Managing the Move from Academia to Industry and Beyond

Whether looking to find that first role fresh out of school or considering a career journey long term, success is a function of leveraging your strengths, growing additional capabilities while understanding how best to navigate the uncertainties of the professional world. Given the rapid pace of biomedical research, disruptive technological trends and national/international economic uncertainties, historical precedent for success becomes less of a guide. Regardless, qualifications, skills, experience, and attitude continue to be strong determinants of professional achievement.

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As individuals look to break into the workforce or consider their next role down the road, it is quite easy to become overly focused on that next step. Obviously, this is an important transition, but I always challenge individuals that I mentor to consider their choices based on longer term considerations. A professional journey is rarely one of linear progression and thinking about it that way could preclude some incredible opportunities along the way. Speaking from personal experience, my career has been full of unexpected roles (usually at highly inconvenient times) and I was fortunate enough to say yes when logic (and advice I was receiving) would have suggested playing it safe and saying no. A couple of those ‘out of left field’ assignments were perhaps the most formative of my career.

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So I ask my mentees the following questions: If we were to consider you 10-15-20 years into the future, what story would you want to be able to tell about the impact you have made, the opportunities that you have taken on and the learning that has occurred along the way? How does that high level vision, that ‘north star’ factor into decisions you make about career steps? Do those choices enable or hinder that goal?

Similarly, I see many individuals tempted to jump around from role to role and recent times have accelerated that mindset. While at times, those transitions are necessitated by industry turbulence, and/or life considerations, I do pose the question to individuals as to whether they have achieved sufficient learning, let alone mastery in their current assignment. Rather than focusing on time in their current job, I ask individuals to share with me whether they have created true impact and whether that impact will be sustainable when they move onto a new role. Your ability to speak to sustained impact from your work speaks louder than any set of activities.

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The First Step

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There is significant uncertainty in the job environment at present and that in turn is making it harder for individuals to find the role that best suits them. The biotech/start-up scene tends to have a cycle of 3-4 years from initiation to outcomes where success or failure significantly impacts longer-term prospects with those organizations. Similarly, larger organizations go through innovation peaks and valleys and those business cycles, while potentially longer in duration, will impact strategy and hiring considerations. Few companies have found a way to consistently hit a peak and continue to grow year on year though several are running that experiment as we speak.

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One trend that individuals will encounter is the difference in hiring approaches (transactional versus strategic) across organizations and sometimes even within distinct groups in the same company. These different hiring approaches tend to emphasize certain elements in an applicant’s background and knowing how a particular organization thinks about hiring can prepare candidates accordingly. Leveraging informational interviews with individuals in those organizations or knowing individuals who have interviewed with those teams can provide crucial insights in the job hunt.

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Transactional Hiring

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Transactional hiring refers to the process of recruiting and hiring employees in a transactional manner, often with a focus on filling immediate job vacancies or meeting short-term organizational needs. In this approach, the emphasis is on quickly identifying candidates who possess the necessary skills and qualifications to perform specific job tasks. The focus is characterized by emphasis on job-specific skills, limited long term planning and minimal emphasis on cultural fit. In general, the preferred candidate is one that can hit the ground running with minimal additional training.

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Transactional job roles tend to be most heavily leveraged by smaller organizations, groups with considerable flux in their business model or in those cases where a short-term infusion of talent/emphasis are seen as necessary to advance broader organizational agendas. These roles, while unlikely to translate directly to long term career prospects, can be useful elements in establishing job experience – something that is a gap for newly graduated students. Within larger organizations, these types of assignments may be leveraged to ease short term staffing or capability crunches but can also be leveraged as short-term assignments within the context of broader development approaches.

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Strategic Hiring

Strategic hiring refers to an approach to talent acquisition that aligns with an organization's overall business strategy and long-term goals. This approach goes beyond simply filling immediate job vacancies and involves a more thoughtful and initiative-taking process of identifying, attracting, and retaining talent that contributes to the success of the organization. Emphasis is placed on alignment with business goals, having a long-term workforce plan, and creating a talent/succession pipeline. While there is a focus on skillsets, equal if not more emphasis is placed on growth potential, cultural fit, adaptability and consideration around employee development and retention. Organizations with these approaches are more open to onboarding talent with a view towards sustained training and development.

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This approach tends to be leveraged by larger organizations and those with longer term business horizons. Organizations with these approaches tend to take a broader view of talent, both in hiring and development. In these cases, curiosity, learning agility, and positive attitude towards change are weighed in addition to core technical skills and experiences. Under the right circumstances, individuals can begin to map out over time how they develop new capabilities and experiences in the context of an overall career objective.

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What Makes an Individual Well Suited for A Role?

