Interviewing at Putnam Associates can be an intimidating experience. As a top strategy consulting firm focused on the life sciences industry, they look for the best and brightest candidates who can solve complex problems for their pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device clients.
To help you prepare for the big day, I’ve compiled a list of the top 10 most common Putnam interview questions along with tips on how to craft winning answers. With the right preparation, you can walk into that interview room feeling confident and ready to land the job!
1. “Walk me through your resume”
This is one of the most frequently asked opening questions in any interview, so make sure you’re ready to deliver a smooth overview of your background and qualifications tailored to Putnam’s needs.
Structure your answer chronologically, highlighting relevant experiences, skills, and achievements. Emphasize aspects such as:
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Internships, work experience, or academic projects related to strategy consulting, pharmaceuticals, biotech, etc.
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Leadership experience that shows your ability to manage teams and projects
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Analytical skills and problem-solving capabilities
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Data analysis skills using Excel, R, Python, etc.
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Communication and presentation abilities
Conclude by explaining why you are interested in Putnam specifically and how your background makes you a great fit for the role. Keep your answer concise – about 2 minutes is ideal.
2. “Why do you want to work at Putnam Associates?”
Putnam wants to know you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in them specifically. Mention a few key reasons such as:
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Your interest in healthcare and life sciences consulting
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The firm’s meritocratic culture and emphasis on learning
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Putnam’s specialty in the pharma/biotech space and their expertise and innovative solutions
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The opportunity to work with industry leaders on meaningful projects
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Their commitment to professional development of associates
Back up your reasons with specific, credible facts and statistics about the firm. Show your motivation to start your career there and grow professionally.
3. “How would you approach creating a new strategy for a pharmaceutical client?”
Putnam wants problem-solvers who can develop strategic solutions tailored to client needs. Outline a systematic approach focused on:
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Understanding the client’s current business model, goals, challenges, and market position through research
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Analyzing their product portfolio, financials, strengths/weaknesses (SWOT analysis)
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Researching market dynamics, industry trends, regulations, and competitors
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Identifying strategic focus areas/opportunities based on findings
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Developing data-driven strategic recommendations to drive growth, profitability, and competitive advantage
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Collaborating with client team to gain alignment on strategy
Emphasize using analytics, insights, and industry expertise to create an innovative, customized strategy. Share examples if you have relevant experience.
4. “How do you stay up-to-date on pharmaceutical industry trends?”
Demonstrate your proactive learning mindset and genuine interest in the field. Ways to stay current include:
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Reading industry publications and journals
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Attending conferences and seminars
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Leveraging sites like Pharma Intelligence and Pharma Manufacturing
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Building network in the industry and engaging on forums like LinkedIn
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Following key developments from FDA/regulatory agencies
Highlight how staying informed helps you provide better insights and strategic counsel to clients. Share an example of how your knowledge has already benefited your work.
5. “Walk me through how you would solve this case.”
Case interviews are a critical part of the Putnam process. When tackling the case:
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Actively listen and ask clarifying questions to understand the full scope
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Think through your approach logically; speak your thoughts aloud
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Structure your response using a framework like MECE or the Pyramid Principle
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Analyze potential options and use data to back your recommendations
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Be collaborative and engage the interviewer, asking for their thoughts
If you get stuck, don’t panic. Think aloud to work through the issues. Show your thought process and creativity. With practice cases, you can master case interviewing.
6. “How would you go about estimating the market potential for a new cancer therapy?”
Market sizing questions are very common at Putnam. Take a structured approach:
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Ask probing questions to clarify the product specifications, target market, etc.
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Define your framework for the market model (e.g. total addressable market, served available market, etc)
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Identify the relevant factors needed for the estimation
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Estimate numbers for each component, explaining your assumptions
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Perform quick calculations to come up with a ballpark market range
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Clearly explain your methodology and be ready to discuss limitations
The interviewer wants to see your analytical thinking. Don’t worry about getting the “right” answer – your thought process is what matters.
