It’s not unusual for it to take unemployed biopharma professionals awhile to land new jobs. Three experts discuss when employment gaps are an issue and how to explain them to prospective employers.
Just because the biopharma job market remains challenging for many doesn’t mean lengthy employment gaps are widely accepted. A year or longer is typically too long, according to three experts.
Eric Celidonio, founder and managing partner of Sci.bio Recruiting, told BioSpace if someone has been unemployed for more than 12 months, which he considers a red flag, he wants to hear a good reason why. He said circumstances such as serious health issues, whether physical or mental, are understandable.
An employment gap beyond one year also gets the attention of Enrique Martinez, senior manager of human resources and operations at iBio, a San Diego–based biotech. He told BioSpace he asks candidates who’ve been out of work that long to walk him through what they did during that period of unemployment.
“The reason I ask is to better understand how candidates stay engaged professionally, keep their scientific or industry knowledge current—that’s for me the most important—and maintain the momentum during the gap,” Martinez said.
Employers view prolonged gaps differently now than they once did, according to Julie Heneghan, president and founder of The Steely Group, a national life sciences recruiting firm.
“I would say in the last two years, they used to be more forgiving, where now if somebody’s been out of work for a year, that really gives a hiring manager or someone in talent acquisition pause,” she told BioSpace.
Not all gaps are equal
Lengthy periods of unemployment are more reasonable for people in some areas of biopharma than others, according to Celidonio. For example, he said, if someone works in a hot segment such as clinical operations and there are big gaps, that’s a real concern.
On the other hand, Celidonio noted, a biopharma professional in the commercial space will have longer periods of unemployment because of how that segment has unfolded. He explained that there are fewer commercial employees now because companies are marketing drugs in ways other than relying on salesforces, such as using medical affairs staff to influence physicians.
Research professionals will also have longer employment gaps, according to Celidonio, who attributed it to how biopharmas operate. He explained that companies are more interested in developing assets that they’ve in-licensed or that were predeveloped. Longer gaps could also be more the norm for manufacturing professionals due to automation, Celidonio added.
Other reasons for prolonged employment gaps include being a caregiver, relocating, taking a more selective approach to job searches and being let go, according to Celidonio and Martinez. Celidonio said candidates most commonly cite layoffs as the cause.
Whatever the reason, Celidonio noted that biopharma professionals who have gaps on their resume, even if they’re explainable, often pale in comparison to those who don’t when competing for positions. Recruiters tend to look at blemishes first, he explained, when reviewing large numbers of job applications.
“I want to give everyone a fair shake, but because of the sheer volume, you’re going to be looking at things with a critical eye, and that means that people who have experience that includes gaps are just not going to be as strong,” Celidonio said.
As to how lengthy employment gaps affect hiring at Martinez’s company, he said they make up about 10% of his decision. He said he’s more focused on people’s skills, knowledge, abilities and experience so he can help iBio find the best candidates for jobs.
The story behind the gap
When explaining long employment gaps during interviews, Celidonio recommended biopharma professionals tell their story confidently and matter of factly. He also advised that if a company laid them off, they talk about it with humility rather than blaming the company or being defensive.
If a health issue caused a long unemployment gap, Celidonio said biopharma professionals don’t have to specify that and could cite a personal reason instead. If they do wish to share their health challenge, Celidonio said they shouldn’t dwell on it for too long.
“I think it’s one of those things where be careful you don’t share too much, but you should share enough so that people know that you had a health struggle and that you’re ready to go back in and can work full time without any interruptions or ongoing issues,” he said.
Like Celidonio, Martinez noted the importance of preparing a clear and confident narrative around long employment gaps. He also recommended biopharma professionals focus on their ability to do the position they’re interviewing for, leveraging their past performance and accomplishments during the discussion.
“I can do the work, and I’m going to show you can I do the work,” he said of the mindset during the interview. “Just give me the opportunity.”
All of that said, Celidonio said it’s best to avoid gaps in the first place if possible. For example, he said, if biopharma professionals are concerned their companies might let them go, they could preemptively market themselves so they land somewhere else before cuts happen.
Those who are let go can shorten employment gaps by taking jobs they’re overqualified for if those positions are more quickly attained than ones at their previous level of experience. Heneghan gave an example of a clinical operations leader who, rather than be unemployed for eight to 12 months after getting laid off, accepted an individual-contributor role.
“Their perspective was, ‘I’d rather stay current and visible in the industry than explain a prolonged gap later,’” Heneghan said.
