Patient-Centric, Science-Driven Organizations with a Smooth Hiring Process Will Find the Most Success Attracting Top Talent

Given the current talent shortage and a pronounced skills gap in Life Sciences, hiring top talent is a challenge facing many organizations in this sector, especially SMEs. As a long-time Life Sciences recruitment expert, I know that if candidates align with the mission of your company and you engage them with a simplified and smooth hiring process, there’s no reason why you won’t draw top professionals. These are some of the intangibles I want to address in this article.???

Convey your Value to Candidates and Recognize theirs?

One of the most important considerations for candidates in Life Sciences is the company mission and values. What exact science is being explored? What is the research focused on? What is the company culture? How flexible is the working arrangement? Time and time again, patient-centric, science-driven organizations find the most success among top talent. Ensure that candidates understand your mission and value, especially if your organization is an SME without a strongly established brand in the market.??

It is also critical to show top talent how much you value them through making the process as smooth as possible and an appropriate compensation package, as this is ultimately the backbone of any successful offer. Salary and benefits should be reflective of going market rates at minimum, although top talent should attract offers commensurate with their value to the organization. Our 2023 Life Sciences Salary Guide will help you do just that.??

In an environment of competing offers and counteroffers, it is crucial to come out of the gate with an appropriate offer that stands out from the crowd. Companies should make their strongest offer right at the outset. Many times, I’ve seen companies losing candidates by ‘lowballing’ them. Be transparent and pay candidates what they’re worth otherwise they’re eventually going to soon be considering their next role in a company where they think they’ll be more valued. As recruiters, we know how to help both companies and candidates navigate offer negotiations.?

Communicate your Commitment with a Tight Hiring Process?

We have had several instances recruiting for Director or VP levels, where due to the hiring processes taking too long (often multiple rounds of interviews spread over 4 months), the candidates lost interest and accepted offers elsewhere.??

I’d like to reinforce to companies and the clients I work with, that when you’re interviewing candidates, they are also interviewing you. It’s a two-way street. Put your best foot forward and make a good impression with candidates. Just as important is the internal process that surrounds these interviews. Whether your interview process is virtual, in person, or a combination of both, success starts with the hiring process itself. Be up-front about what the process will look like and condense the timeline as much as possible, ideally a maximum of 3 rounds over a short period of time for roles up to Director level.?

We're partnering with a startup working on cancer treatments that is hiring oncology pharma representatives and field clinical representatives all over the country. They’ve had a very fast-paced process, starting with an initial call with the CEO. The next interview is with the VP of Sales, who is the hiring manager, and their final interview is either with a peer in the organization or the VP of Marketing. So, they usually do three separate hour-long interviews with key decision-makers in the business. It’s thorough and quick; the whole process can take two weeks and candidates appreciate how agile and maneuverable the company can be.?

Behind the scenes, if you’re working with a recruitment partner like us at Michael Page, be sure to provide thorough and transparent feedback after every interview and regroup as often as necessary to ensure everyone involved is on the same page. When we work with clients, we nudge them to review the resumes of shortlisted candidates we send them within 1-2 business days; we also ensure to schedule weekly meetings with the hiring managers to ensure we’re moving the hiring process forward.? The clients that are engaged with us the most always yield the most engagement from the candidates.?

If you’d like a more in-depth read on streamlining your hiring process, we elaborate more in this article. Navigating the hiring process is what my team and I do best for many Life Science companies. Our quick turnaround times and exclusive network of star candidates are but a couple of many advantages to partnering with us. If you’d like to have a confidential discussion about your hiring requirements this year, please reach out to me.?