Stryker Interview Questions.

It's always hard to know what to expect when going in for that interview -- and preparation can make all the difference. What is the interview process like at Stryker?

Any advice on striking the right note?

I have an interview coming up with Stryker and I am wondering the same thing. Do you have any tips for the phone interview?

I was interviewed by a HR "professional" who was the most unprofessional telephone interviewer I've ever encountered. Be even more prepared for the interview than you would ordinarily expect to be. See if you can find out what the corp. culture is in the location near you. After my interview, I coincidentally learned more about Stryker. In my case, learning about Stryker employee morale, and a general consensus of how many hours employees actually work was important. Add that to the fact that the same job I applied for periodically reappears at this company.

Once you pass the HR phone interview you will be given a chance to speak with the hiring manager. If you pass that hurdle, you will be granted a "life patterns/themes" interview that is performed by the Gallup organization (same people as the Gallup poll). The life themes interview really is their (Stryker's) clearing house for candidates. If you pass that, then you will be considered a "good fit" for the organization and will be offered an onsite interview. If you don't pass, don't take it too hard - most don't. The questions such as "are you willing to put the company first?" can be tough to answer honestly. Make your choice as to how honest with yourself you are willing to be upfront. The goal is to look for best fit between company and candidate. If you are not honest with yourself then it will come through the life themes interview. If you are honest with yourself and you’re considered a “good fit” then you will most likely be successful at the company.

Thank you very much for your response. I just finished my phone interview and that was strange and quick. The interviewer was fast and to the point, so its hard to know how well I did. I have never heard of the life themes test, so thank you for that information.

I have an phone nterview also coming up with stryker, kind of working my nerves up after i have been reading comments on here. What sorts of questions do they ask you?

Good luck with your interview. I'm not sure which position you are trying for so the questions would be different. I was trying for sales and so the questions were based around my sales skills and my personality a little bit. They ask about your current role and why you want to work at Stryker which I 'm sure they will ask everyone.

Good luck!

Ok so I had my interview yesterday with one of Strkykers HR. Really wierd experience. The lady was so straight forward and to the point. I had to answers my question really fast. I couldnt ask the question twice. Yes, It was definelty a hard interview and I am supposed to be finding out today how I did.

You sound like me after I finished my interview. She was so quick and to the point I felt I had to rush my answers and give blunt answers. I thought the interview questions were strange because none of the questions asked about accomplishments or situations. They were more yes/no type questions.

I hope you did better than I did b/c I did not make it to the next step. The way I see it, it is their loss b/c by using these terrible questions they never knew anything new about me besides what was on my resume.

I dont think I did well either, They really dont reflect on your past experience or on your educational background. That was so ridiculous all the questions where all about your personality. I mean they can find someone with the personality there are looking for and have no experience whatsoever and still hire them. That is so ridiculous! Even if I pass the first part of the interview, I really dont know wheater i am going to even go the the next level of the interview process. If the phone interview part is that hard what more the face to face one.I also heard that theres three parts to getting hired, How Insane. What the heck are they looking for exactly. This is a really extensive process they put people through, i surely hope the pay is decent money.

Working for Stryker is not worth the effort, aggrivation and humiliation you must endure to get into the door. I worked there for a few months as a contractor and walked out before the assignment was up because I did not appreciate the way the full timers acted like babies and treated all others with disdain. The reason why the same jobs keep popping up is that either no one wants to work for such an anal retentive company or that they cant find more of the "Right" sort of people. If I didnt know better I would think Hitlers son was CEO.

Wondering how many of you over the age of 40 made it through the interview? The questions seem to try and judge ones age, at least for the engineering side.

its profiling, and most big companies are heading that way. they have worked with gallup to profile their most successful employees, and they hire new employees that have similar profiles. many positions keep popping open because yes, you work your rear off and some people can't hack it, and yes because if you can hack it you move up quickly. its a growth company, if you are good it doesn't take long to be offered a vertical move. look at the company's track record, they succeed in most everything they do. they hire employees that are the same.

I just had a phone interview the other day and was completely put off at the manner the interview was administered. The questions were absolutely ridiculous, for example "Do you like people?". The HR recruiter would interrupt me in mid-sentence; and I was on speakerphone which made it difficult to hear because of an "echo" effect. After the interview, I was angry and actually felt violated at being psycho-analyzed. I also was left second guessing myself on whether I was a competent individual. I was actually insulted by the whole process. I got a rejection email rather quickly because I believe I insulted the HR Recruiter by stating I would like an opportunity to share examples of my work, such as an interview guide. Yes, I actually said that and it didn't register until the next day. I am actually laughing about the whole thing now. In the end, I do not want to work for a company that has no respect for people.