Determining whether a person is especially suited for a specific role involves considering a combination of skills, qualifications, experiences, and personal attributes. Relevant education and training and technical proficiency are clearly major factors. In those cases where organizations are looking for experienced individuals, candidates having experience in similar roles or industries are given preference. Simple put, experience provides practical knowledge, an understanding of that industry and gives one the ability to navigate challenges specific to a role.

However, other factors weigh into consideration such as problem-solving abilities, effective communication skills, demonstrated adaptability and learning agility. The ability to work in a team-based environment is a given in most situations, especially if individuals can contribute positively to the group dynamic. Leadership qualities even in the absence of formal management roles are important given that traits such as initiative, decision-making ability, and the capacity to motivate others can oftentimes separate one candidate from the rest of the applicant pool.

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Finally, passion and motivation and cultural fit with a team can be final factors in the decision-making process. Individuals tend to thrive in those environments that closely align with their interests and show strong commitment to both the work and the team. Ability to align with values, mission and working style of an organization makes individuals even more effective and net positive for their team.

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Becoming the Preferred Candidate

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At the end of the day, your goal is to convince the hiring manager or interview team that you are the best candidate for the job. In a sense, you are convincing them to invest in you as opposed to many other capable individuals. Doing so requires a degree of homework, strategy, and being able to position yourself effectively. During the interview process, you will be evaluated on your qualifications, skills, experience and how well you present yourself in those discussions.

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Do Your Homework

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Researching the organization ahead of time to learn about the company’s values, culture and goals is critical. It demonstrates your genuine interest, allows you to speak about how your background and motivation aligns with their mission and in turn allows you to ask more educated questions. Individuals who do their homework tend to receive extra consideration from interviewers.

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Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Tailor your resume so that you highlight relevant skills and experiences that make you a strong fit for a role. Your narrative, whether in a cover letter or in the resume, should reflect your best case as to why you are an impressive candidate for the opportunity. Note where and how you have used collaborations with colleagues, mentors, and industry professionals to help shape your perspective and desired career trajectory. If possible, note how these interactions have provided insights and valuable opportunities.

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Give strong examples of critical thinking skills with especial attention to team goals in addition to personal accomplishments. Speak to a willingness to adapt and learn in response to evolving technologies and industry trends. Where appropriate, give concrete examples of how you have navigated change and embraced continuous learning. Demonstrate how you have used the acquisition of new skills, taking on leadership responsibilities or gaining further expertise in given areas to further your professional growth.

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Provide a coherent narrative that illustrates how the combination of technical skills, practical experiences and personal growth have contributed to your journey. Tie that narrative to your long-term career goals while maintaining an open mind about the possibilities ahead.

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Prepare for interviews and ensure that you keep a professional online presence. Make sure that your social media content reflects the image you wish prospective employers to see. Send a thank-you email after interviews to demonstrate your appreciation and reiterate your interest in the role.

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No Experience – What to Do?

While opportunities do exist for individuals starting out, from a practical perspective, you need to realize that you will be competing with individuals having similar training and pre-workforce experiences but also possessing professional job experience(s). Even in those cases where a job post indicates “Experience Not Required” or “Experience Not Required but Preferred,” you can be certain that many applicants with experience will apply for that opportunity. It is highly likely that those experienced individuals will receive first attention.

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You can counterbalance that gap by detailing how practical experiences gained through internships, projects, or entry-level positions have built specific technical skills and contributed to a deeper understanding of the field. Consider whether you can leverage those entry-level roles for longer term advantage. Examples being joining a contract research organization (CRO) preparing you for clinical roles in larger firms and the same for product development in contract manufacturing firms. Firsthand experience demonstrates an ability to turn your training into practice and shows that you have a good work ethic. Sometimes, you must just take the first step, even if that step is not your ultimate goal. Getting started on the journey and using those experiences to learn and grow could be part of your plan.

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References and Referrals

References and referrals can be useful, sometimes essential, elements of the job hunt but I advise individuals to leverage this approach carefully. Too often, I see candidates seeking the most prestigious individuals to provide references as opposed to focusing on individuals who know them best. A perfunctory “so and so” was a productive student (or colleague) from a more senior individual carries less weight than a well informed and insightful reference from less senior individuals. Similarly, referrals should be used in those situations where the individual has good knowledge of you and can speak to your abilities. The first two questions I ask when I receive a referral from someone is “How do you know them?” and “What can you tell me about them.” It is a bit awkward in those situations when it becomes clear that the referring party has little to no knowledge of the person. Remember, you are asking that person to put their personal judgment/reputation on the line when you ask for a referral.

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Keep in mind that the job market is competitive, and there are often multiple qualified candidates. A combination of technical competence, people skills, relevant experiences, and personal qualities contributes to making someone especially suited for a specific role. By highlighting your unique strengths, aligning with the company's values, and presenting yourself professionally, you increase your chances of becoming the preferred candidate.

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Best wishes to everyone.