How to Be the Best Candidate – Knowing What Sets You Apart

When you are a candidate in the life science industry, being the first choice for a job is a tough spot to achieve, especially when there are a lot of other candidates also vying for the same role. Rather than fretting about what makes the competition tick, we’re here to tell you that the answer lies within you! Recruiters and employers want to know what it is that sets you apart from the crowd, and we’re here to help you figure this out.

Identify What Makes You Unique

The first step in being the best candidate is to know what makes you unique and how to market this in a way that makes you attractive to a prospective employer. First, work out where your core competencies are and how they align with the position specification. Next, define the skills you have that set you apart from the competition and don’t be afraid to tell your future employer what these skills can do for their business.

Many candidates have unique skills, but failing to tell employers about them or make them relevant to the post often means being overlooked for the jobs you are applying for. Be proud of what you have to offer and share it!

Lead With Confidence

When you are keen to achieve a new role, one of the best ways to sell yourself is with confidence. This means developing your own personal brand and selling to employers and recruiters, making them keen to assist you. Having a personal brand doesn’t mean lots of extra work either, it just means that you know what you have to offer, you know what sets you apart from others and are happy to share this information in order to get the job you want.

When it comes to selling yourself, remember that professionalism is the key to success, across all aspects of your life. From ensuring that your social media doesn’t let you down to thinking about the way you dress, everything you do can contribute to your own brand, making future employers eager to be part of your story.

Don’t Forget to Network

Our final piece of advice when it comes to being the best candidate is to remember the power of networking. Many candidates see jobs they want, apply for them, and then hope to be invited to interview. In most cases, an employer has an idea of who they are looking for and what they want. This means that you need to attempt to connect with internal champions while applying so that you can augment your chances of success.

The great thing about networking today is that there are lots of channels you can use! LinkedIn is a great online networking platform and local business events also offer opportunities too. You can even reach out directly to people you professionally admire and ask them to spend time mentoring or coaching you, as you make your way up the ladder but make sure to offer them something in return. What’s great about networking is that there are many executives that are keen to help the next generation, giving you the opportunity to make your mark with the right support.

Stay in First Place with Robust Follow Ups

At GeneCoda®, we work with a lot of employers and candidates, helping to make the right match for job vacancies in the life science industry. One of the things that we recommend is that you follow up after your interview is over to help you stay top of mind. This can be as simple as sending an email to the interviewer to thank them for interviewing you or as robust as adding them to your professional network, if they have agreed.

What’s most important to remember is that a follow up can be the difference between getting the job and being forgotten about, so take the time to do it when you want to be successful! Need more guidance locating your next role? Reach out to the GeneCoda® team today!

Finding the Right Talent Specialist

Finding the best executives and professionals for your life science company is a crucial part of ensuring success, but it can often be a long and difficult process unless you have the right help, especially when the market is changing as the economy slows down.

Many business leads turn to talent acquisition specialists in a bid to get access to the best candidates but fail to check whether they have the skills and track record that proves they are the best person to find the talent you need. Rather than falling into the trap of working with the wrong talent specialist, take a look at our advice and find out how to locate the right recruitment guru for your needs.

Understanding the Art and Science of Recruitment

Art and science are probably not the first topics that spring to mind when thinking about recruitment. However, the way that the best recruiters work can be described as an art form in its own right. Having the ability to really get an understanding of what makes people tick and then be able to use this learning to match the person not just to a specific industry, but to hone it down to the right business is something that many try to do but can’t.

It’s true that rookies can have some success with just diving right in and trying recruitment out, but these individuals do not have the knowledge or skills to back them in the long run. Instead, a trusted recruiter has the training required to be able to look beyond the surface and find people that will excel in the job you need done, to the standard you want. The science behind recruitment suggests that potential candidates will not be interested in recruiters that don’t understand their industry. A lack of knowledge around qualifications, acronyms, or industry specific jargon puts candidates off as they don’t believe the recruiter knows enough to support their career progression.

A perfect combination of art and science working together to solve your business needs. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Know What You Need and Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

So how do you find a recruiter that can do this for you? As with most things, word of mouth is an excellent method for finding a good recruiter. Asking others in the same industry who they have worked with and whether they would recommend them is a great start. You will also want to make sure that the recruiter, or their company, is visible within your industry. If you have never heard of them, or they have no presence, then it’s unlikely they can deliver what you want.

When you have identified potential recruiters it’s important that you communicate what it is you need from them. At GeneCoda®, we value everything you can tell us as a prospective employer and appreciate it when you share exactly what you are looking for as it gives us solid parameters to work within. It also allows us to understand your expectations and ensure we can meet them.

However, if you aren’t sure what you need or what you need always ends up leaving too soon or not performing the way you want then we can still help! We, like other expert recruitment teams, will work with you to understand your business, your values, and goals as well as your vacancies to create compelling narratives that we can match with our pool of qualified candidates.

Learn About Their Recruitment Process

Once you have a good idea about what you want and you’ve narrowed down your choice of recruitment firms, now is a good time to find out more about how they work. Ask them to explain the tools and methods they use for recruitment; what they know about the market you operate in and discuss previous relevant successes they’ve had to get a clear idea of whether they offer what you need.