Sample Interview Question:

"Would you rather stick with the plan, or go with the flow?"

Alrighty then .......

Wow, I sent my resume to this company for a position that seems to have been open forever and after reading opinions on here I hope they never call me back!!

jocelyn in Apex, North Carolina said: I have an interview coming up with Stryker and I am wondering the same thing. Do you have any tips for the phone interview?

How long after the interview do they usually call?? Robert Raleigh, nc

Well I was told when I had my phone interview that I would be recieving a call from H.R to let me know if I moved on to the next part of the interwiew. Well I didnt recieve a call or e-mail for 2 weeks so figured I didn't get it. I finally got an email from them saying I didn't get the position. After 2 weeks though! LOL

Well I knew very quickly because I was going through a headhunter who works with them a lot. I better knowing that others felt the same way after the interview. I wish you luck if this is what you want to do.

Man you guys are all a bunch of babies. Stop making excuses for your inability to handle a difficlut interview. The reason Stryker interviews the way they do is because they want people with the same personality who are competitive, creative and hard workers. Not people who would whine about a difficult situation. You can teach anyone the technical facets of a product, but not everyone can sell. These tests help them know if you are worth their time. Im glad you guys are quiting, makes me getting a job with them even easier!

Don't waste your time even applying. This company is a horrible place to work for, a political nightmare. Very cliqish and very unprofessional. Their pre-employment stuff is a joke bordering on discrimination. Don't waste youe email time.

I am scheduling the Gallup interview in the next couple of days, does anyone else have some examples of questions that were asked during the interview?

Example Gallup questions:
What is the difference between teamwork and a results-oriented team?
How honest are you on scale of 1-5?
Do you have certain core beliefs? What are they?
Are you better at leading others or being part of a team?

What is the next step after you do well on the Gallup? Did any of you get a job?

Thanks

I got Gallup setup tomorrow. If someone can post more sample questions and possible answers, it would be great. Thanks.

The Gallup "tests" are entirely not fair at all. I will leave it at that.

What is most important to you?
Work, People, or Ethics?

WTF....

I feel like I want to expose this stuff to the media. It's a lose-lose situation

Just took it...pretty bad, boring and long. There was no point to this.

Do you like to work?? What the hell does that mean?

Well, Brian in Akron, how did your initial interview go? Did you pass through to the next stage? This is no easy task, but you sound arrogant enough to just maybe make it through.

Take it from an inside source, Stryker is not so much looking for the person who can make the grade as the one who will toe the line. While they are interested in hardworking, competitive people, they are not interested in creativity. The profiling is established to weed out the "rogue" element. If you are interested in bringing a fresh perspective to the organization, forget it. If you are okay with being molded into Stryker’s narrow view of what an employee should be, you will do fine here. These are the reasons why Stryker does not focus on past experience.

Dont let these guys freak you out about the Gallup. The only reason they are complaining is because they most likely failed it and are ticked about it. I have taken it twice, and passed it twice. It is very simple. Just know yourself, answer quickly and directly and be yourself. If you dont fit a profile then you wont pass. And in reality that is a good thing. If you dont fit a certain company and personailty profile, then you wouldnt want to work for then anyway, as you wouldnt fit in. Dont take it personally, just look elsewhere. Good luck

Hey Not Me, in MI.
Yeah I guess I can be a bit arrogant, but arrogance and competitiveness are attribute sometimes needed in sales, though I try to leave them behind after work. Define inside source, as I have my own. I have several very good friends who work for Stryker and honestly their experience has not emulated what you expressed. My interviews have gone great, I had a great ride along, and am waiting to hear about a final interview hopeufully. I know from my past experiences in sales, that a company like Stryker, as big as they are as with the yearly growth they hae experienced, they really need certain people who share common traits. If you have abunch of people out there doing different things, your business gets impossible to manage. As for the creativity you mentioned, to be honest while I am an honest person, and not a brain dead sheep-ple, I just want a secure and stable job with a respected company that I can be happy with the proucts I am selling, and provide for myself and my family. If I wanted total freedom, I would start my own med supply company. Trust me, I work for a very small rep firm now, and enjoy complete freedom of experesion and creativity. However I make no money, and the future doesnt look so bright.
So if I am arrogant, or brain dead, or a lemming, thats fine I guess...I know Im not. When it comes to work, it is just that. I'll get behind my job 1000% and do what I need to do for the company. Ill leave creativity to my personal life.
Best of luck to you.

