Technical Development Program Weekend

Sunday, November 18 – Monday, November 19, 2007

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of TDPWeekend?

The purpose of the weekend is to provide Edwards Lifesciences TDP engineering candidates(that’s you), with an opportunity to meet and interact with Edwards employees, leadership, and engineers, on bothan informal and formal basis. These interactions and meetings will serve to provide both you and Edwards an opportunity to make a better selection decision rather than relying on a single interview. You will have a significant number of opportunities to learn more about Edwards, as well as to ask questions and gather information about the working environment, the TDP program,directly from Edwards’ team members.

What is theschedule for the weekend?

Several activities have been planned for you over the two day period. You can expect to be busy starting Sunday, November 18th at 10:00 am through Monday, November 19th at 4:30pm. On Sunday, November19th between 9:30 am and 10:00 am, if you have not already, you should check in at theSurf and Sand Hotel inLaguna Beach, California(see link for map, address and general directions). We will then provide transportation to and from Edwards Lifesciences in Irvine, CA. Sunday will be filled with fun activities designed for you and several Edwards employees to interact with and get to know each other.

Dinner will be hosted at the Surf and Sand Hotel from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm where you will be joined by members of the Edwards’leadership and interview team. After dinner Sunday evening, you are free to relax in preparation for a busy Monday.

Monday, November 19th, starting at 7:00 am, you will spend the day at Edwards Lifesciences’ headquarters in Irvine. Breakfast will be hosted, followed by a series of tours and interviews. A wrap-up session will be held in the afternoon, and our activities will conclude no later than 4:30 pm. All traveling candidates will have transportation arranged for them to return to the airport. It is likely that you will be departing on a “red eye” flight due to the timing of the day.

What is the format of the interviews?

You will participate in four formal interviews on Monday, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Interviewers will represent a broad cross-section of the Edwards management team, including engineering leadership and professionals from R&D, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Affairs, Human Resources and other areas.

Similar to the format of the on-campus interview you participated in with an Edwards representative, you will be asked questions which often require you to relate back a specific situation. Describe the situation. What did you do? What were the outcomes? etc. Please refer to specific situations whenever possible. Using broad generalities is not recommended. If, at any time, you feel that you would like some time to think about your response, please feel free to ask. Silence in an interview can be uncomfortable at times, but we encourage you to take your time to think of specific situations before you respond. Interviewers will probably take notes so that they can remember your comments and responses at a later time.

How many people are invited to participate?

Up to 30 candidates are invited and approximately 40 Edwards leaders and professionals from a large cross-section of the organization will participate throughout the various activities over the two day period.

Which Universities did you recruit from?

Over 130 candidates were interviewed from some of the top engineering programs in the U.S. We conducted campus interviews atCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity at San Luis Obispo,Duke University, Georgia Institute of Technology, PurdueUniversity, StanfordUniversity, University of California at Irvine, University of California at Los Angeles, and University of California at San Diego. We also interviewed several candidates via our “virtual university” on Edwards.com for students interested in the TDP program but do not attend any of our target universities.

Will I have a chance to ask questions?

Yes. Throughout the day on Sunday, you will have many opportunities, both formally and informally, to ask questions of the Edwards team members. We have a few presentations and discussions scheduled about Edwardsto provide additional information. Also, on Monday, there will be additional opportunities to ask questions about Edwards during the facility tours and breaks, lunch, and between interviews. Since the interviews themselves are short and are designed for Edwards to learn more about you, time for questions during the interviews is limited. However, questions are certainly welcome as time permits. Try to ask as many questions during the time provided. You will have plenty of chances!

Where will I stay?

Edwards will provide hotel accommodations for each candidate at the beautiful Surf and Sand Hotel, 1555 South Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, California, 949.497.4477. Hotel room, tax, and parking will be paid for by Edwards, and you will be provided with your own room. You will need to bring a major credit card for incidental charges (such as phone calls or other hotel charges),and your credit card is required for check-in. Please plan on arriving at the hotel between 9:00 and 9:45 am on Sunday, November 18th. You will have to place your luggage in “holding” with the hotel since room check-in will not be available until later that afternoon. If you have any special requirements regarding overnight accommodations, please contact Raquel Gomez as soon as possible. We’re sorry, but guests are not permitted for this event.

What about food?

No worries here… All meals have been plannedand are included in this two-day program. If you have any special dietary requirements, please contact Raquel if you have not already done so.

If you are flying into OrangeCounty on Saturday, please note that you will be reimbursed for your meals according to our expensing guidelines. An expense report form is on the TDP Weekend website and a hardcopy with a return envelope will be provided to you prior to your departure on Monday.

All other food, beverage, phone calls, incidental expenses incurredduring your stay at the hotel will be billed directly to you.

What about transportation?

If you live in the Southern California area, you are requested to drive to the Surf and Sand Hotel in Laguna Beach ( Please keep track of your round-trip mileage as you will be reimbursed. If you are unable to drive or encounter transportation issues, please contact Raquel immediately.

If you are coming from outsideofSouthern California, we will make your flight reservations as well as arrange ground transportation to/from the hotel, Edwards’ facility, and the return to the airport.

When will I be reimbursed?

Please completeyour expense report by December 3, 2007. It will take approximately 10 -15 days to process and mail your check. Mileage is reimbursed at .485 cents per mile. Please save all receipts and attach them to your expense report as they are required for payment.

What should I wear?

Edwards Lifesciences has a business casual work environment. Formal business suits are not the daily norm. However, certain business situations require more formal attire, and our employees determine what they will wear as they see fit. So, what does business casual mean? For men and women, it typically means casual to “nice” pants (like khakis or similar – no shorts or jeans), button down or “polo” type shirts for men and a blouse/sweater for women, and leather shoes. Sometimes a sweater or light jacket is appropriate, and the weather in November(especially by the beach) can be somewhat chilly in the evening.

So, it’s up to you… Sunday morning through 4 pmis definitely “business casual” attire. You may consider changing Sunday evening for dinner into something that’s warmer as we will be inside/outside for the first hour. Historically, on Monday, most candidates have worn business suits. It’s likely that none of the Edwards interview team will be wearing anything close to a suit or a tie!

What happens after TDP weekend?

After the interviews have concluded on Monday afternoon, we will hold a brief wrap up session before you leave. Immediately following your departure, all of the interviewers will spend several hours together discussing the interactions they had with each candidate. After this debrief session is complete, we will determinewho will receive an offer of employment. It is our goal to make this decision in a timely manner and to extend the offers of employment to selected candidates no later than November 21, 2007. We are also committed to contacting candidates who were not selected in a timely manner, via email.

In December, you will receive an email with a link to a web-based survey. This survey is designed for you to provide your opinion on the Edwards interviewing process, the logistics of the TDP weekend, and to request your comments about your thoughts and impressions of the overall experience. We hope that you will provide your honest opinion so that we can consistently make our recruiting process the best for both Edwards and for our candidates.

What should I bring?

In addition to your personal belongings, you should bring a major credit card. Even though Edwards is directly paying for the hotel room, tax and parking, you will need a credit card to check-in at the hotel and for incidental expenses. Lastly, and most importantly, bring a fun, team-oriented attitude and any questions you may have about Edwards.

Who should I contact if I have any questions?
If I need to contact someone over the TDP weekend and no one is at Edwards, what should I do?

Your primary contact is Raquel Gomezand she can be reached at or (949) 250-3472.

If you require assistance over TDP weekend, you can contact Raquel at (714) 393-8236 or Jenn Hughes at (949) 230-0288.