Career Advice
Scientists who focus only on generating data risk missing their role in shaping strategy and driving innovation.
Leadership
In September last year, a group of concerned stockholders raised alarm about Vaxart’s proposed reverse stock split, which the biotech was pushing for despite strong opposition from shareholders.
Career Pathing
The number of biotech and pharma professionals taking jobs they’re overqualified for is now over 50%, based on a BioSpace LinkedIn poll. A recruiting firm executive discusses the trend, the reasons behind it and why it doesn’t have to derail careers.
Amidst rising layoffs in key biotech hubs, global demand for specialized life sciences talent is driving a more borderless, distributed model of scientific work.
As AI reshapes deeply specialized scientific work, R&D professionals must learn to navigate the shift to a skills-centered market. The key is knowing which skills to develop and how to leverage AI as scientific modalities evolve, technologies advance and regulatory complexity increases.
Best of Career Coach
Plus, tips on applying to multiple jobs at the same company, making new work friends, and how to ask for more time at the offer stage.
JOB SEARCH STRATEGY
Recruiters can play a significant role in biopharma professionals getting hired, especially in an employer-driven job market. However, when working with them, candidates need to avoid making six key mistakes, from waiting too long to ask for help to prematurely contacting hiring companies.
Employees are reassessing, leaders are celebrating data that should make them nervous and job seekers are absorbing a narrative that doesn’t match their reality. Executive coach Angela Justice discusses how each of these groups are affected when the job market thaws.
Biopharma professionals need to understand today’s job market and how they can stand out to position themselves for success. Three talent acquisition and recruiting experts discussed these topics in a BioSpace webinar, from the importance of contract work to the value of an advocate.
RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS
While you should never rely solely on AI tools when applying for jobs, they can greatly benefit the application process. Recruiting expert Bryan Blair discusses how using large language models can set you apart from the competition and includes a prompt framework to get you started.
Biopharma professionals aren’t typically hired right away, based on a BioSpace LinkedIn poll. In the past year, only about one-third of respondents found employment in three months or less. Several who did share their keys to success.
Some companies’ preferences for people who already have industry experience and the tough job market are among the hurdles those just starting out in biopharma must navigate, two recruitment experts told BioSpace.
INTERVIEWS
Over one-third of BioSpace LinkedIn poll respondents have done free work while interviewing for jobs. A recruiting expert and career coach discuss why employers make work requests and how biopharma professionals should evaluate and respond to them.
In a competitive job market, how applicants present themselves in interviews is critical. Asking about promotions and expressing dislike for the work they’d be doing are just a few reasons hiring managers don’t extend job offers.
Biopharma professionals have become increasingly likely to be dishonest when interviewing for jobs, based on BioSpace interviews with three talent acquisition experts. The experts discuss the reasons why as well as the types of fraud happening, including people posing as applicants.
With leaner teams and tighter budgets, senior leaders can face tremendous strain as they juggle increased workloads and leadership responsibilities. In this column, Kaye/Bassman’s Michael Pietrack discusses how pressure builds and what can ease it.
This webinar provides a clear-eyed assessment of current hiring conditions across biopharma, exploring which roles and skills are in demand, where opportunities are emerging, and how hiring practices are evolving.
If workloads aren’t adjusted as needed, the company’s priorities are already compromised. Executive coach Angela Justice explores what happens when goals move forward without removing unnecessary work and what to do about it.
At some point in your research career, you may find yourself transitioning from academia to industry or vice versa. To best set yourself up for success, adapt your approach to the specific scientific culture where you work.
Venture funds attending the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference said mounting funding pressures and Chinese competition have sharpened their focus on leadership qualities, from regulatory expertise and industry experience to the ability to scale—or step aside—as companies mature.
Clarity on employment terms is essential to protect careers. In this column, Kaye/Bassman’s Michael Pietrack speaks to employment attorney Howard Matalon, JD, partner at OlenderFeldman, on how to evaluate the fine print of an employment agreement.
Join us in this discussion on how you can optimize your chances of landing a new role despite a highly competitive job market.
MORE ADVICE
Looking for a new opportunity in New Jersey? These nine companies have open roles that could be a great fit for you.
The difference between a job and a career is what you walk away with when it ends. Here’s how to evaluate if your role and environment are enabling capability building–and if your title is holding you back.
Communication must be viewed as more than the last step of the research process. It is the structure that makes scientific work clear, trusted and remembered.
What should you do when belief in the mission remains, but the career path doesn’t?
Employees rarely leave companies for one reason alone. In this column, Kaye/Bassman’s Michael Pietrack shares a framework that helps leaders identify when their team members are thinking about heading for the exit—and how to address it.
In a volatile industry, staying put might seem like a smart bet, but job hugging can quietly erode your visibility, growth and future opportunities.
Transparency doesn’t drive people away. It attracts the right ones and keeps them committed. Leadership coach Angela Justice discusses the problem with leaders only selling the upside and the value of setting accurate expectations from the start.
Media coverage can help biopharma executives connect with, inform and inspire the public. In this column, Kaye/Bassman’s Michael Pietrack and three communications experts share how to make the most of these opportunities.
BioSpace data show biopharma professionals faced increased competition for fewer employment opportunities during the second quarter of 2025, with increased pressure from further layoffs.