Brian in Akron,

I am the inside source. In my line of work (not sales), creativity is essential. A desire for a creative mind is what the company representatives expressed to me during the on-site interview. Unfortunately, it was only after I had been in the position for several months that I was informed they wanted me to do things the way they had always done them (for reference, my tenure is now measured in terms of years). As for stable and secure, Stryker is about as good as they get. As for the respectable part, Stryker tends to be rather lackluster in the eyes of the other local industries.

Arrogance tends to be a common thread amongst us Stryker people. Dose up on it, because you’ll need it.

Best wishes.

Not me,
When I first started the interview process with Stryker my personal "inside guys" told me that you'll need to be very agressive...sometimes that comes off as arrogance. I balance my arrogance with my loyalty. I work hard for my company, I do whatever I need to. That can be seen as arrogance sometimes and so be it.
As for lackluster, I know that among my family members in the medical industry Stryker is a very respectable name, so from the viewpoint of my territory I'm not worried about it. Couple their history, and products with my ability to sell and most importantly build lasting and meaningful business/person relationships, I know we'll continue to "kick butt" here in NE Ohio. Man, suddenly this sounds like an interview.
So to clarify, as your last post was a bit confusing, you are still employed by Stryker, however not in sales?
Brian

... you are still employed by Stryker, however not in sales?
Brian

Correct on both counts and don't mean to confuse. As for reputation, Stryker is by far the best with respect to providing solid, high quality and innovative products to the industry. My comment was relative to the organization as a place to work. This is the area they struggle with. It results in the loss of a lot of very qualified individuals, and a rock solid, cutting edge workforce is the heart of a successful organization. So, while Stryker will, in all likelihood, continue their track record of success, I cannot help but feel they are missing out on so much more due to their narrow minded focus on what, or who, is right.

... you are still employed by Stryker, however not in sales?
Brian

Correct on both counts and don't mean to confuse. As for reputation, Stryker is by far the best with respect to providing solid, high quality and innovative products to the industry. My comment was relative to the organization as a place to work. This is the area they struggle with. It results in the loss of a lot of very qualified individuals, and a rock solid, cutting edge workforce is the heart of a successful organization. So, while Stryker will, in all likelihood, continue their track record of success, I cannot help but feel they are missing out on so much more due to their narrow minded focus on what, or who, is right for the organization.

I see your point and that is a fair comment!
Brian

So Brian In Akron:

I guess I am one of those losers that couldn't cut it at Styker because I didn't get a call back after the interview.

Problem is, as an engineer, I have always been rated tops by my supervisors, very innovative and agressive. I also ran my own company, and it was quite successful while it was in business. I've always stood out as an engineer.

So I was suprised I didn't make it through phase one.

I felt uneasy about the questions... none of them had anything to do with my field. Little to do with indepdent thinking. Gave me a funny feeling they where trying to determine my age, by the way I thought. Had an attorney look at the questions (I had a list the recruiter provided) and his first reaction is they where trying to determine age, but hide the fact they where doing that.

That much being said, I suspect what they want in marketing is far different then in a engineer. I don't like what happened, I think it was their loss, but to some degree I understand. They want cookie cutter engineers, that basically are drones, and that won't rock the boat or question marketing. To ingrain the Styker "culture" into them, if you will. This is tough with us old guys.

I thought about filling a EEOC suite against the, but felt my time was better spent growing my second start-up company.

Hey John,
Sorry man...no I didnt mean to make you feel like a loser. Just seems like in todays day and age, when people cant accomplish something they blame someone else. Pet peave of mine, sorry!
Good luck.
Brian

I am close to receiving an offer in a senior professional position (NOT in sales), but have no insiders to provide me with candid advice on the company. I have a family that is important, but I also really work hard and at the same time like to be valued. I like an environment where people work well together and don't back stab. Can someone advise?

not me in the West in Reno, Nevada said: I am close to receiving an offer in a senior professional position (NOT in sales), but have no insiders to provide me with candid advice on the company. I have a family that is important, but I also really work hard and at the same time like to be valued. I like an environment where people work well together and don't back stab. Can someone advise?

