5 reasons to consider a life sciences recruitment career

1.    A chance to make a difference

It’s no secret that one of the principle things that drives us is the desire to be happy and fulfilled in the workplace. According to OfficeVibe, a staggering 88% of employees admit that they don’t have a passion for their work. The chance to work in recruitment gives you an opportunity to pursue an engaging and worthwhile career, one that leaves you feeling satisfied at the end of the day.

 Working with pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients to recruit the finest talent is an excellent way to contribute to the development of new drugs and treatments that will be used to help hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. It’s a chance to use your qualifications, skills and expertise to really make an impact within one of the most successful and important industries in the world. Every exceptional candidate you place at these leading, global companies will bring them a step closer to providing the world with life-saving medicines. You’ll be safe in the knowledge that every day is an opportunity to make a difference.

2.    Dealing with people who care

If you are coming from a previous job in recruitment, one of the first things you will notice is the high calibre of professionals you will be working with. Clients will range from global pharmaceutical giants, innovative biotechnology companies and leading contract research organisations (CROs).

Similarly, you will be placing some of the best candidates in the industry into important, high-level positions. These include medical director, clinical project manager and senior manager of regulatory affairs jobs.

Professionalism and good industry knowledge will be required to engage successfully with clients and candidates within this industry.

3.    An alternative to white coats and laboratories

Many will have completed undergraduate, masters and PhDs in various life science areas, yet a substantial proportion won’t know what to do with their qualifications after graduation. Many studies have shown that, more often than not, graduates are likely to pursue a career that is not directly related to their degree.

In the life sciences industry, this may be because some do not wish to work in a laboratory or pharmacy setting and instead are better suited to a more people-facing career. If this is the case, life science recruiter jobs can offer the perfect balance. On the one hand, you will be using your degree on a daily basis, and on the other, you will be working in a dynamic, client-focused role.

4.    A different approach

Leading on from the previous point, several life sciences graduates may not fully understand how the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and other life sciences sectors operate. When it comes to choosing a career after they graduate, a lack of knowledge about what paths they can take may be very restrictive on their choices.

 Recruitment consultant jobs will give you the chance to get to know the industry inside out. You will learn how clinical trials work, what processes are needed to bring a drug from scientific development to market; you will learn about regulatory bodies and the role of quality control. Most importantly, you will learn what it takes to become a successful candidate within each life science vertical. Understanding what pharma companies are driven by and what sort of people they want to hire can really help when it comes to your future career development. Indeed, many life sciences recruitment consultants may go on to be a professional within industry

5.    Use your existing knowledge and experience

If you have spent time working within the life sciences industry and have decided you want a change, your existing knowledge and experience will give you a head start in the life science recruitment industry, and the direct experience would help you to build rapport more easily with candidates and clients alike. Equally, if you have previous recruitment experience, you can further hone your skills and apply your expertise to make important placements and build strong relationships with clients and candidates. If you have an industry background as well as recruitment experience, you would be in a particularly strong position.