went through the abbvie recruiter phone screen last month for a product manager role in their commercial technology division. wanted to document what it's actually like because the generic advice doesn't really cover the pharma-specific angle.
the screen was 30 minutes via teams. the recruiter was warm but clearly working through a checklist. here's roughly what got covered:
logistical / screening questions: current location and openness to north chicago (they have a big campus in north chicago IL, some hybrid roles require 3 days on-site) visa status / sponsorship needs (they do sponsor H1B but the recruiter was upfront that the process takes time) compensation expectations. they asked for a number pretty early. i gave a range. availability / notice period
background questions: walk me through your resume, focusing on the last 2-3 roles why abbvie specifically (they really do ask this. have a real answer ready, not just "great company.") what kind of work you're looking for, function vs. level brief question about experience in regulated industries or working with cross-functional teams
what they didn't ask: any technical questions, any deep behavioral questions, case scenarios. the recruiter specifically said deeper questions come in the hiring manager screen.
what i'd do differently: i stumbled a bit on the "why abbvie" question. i knew i should have an answer but underestimated how specifically they'd probe it. they pushed: "beyond the portfolio of products, what specifically about our commercial technology work interests you?" so go one layer deeper than the company mission.
also just practically: the call dropped once and they called back without any fuss. have a quiet room anyway.
timeline: screen was on a tuesday, heard back from them on friday to schedule the hiring manager call. so about 3 days.