Complete Guide: How to Search and get the job in Pharma and CRO industry

Almost all Life Science students face the same problem: “How to Search and get the job in Pharma and CRO industry.

In this blog, I will focus on addressing this problem and will guide you about the ultimate solution. I have divided my answer into 7 parts. If you follow these steps to address your problem, I guarantee your success. They are listed below:

1. Awareness about job profiles in the Pharmaceutical and CRO industries
2. Know your interest
3. Identify the weaknesses and strengths
4. Develop the required skills
5. Make connections and update your profile in LinkedIn
6. Resume
7. Proper use of job search portal

1. Awareness about job profiles in the Pharmaceutical and CRO industries:

There is always a big gap between the academic curriculum and what we do in industries.
You must know about all job profiles in the Pharma-market.

And it is not easy to read each and everything about job profiles, but at least you can read about overview. Please read the below blog for primary understanding about various job profiles.

The Best compilation of all job options in Pharmaceutical and CRO industries: Must read for freshers

After reading the above blog, you have to do two things:

• Please google each job profile mentioned in the above blog and read the relevant documents and develop an understanding.

• You can search the job profiles in Job search portals such as Naukri, Monster etc. In this way, you get to know not only about exact job profiles and the nature of work but also the essential requirements of those profiles.

2. Know your interest:

Few people are interested in just making money and they can work in any profile as long as it pays well. On the other hand, few people are passionate about particular work and they do not bother much about whether it pays good or average.

You have to remember one thing: the job profiles, you like, may not be among the highest paying jobs in Pharma and CRO industries and vice versa is also true.

There is also enough possibility that you like the job profile and get good money as well.

I tell you the simple logic: job profiles which require strong technical skills or associated with direct revenue generation for the company, are among the one which pays more. for example Data Scientist, Statistics etc. Forecasting, Market Research analyst etc.

How to know your interest:
It sounds weird that I am asking” how to know your interest”. But Everybody does not know about their interest.
Don’t worry about this because the solution is very simple; just you need to read a lot about different job profiles.

So the first step (Awareness about job profiles in the Pharmaceutical and CRO industries) can solve this problem only thing you need to read a little bit more. Also, you can connect with those individuals who are working in that particular field.

Interests changes over time, it may become deeper for the same profile or you may start liking a different job profile after two-three years of working (even more years). Change in interest may be due to the nature of work or money involved in it.

3. Identify the weaknesses and strengths :

Now you know your interest, so you can evaluate yourself, what is your weakness and strength.

Suppose you like Data science (your interest) but you are poor in analytical thinking (weakness) but you are not zero about programming (strength

Knowing weakness is an opportunity to learn and knowing strength is necessary to have confidence.

This introspection can help you to learn and acquire essential skills for that particular job profile.

Below mentioned skills are quite common and everyone must have those. So while evaluating yourself, consider below two skills set as well.

Communication: The bitter truth, you can not grow without this skill in any profile.  

Basic Excel, Presentation and Microsoft word: This is the second most important thing and come under “essential skills”

Develop the required skills:

Once you know your weakness and strength, you need to work on improving those things which are lacking. You can follow the below suggestions:

1. Talk to your seniors or any connection about your weakness and seek guidance.
2.  There are many youtube tutorials are available, you can follow them
3. You can join the relevant course online or offline
4. Read more and if any suggestion/guidance is needed then:

You can write to us at [email protected]

Note: It is important to mention that many organisation conduct the aptitude test, so it is better to practice them.

4. Make connections and update your profile in LinkedIn 

• I will suggest you make connection quite consciously. You should connect with those individuals more; who are working in your interest area. 
• While sending a connection request, please write the appropriate message. Don’t hesitate to seek guidance.
• Update your profile completely in such a way that it should be all-time ready. Mention your skills properly. You can ask for recommendations.
• The last but important. try to connect with HR personnel

5. Resume Building and Proper use of job search portal

Please follow these two blogs for this segment:

Complete Guide for writing effective Pharma- Resume: Your First Impression

Best Use of Naukari.com for Pharma Jobs