I have been throught the Gallup Leadership Profile and one onsite. I am being back in for another onsite with mention of a third. Is this normal, and when can I anticipate knowing what to expect. At this point I am interviewing them as much as they me. Also, how much negotiating in what is provided in an offer can I expect if one is made?

Brian in Akron in Akron, Ohio said: Hey John,
Sorry man...no I didnt mean to make you feel like a loser. Just seems like in todays day and age, when people cant accomplish something they blame someone else. Pet peave of mine, sorry!
Good luck.
Brian

Brian:

Reading comprehension man, reading comprehension. I didn't say you made me feel like a loser, I said you called people like me a loser.

There is a difference between inner self confidence and the outward going bird strutting stuff you say Styker seems to look for. If I was the bird strutter, I would have simply blamed Styrker, and not myself, with no questions asked. I didn't. I had a professional review the test questions. This was for my own self evaluation. He felt it was a carefully crafted test to identify age, and more to the point, fail those applicants.

Enjoy your stay at Styrker as you certainly seem to have high turnover in engineering.

I had a phone interview today. When or how do we know if we are selected for the next round of interview ( the Gallup one)

Thanks.
Rob.

After my Gallup interview, I never heard about the result. When I contacted back they said another department may be interested but the one I applied for. So wait for couple weeks.

I assume this means I failed Gallup.

Reaction in Edison, New Jersey said: After my Gallup interview, I never heard about the result. When I contacted back they said another department may be interested but the one I applied for. So wait for couple weeks.

I assume this means I failed Gallup.

Good luck with your results on that.. However how long after your initial HR phone interview did they inform you that you would be having a Gallup interview?

Thanks,
Rob

I had two phone interviews before Gallup. I was informed in two days after second one that I have to do Gallup.

Brady, you're absolutely right about the attitude of the people at Stryker! A friend of mine works there and he says that, since they try to get people with the same "leadership" attitude through this Gallup psichological profiling method, what you get instead is a bunch of dominant, manipulative and insulting people trying to step over each other's decisions and judgement. It's like a side effect of the Gallup. People also work extremely hard and some barely have a life because of the unrealistic goals their bosses set forth...and for the extremely poor pay that they get, it's totally not worth it! My friend asked me if I wanted him to get the resume to Stryker and I said: "don't even DARE to give it to them!" And YES, the interview questions are idiotic...ridiculous. A friend of mine, after being interviewed, joked around asking: "Is this a professional interview or a Cosmopolitan Magazine Quiz"? This friend of mine was absolutely brilliant and got rejected. Another friend of mine got rejected as well, but she is right now at a better position, earning $25,000 more than Stryker would have offered her, and having a great time in Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, which is at approximately 15 minutes from Stryker.

Don't take it personally if you "fail" a Gallup interview. It simply means you're most likely not a fit for Stryker, and has nothing to do with your personal ability.
I had my initial interview at a hiring conference, after which I was the top candidate out of 12 people. I have consistently been ranked #1 amongst my peers in my current job, have received performance rewards and high accolades from all of my superiors, and have a proven, documented track record of producing results and building teams.
And I "failed" Stryker's gallup.
Sure, a small part of me is bitter, as any failure will cause one to be. But ultimately I'm thankful they conducted it...saves alot of heartache and pain later when I'm miserable working there.

finally heard back from Stryker. They basically said NO.

Here is the story for the people with interest. After Gallup, they made me wait for a week. Since I didn't hear anything back, I contacted back. They said that I seem to be more suitable in R&D than Operations, and that I should wait another week for R&D managers to reply. So even after another week I didn't hear anything back, I called Stryker. They said R&D is not interested and there are other candidates lined up for Operations position.

Overall, I don't know whether I passes Gallup or not but bottom line is they don't have a place for me.

All I was told after the Gallup was "Thank you for the wonderful conversation however we will not be proceeding any further at this time" It made me wonder if my Gallup told them I was some kind of Psycho! It was so weird not knowing why I didn't "pass". The Gallup wasn't that bad, I know I could have answered some of the questions differently, but all in all it was an interesting interviewing experience. I just wish I knew what the results said about me, then again...maybe I don't want to know!

I'm waiting to go through my gallup phone interview. Thanks for the brilliant insight guys. The way I am I think this will be a walk in the park....

Don't be too worried. The interview lasted about 90 minutes for me and it was rapid fire. I ended up successfully passing on to the next stage though. Probably best counsel would be to be yourself and see what happens. Good luck. BTW, I have met a number of Stryker people and they were all very nice-contrary to what some of the posts say !