Here are our top ten tips for getting you one of the excellent pharmaceutical company jobs that are available.
Tip Number One
Look very carefully at what an employer is asking for in the requirements for the vacancy. Many candidates fail to consider what is actually required and their resumes do not properly highlight the skills and experience that would otherwise qualify them for the job.
Use your resume to best effect when it comes to demonstrating why you are the suitable candidate for the position.
Tip Number Two
When you use a web service which provides information on company vacancies, avoid using general recruiting websites as these do not carry enough information on what tend to be quite specialized and responsible positions.
When you are looking at pharmaceutical positions you need to use a web resource which has experience and credibility within the employer community which in turn reflects well upon you as a candidate.
Tip Number Three
Avoid agencies and web sites which charge employers for their services. The reasoning is simple; if an employer is paying for the service you are being offered, you can be assured that most employers are not going to have their vacancies listed with that service because they will choose not to pay for listing. In short, you will have only restricted access to a restricted section of the jobs available on the market.
Tip Number Four
Ensure that you control your resume. Resumes are a powerful tool when it comes to putting you forward to the best advantage with an employer. Too often, agencies and web services simply render your resume anonymous so you cannot be identified and it is mass marketed along with many others to potential employers, many who will not have requested this.
You must control who gets to see your resume and under what circumstances and if a recruiter or web service does not have transparent and stringent resume security policies, simply avoid using them.
Tip Number Five
The international dimension in pharmaceuticals does not necessarily mean you need to stay at home to get a great job in the industry. Virtually every pharmaceutical company has overseas operations which are significant or if within the US, are subsidiaries of overseas parent companies.
Looking to develop your career overseas will be supported by your existing employer or a new one as overseas experience is highly valued within the industry and with many employers it is a prerequisite for senior promotion and responsibility.
Tip Number Six
Do not pay advance placement fees or administration commissions or any form of payment for placing you with a company in a certain position. Employers are the party who pay recruiting agencies a commission if they employ a candidate referred to them and not you.
Any agency or site which demands money to place you with a potential employer should be avoided.
Tip Number Seven
Develop a competitive advantage by using web sites and vacancy databases which charge a fee to access them. Note this is not the same as charging you to be placed in a job or with an employer; you are paying to access and use a service.
The reason for doing this is simple; remember tip two, if a web site charges an employer to advertise then you get a restricted selection of vacancies whereas if there are no barriers to the employer listing their vacancies you get a wider selection of possible jobs.
More than this, if there is even a nominal charge to individual users then the vast majority will not pay – this leaves you as one of the relatively small number of job seekers using a comprehensive database which improves your chances of being selected for the position.
Tip Number Eight
Be daring!
Pharmaceutical companies require a wide range of skills and experience and provide the opportunities to develop your career in completely different directions than normally expected.
If you find your career has hit a glass ceiling, then consider working within the industry but in a different capacity using your existing experience.
For instance, pharmaceutical sales is an extremely well paid job but many candidates do not seriously consider this. Yet for those who do, success is within reach.
Tip Number Nine
If you are determined to develop your career with an overseas assignment then consider that as an American you do not have an automatic right to live and work in another country. This will be determined by their immigration and employment laws. If you are performing an internal transfer then your employer will be able to handle the immigration and visa aspects of the matter. However, if you are looking for a position as an external candidate then you should check whether you qualify for a visa before you apply.
Tip Number Ten
Be positive and be professional.
The pharmaceutical industry is at the cutting edge of technology and research. It requires people who can think clearly and are prepared to push themselves. You do not wish to come across as arrogant but on the other hand, there is nothing to be lost in demonstrating your focus and flair.
