 U.S. Life Sciences Employment Outlook report. When asked what was motivating them to look for a new position, the No. 2 response was “I want more money” (53%).
That said, talking about money during a job interview can be costly. One hiring manager BioSpace surveyed this month shared that they didn’t hire a candidate because “When asked why they were interested in the role, they answered ‘I’m just doing this for the money.’”
2. They Ask About Advancement
Career development is critical to biopharma professionals, according to the career planning survey. Asked what was motivating them to look for a new job, the No. 1 answer was “I want more growth opportunities” (67%).
However, inquiring about career development during interviews doesn’t sit well with every hiring manager. One commented in this month’s BioSpace survey that they tend to raise their eyebrows when applicants want to know when they’ll be promoted. Similarly, in the Reddit thread, a commenter wrote that “I’ve had candidates literally tell us they considered the job they were interviewing for a stepping stone and that they planned to move on after a short stint.”
3. They Don’t Address the Hiring Managers’ Needs
The biggest mistake applicants make is discussing their experience without connecting it to what the hiring manager needs to solve, according to Bryan Blair, vice president of biotech and pharma recruiting at GQR Global Markets.
“The candidates who get offers do something different: they study the company’s pipeline, understand what stage the organization is at, and frame every answer around ‘here’s the specific challenge you’re facing, and here’s how my experience maps to solving it,” he told BioSpace in a written response.
Leslie Loveless, CEO and managing partner of Slone Partners, a life sciences and healthcare executive and fractional talent search firm, had a similar observation. She told BioSpace in a written response that the best candidates tailor their conversations to the employer’s priorities and clearly articulate how their skills and results translate to solutions for the company.
4. They Avoid Self-Reflection
Candidates don’t always want to talk honestly about their challenges or missteps, according to Eric Celidonio, founder and managing partner of biopharma recruiting firm Sci.bio Recruiting. He told BioSpace in a written response that while candidates come in with their highlight reels, hiring managers are seeking humility and an understanding of how applicants deal with failure and pressure, learn from mistakes and take ownership when things don’t go perfectly.
“It’s really important for candidates to sound out real examples of where they went wrong and areas of development,” Celidonio advised. “That kind of self-awareness builds trust quickly. When candidates stick only to polished success stories, they often come across as less sincere and authentic, especially in leadership or highly specialized roles.”
5. Their Experience Is Way Off Target
When candidates don’t have direct experience in an area highlighted in a job description, a common piece of advice is to talk about their transferable skills. However, not all skills transfer. For example, in the Reddit thread, one person wrote, “The guy came into the interview with a Hawaiian shirt and his animal research experience was diy catching wild raccoons and releasing them.”
Another Reddit commenter shared that when asked about their experience with mentorship, a leadership candidate’s example was they offered advice to someone in an Instagram comment.
6. They Didn’t Do Their Homework
In the BioSpace survey this month, one hiring manager expressed frustration with applicants not researching the company before interviewing. They uncover that issue when they ask, “So once you found out about this role and decided to apply did you get a chance to do any research on the brand/drug?”
“The amount of people who don’t even do the basic level research on the brand they are applying for is staggering,” the hiring manager wrote. “I just had an MSL candidate who didn’t even read the PI ahead of the interview. The answer to that one question tells a lot about the candidate. If you’re not going to put in the effort now (even basic) how can I trust your gonna do it in the actual role.”
7. They Like Doing Things Their Way
For one of this month’s BioSpace survey participants, a job candidate’s approach to work, which they described as a “maverick mindset,” was an issue. The applicant told the hiring manager they have their own way of doing things, like to improvise and like thinking outside the box when executing tasks.
“Creativity can be a wonderful thing, especially when solving problems and improving processes,” the survey participant wrote. “However, this mindset can be problematic on a highly regulated production floor, where precision and adherence to an established process are critical. I want someone who understands the need to dig into and successfully execute a production process as written before seeking to change it.”
8. They Dislike the Work They’d Be Doing
Sometimes, biopharma professionals interview for jobs they’re not crazy about—and they don’t always keep their dislike for the work to themselves.
For example, one Reddit commenter wrote that an applicant said “I hate pipetting” for a job that would mostly involve pipetting. Another noted that a candidate for a lab-based senior research associate job said he didn’t want to be in a lab.
Sometimes, It’s What They Do, Not What They Say
It’s worth noting that it’s not always what job candidates say that keeps them from getting the job. Sometimes, it’s about what they do, noted Laura Helmick, founder and managing partner of LHB Clinical, a life sciences recruiting firm. She told BioSpace in a written response that hiring managers have told her they didn’t move forward with candidates for reasons including not making eye contact or fidgeting on video, rocking in an office chair, pausing too long to answer a question, rambling and vaping.
Vaping popped up in the Reddit thread as well, with a commenter noting an applicant vaped on camera multiple times during an interview.
“Didn’t even attempt to hide it,” they wrote. “I’m a super chill person but if you can’t go 30 min without a puff in a professional setting, you’re probably not ready for this job.”
