Beyond the Job Title: Mastering the Pharma Job Market with Kristiaan Rawlings

RealPharma: Conversations with Pharma Pathfinders

This episode discusses the biopharmaceutical job market and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores the state of the job market, including layoffs and hiring trends in the industry. The conversation also delves into the role of recruiters in the life sciences industry and provides insights into their day-to-day activities.

Additionally, it offers advice for candidates on how to approach working with recruiters and highlights the importance of building long-term relationships. The episode concludes with a discussion on the impact of technology on job applications. In this conversation, Kristiaan discusses the current hot areas in the industry, including GLP-1s, dermatology, neurology, ophthalmology, and respiratory. He also talks about the trend of title deflation and how candidates should focus on the responsibilities and long-term opportunities rather than just the title. Kristiaan provides insights into compensation trends, including base salaries, bonuses, and long-term incentives.

He also addresses the topic of work onsite vs. remote and how companies are expecting employees to be onsite two to three times a week. Finally, he shares advice on charting your path and being willing to do what others won't to achieve your goals.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Biopharmaceutical Job Market

02:05 - State of the Job Market and Layoffs in the Biopharmaceutical Industry

03:31 - The Impact of the Great Resignation on the Pharmaceutical Industry

06:07 - The Influence of Disease Areas on Hiring Trends

08:30 - The Commercial Space in the Biopharmaceutical Industry

12:55 - A Day in the Life of a Life Sciences Recruiter

19:33 - Different Approaches and Business Models of Recruiters

24:51 - How Candidates Should Approach Working with Recruiters

27:49 - Building Long-Term Relationships with Recruiters

32:00 - Success Stories of Candidates Who Overcame Challenges

37:13 - The Impact of Technology on Job Applications

43:48 - Hot Areas in the Industry

48:23 - Title Deflation

57:26 - Compensation Trends

01:02:33 - Work Onsite vs. Remote

01:09:01 - Charting Your Path

Resources

• Kristiaan Rawlings LinkedIn
• EPM Scientific
• Biopharma Layoff Tracker 2023
• BioSpace: How to Prepare for Your Biopharma Job Search