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May 19, 2014
Check out these challenges life science recruiters face.
By Angela Rose for BioSpace.com
To say that the recession was hard on the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals industries would be an understatement. Thousands of jobs were lost, with overall employment down 1.4 percent from 2007 to 2010 according to a report from the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Fortunately, prospects are looking up. Jobs in pharmaceuticals, research, biotechnology, and medical device manufacturing are once again increasing. Some experts predict they will reach 97 percent of their historical peak this year.
As the general economy improves and the need for skilled biopharma professionals surges, employers are discovering that sourcing and retaining quality workers is becoming increasingly difficult. Consider the following challenges we’ve identified as primary staffing challenges for biotech and pharma organizations.
1. Connecting with quality biotech and pharma job seekers.
The role of a computational biologist may be extremely complex, but it’s still essential to explain it in simple terms when posting the position online. Avoid industry jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, and internal terminology that will mean little to a professional outside your organization and only serve to obscure the details busy candidates are looking for—such as job title, basic duties, education and experience requirements, schedule, and location.
2. Landing the best biotech and pharma candidates.
Of course, finding top quality job seekers doesn’t guarantee you’ll successfully recruit them. According to ERE.net, an online recruiting community, a speedy hiring process is essential if employers wish to remain competitive. While it’s still necessary to exercise due diligence whether you’re evaluating a senior scientist or a sales representative, failing to do so in a timely manner may mean losing out on top talent.
All biopharma companies—from small to large—have the ability to reduce time to hire. Suggestions include being specific in your job postings, using applicant tracking software for the initial screening of resumes, consolidating first-round interviews, and utilizing a professional background check service.
3. Retaining the best biotech and pharma employees.
As the economy improves, opportunities multiply—especially for professionals who are already excelling in their chosen field. This will lead to a minimum 25 percent growth in turnover across all industries—including biopharma—according to ERE.net. Biotech and pharmaceutical employers are likely to experience an increase in staffing turnover as a result—unless they take steps to boost employee retention.
Fortunately, there are many ways to do so. These include creating career development opportunities (such as continuing education, cross training and mentoring) as well as offering competitive pay and benefits packages. While such employee retention incentives do carry costs, they are significantly less over time than the expense of replacing staff members. According to a Society for Human Resource Management study, turnover carries a price tag of six to nine months’ salary per worker on average.
About the Author
Angela Rose researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends, and workplace issues for BioSpace.com.
Attract the best candidates with Biospace Job Postings. Post a Job in minutes and find top life science candidates.
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