Attract the best candidates with Biospace Job Postings. Post a Job in minutes and find top life science candidates. 
March 17, 2014
Here are three ways to make sure you don’t overlook great candidates in your recruiting process.
By Angela Rose for BioSpace.com
We’ve all heard the old saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Yet, that is exactly what hiring managers and recruiters usually try to do. With most resumes and applications submitted digitally these days, much of the hiring process has become mechanical and impersonal—focused on eliminating as many candidates as possible based on their cover (i.e. experience) before any real pages are turned.
Unfortunately, it’s a dangerous way to do business—leading those in charge of hiring decisions to reject candidates arbitrarily and miss out on applicants who have the potential to become some of the best scientists, research assistants, and c-suite executives in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. For example, if a young Albert Einstein were to apply for a position today, any manager might disqualify him for not learning to read until he was seven, being expelled from one school, and being refused admittance to another. Yet, he’s a Nobel Prize winner who changed the world’s understanding of physics.
If you’d like to reduce your chances of missing an Einstein, Darwin, Newton, or great biostatistician because you’ve failed to look past a somewhat lackluster resume to discover the true potential of the individual behind it, consider the following candidate screening principles inspired by George Ander’s book, “The Rare Find: Spotting Exceptional Talent Before Everyone Else.”
1. Compromise to broaden your candidate pool.
A cell biologist may need to meet certain educational requirements in order to facilitate the drug discovery process. However, does he really need a PhD? Your last clinical trial manager may have had a decade of biopharma experience, but isn’t it possible for a less seasoned professional to excel in the role as well? If a resume stands out to you—the candidate’s way with words, obvious scientific passion, or unique ancillary skills, for example—take the time to evaluate further.
2. Examine your career and those of your peers.
While inventorying the skills needed to perform the duties of a position (i.e. senior scientist) is an important step when writing a job description, your screening process should involve more than a checklist. Take a look at your own career. What was your background? What skills did you learn on the job? What paths brought the other workers in your organization to where they are today? You’re likely to find that you know plenty of professionals who once lacked skills that have since become requirements. They’ve excelled nonetheless, and it’s possible the candidate you’re considering can do so as well.
3. Offer candidates the chance to audition.
Don’t rely on a digital resume and an in-person interview when making a hiring decision—audition candidates as well. Some professionals look great on paper. Others interview exceedingly well. Neither of these characteristics guarantee they’ll be better at the actual job in question than the applicant whose background doesn’t quite look as you’d expected your new hire’s experience would. Put your top choices into the lab, behind a desk, or on the manufacturing floor, and see how they perform in a real life situation.
Whether you’re a hiring manager or a recruiter, you want to hire the best candidate for the job. To do this most effectively, you must stop rejecting promising candidates due to technicalities. Remember the three principles described above and judge every book by its story, not its cover.
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.
Related Biotech Employer/Recruitment Articles
* 5 Keys to Capturing Top Talent
* Employment Offers Candidates Can’t Refuse
* Recruiting Analytics: How Do You Measure Up?