Recruiting Process
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When you submit your resume using our electronic submission process you will be redirected to a screen confirming our receipt of your resume. That means a PPD recruiter has access to your information as part of our database. Your resume will be compared to the criteria for the position you have selected. If you are chosen as a candidate, one of our recruiters will contact you. If there is no current position that is a good fit for your skills, your resume will be retained in our database and matched against other open positions.

If you have applied for a position in the United States or Canada, we keep your resume in our database for six months. If you have applied for a position elsewhere in the world, your resume will be held on file for two years. You can request at any time that your resume be taken out of our database.

If your resume is a good match for an open position, you will be contacted for a preliminary telephone interview within a few weeks. If your skills are not a match for current positions, your resume will be kept in our database. Unfortunately, given the high volume of resumes we receive, we are not able to contact all applicants personally. However, to confirm we have received your application, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to you.

The best way to learn about open positions is to visit our career opportunities page often. Open positions are updated daily. To receive e-mail alerts about positions matching your profile, please go to the Careers landing page, choose your region from the drop-down menus and create an account. PPD also has a comprehensive college recruiting program as well as well-established relationships with top universities.

To apply for open positions, submit your resume using our online submission process.

Your resume will be compared to the criteria for the position you selected. If you are chosen as a candidate, one of our recruiters will contact you. If there is no current position that is a good fit for your skills, your resume will be retained in our database and matched against other open positions.

Please visit the Locations section of the PPD website.

There are several important steps to take in preparation for your interview at PPD:

• Research the company
• Be well rested
• Arrive on site about 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time
• Bring several copies of your resume/curriculum vitae (CV) to distribute, if necessary
• Be prepared to answer questions related to your experience, education, skills, certifications and training
• Think about how accurately your answers to those questions (above) convey your experience and skills
• Make a list of questions you would like to ask about the position, career development or the company
• Relax and be confident. If you are invited to a face-to-face interview at PPD, you are already among the best candidates in your field.
• If interviewing for a vacancy based in the United Kingdom, please ensure you bring along proof that you are eligible to work in the country. Details of what documentation is required will be confirmed with you prior to the interview. For further information, please go to the U.K. Border Agency (UKBA) website at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk

PPD is subject to the local immigration laws for each of our offices across the world. During the recruitment process, you will be contacted by the recruitment and human resources team to ensure that PPD has the information required on your eligibility to work in that country.

Within the U.K., immigration law states that as an employer, PPD must perform a number of checks to ensure all our U.K. employees are eligible to work in the country. All applicants for U.K. positions who have been invited for interview will be asked to bring along proof of this eligibility.

These checks ensure PPD complies with its responsibilities under the Points Based System, introduced in 2008.

As a business sponsor licensed under the system, PPD is eligible to sponsor migrant workers. Those applications will be considered in line with the UKBA guidelines.

We provide an online calendar of our global recruiting events.

If you experience any difficulty with our website while searching for jobs or submitting your resume, please contact the PPD webmaster to report the problem.

PPD welcomes all referrals. You may use the Send This Job to a Friend link on the right-hand side of the position description page. After clicking on the link, you’ll be asked to provide your and your friend’s e-mail addresses. An e-mail from PPD containing a link to our careers section will be sent to your friend; the e-mail will note that you are referring this position to him/her.

You can update your electronic resume on file with PPD at any time through our website. Please keep your login information in a secure place. You can log in to access your profile and update your resume in our database.

You can track the positions for which you have applied using our online database and login information. To confirm we have received your application, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. In addition, the position will be posted in your profile with the notation "submit." If your resume is a good match for an open position, you will be contacted for a preliminary telephone interview within a few weeks. At that point, your recruiter will explain the remainder of the process. If your skills are not a match for a current position, your resume will be kept in our database. You will also notice the position is no longer listed in your profile.

If you have a question that is not addressed in this FAQ, please submit a question to us and we will be happy to respond.

PPD has a preferred supplier list for recruitment agencies and search firms. While we review it periodically, we are not currently considering adding any new suppliers. To ensure that our preferred suppliers and candidates receive the best service possible, our policy determines that we do not accept unsolicited resumes/CVs.

If you would still like to contact PPD about becoming a recruitment partner for permanent staff, please submit your contact details.