7. “Tell me about a time you successfully influenced a team.”
Putnam wants leaders who can motivate others towards a shared goal. Pick an example that demonstrates key skills like:
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Effective communication – outlining benefits of your idea and actively listening to input
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Persuasion – using data, logic, and tailored messaging to gain buy-in
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Inspiring and rallying your team around a common vision
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Leveraging each member’s strengths to maximize team success
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Celebrating wins and keeping the team motivated throughout challenges
Discuss your specific methods, emphasizing your ability to gain alignment in an diplomatic way. Quantify the results you achieved.
8. “Describe a time you handled a difficult situation with a client.”
Putnam associates work closely with clients, so they need stellar relationship management skills. Share an example highlighting:
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Your ability to deeply understand the client’s needs and goals
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How you approached resolving the situation – e.g. active listening, conflict resolution tactics, solution-focused mindset.
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How you arrived at a mutually beneficial solution and strengthened the relationship long-term
Focus on the interpersonal skills used and business impact. Show how you “saved the client relationship” through maturity and professionalism.
9. “Why should we hire you over other candidates?”
This is your chance to recap your top strengths and achievements. Tailor your response based on the role, but be sure to emphasize:
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Your strong work ethic and passion for consulting
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Relevant past experiences and capabilities
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Quick analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
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Proven leadership and communication abilities
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Deep expertise in life sciences/pharma industry
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Cultural fit – your teamwork, integrity, curiosity for learning
Back up your statements with specific examples. Close by reiterating your interest and fit. The right confidence can help you stand out.
10. “Do you have any questions for me?”
Always prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest in the firm and role. Some options:
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“How do you see this role evolving in the next few years at Putnam?”
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“What types of training and professional development opportunities are offered?”
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“What are the biggest challenges facing your pharmaceutical clients right now?”
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“What attributes make someone successful at Putnam long-term?”
Avoid questions answered on their website or ones about salary or benefits prematurely. Listen closely to gain insights for your decision process.
With preparation and practice, you can tackle any question thrown your way in the Putnam interview. Use these tips to craft strong, tailored responses that impress the interviewers. Sell your skills and stand out from the competition, and you’ll be on your way to launching an amazing career at this top consulting firm!
Putnam InvestmentsAsset Management
Based on the Interview Insights at this company, the Interview Experience is a score between 1 star (very bad) and 5 stars (very good).
The number in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the mean of all these scores. If you move your mouse over the different parts of the doughnut, you’ll see exactly how each score was calculated.
The title percentile score is based on an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates that is applied to the whole Company Database. This is done to account for companies that don’t have many interview insights. For easy explanation, when a business gets more reviews, the belief in its “true score” grows. This makes it move closer to its own simple average and away from the overall average of the dataset. 3. 8.
Based on the Interview Insights at this company, the Interview Difficulty is a score that goes from “very difficult” (red) to “very easy” (green).
The number in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the mean of all these scores. The higher the number, the more difficult the interviews on average. This doughnut has different parts that, when you move your mouse over them, show you the 20% breakdown of each score given.
The title percentile score is based on an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates that is applied to the whole Company Database. This is done to account for companies that don’t have many interview insights. That is, as a business learns more, it becomes more sure of a “true score,” which moves it closer to its own simple average and away from the overall average of the data set. 3. 1.
Based on reviews at this company, the 20% of interns getting full-time offers chart is meant to give you a good idea of how the company hires people.
The number in the middle of the doughnut pie chart is the mean of all these scores. This doughnut has different parts that, when you move your mouse over them, show you the 20% breakdown of each score given.
It uses an adjusted score based on Bayesian Estimates to account for companies that don’t have many reviews, which is how the percentile score in the title is found. To put it simply, when a business gets more reviews, the “true score” becomes more likely to be accurate. This makes it move closer to the simple company average and away from the average of all the data. 35%.
How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions Sample Answers
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