You should also feel confident about asking for professional references, as these former clients will often tell you more about the company than they can themselves. Ultimately, you are looking for a service that will deliver top quality candidates in short order, so that you can solve your personnel issues with the right person at the right time.

At GeneCoda®, we work hard to provide an exceptional service that delivers value to clients. With years of industry experience behind us and plenty of happy clients ready to recommend us, now is a great time to get in touch and put us to the test! Contact us today to get started.

Alternative Recruitment Strategies: Finding Talent in a Modern Market

Recruitment can feel like a never-ending cycle that just doesn’t produce the results you need, especially if you are in the life science industry, and with 56% of executives saying that hiring is their biggest challenge, it’s time to start looking for new ways to reach the right candidates.

The good news is that there are plenty of great candidates out there to enhance your business – you’ve just got to know how to appeal to them in this modern market. Rather than sticking to traditional, tried, and tested methods, we’ve shared some of the most exciting alternatives you can use to find the talent your company needs – take a look now.

Build a Brand That Appeals to Candidates

Many companies think that when they have a job vacancy all they need to do is advertise and then watch as the applications roll in. However, in this modern world, candidates need to feel an affinity with a company before they are willing to work for them.

Take the opportunity to focus on building your company brand, making it clear to candidates what you stand for and what you value so that they will know who they are going to work for. By building a strong brand, you are more likely to end up with candidates who share your values, making your workplace stronger and happier than ever.

Think About Internal Pipelines

An alternative recruitment strategy that works is investing in the development of your current employees so that you have an internal pipeline that you can use to funnel people into new roles. While this won’t replace the need for external candidates, it will give you the ability to nurture and promote talent that you won’t want to lose to your competitors.

The best employee development programs are ones that put employee needs at the heart of what they do. This means providing opportunities that people will want to engage with and ensuring that you are offering high-quality training that can’t be found elsewhere.

Use Digital Platforms to Your Advantage

Technology is at the heart of most business processes these days, meaning that you should also be using it to your advantage when it comes to recruitment. Social media networking, looking for candidates online, and advertising your brand and opportunities on popular platforms will all help you to find the people you need.

The great thing about mixing up your digital recruitment strategy is that you will reach new audiences as well as lowering the costs of advertising that you are currently spending – ensuring you hire the workforce you need with less stress than ever before.

Online presence when it comes to recruitment has given rise the development of Talent Communities. These are networks of a targeted group of potential candidates that are usually categorized based on their demographic information, academic achievement, job experience, the types of roles they have been interested in and companies they have worked for.

The benefits of developing a Talent Community include ‘top of mind awareness’. By sharing information, blogs, photos, company updates and more, your potential candidates are constantly being reminded about your organization. When they choose to be proactive in looking for a new role, the company that is most prominent in their mind is often the one they will look to first.

Make Diversity a Priority

Inclusivity and diversity are crucial components in successful recruiting, ensuring that your focus is on finding the right candidate rather than doing things the way they have always been done. When you consider that only six companies on the Fortune 500 list had a black CEO in 2022, it’s clear that there is an opportunity for your business to make more progress than ever before when you are willing to look beyond a stereotypical idea of what the right candidate is.

Start by looking beyond the traditional candidates that you typically review and think about hiring from different fields and specialties. You can also look at hiring underrepresented groups or using a non-biased recruiting strategy to make your workplace one that shows that diversity is a strength.

At GeneCoda®, we support many clients with changing their recruiting practices in order to find fresh talent – reach out to find out what we can offer to help you do the same!

The Skills in Most Demand Right Now

It’s a well known fact that many industries are facing a huge skills gap that they are struggling to close and more than 11 million jobs remain unfilled in the US because employers can’t find the skilled workers they need for their vacancies. This means that if you are a candidate looking for employment, you will have a much better chance of success if you have the skills that are in demand. We’ve shared the top skills that employers are looking for so that you can improve your chances of getting your dream job first time around.

Why is the Skills Shortage Such an Issue for Employers?

Having a growing skills gap in an organization means that there is less chance that the company can grow and develop in the way its leaders want and once the gaps are filled, 82% of HR execs state that each worker will need to work on maintaining or developing new skills to remain relevant in the job market.

Failing to meet expected goals and targets has a knock-on effect with efficiency, increases the money being spent on training and reduces the overall profit of a business. Plus, when there is a skills gap, businesses are unable to fulfil requirements to their customers and investors, reducing the capability of the business and lowering the number of opportunities that can be fulfilled.

The Skills That Are in Most Demand

We are all hearing about the massive skills shortage that is going on, but what skills should you be looking to develop as a candidate? Some of the most demanded skills that you could consider obtaining include:

  • Project Management
  • Analytical and Strategic Thinking
  • Digital Communication
  • Data Analysis

The good news is that there are several recognized short courses you can undertake and LinkedIn Learning has additional resources to become up skilled in these areas – helping you to be more in demand when you apply for new positions.

Soft Skills Are Important Too

It’s easy to focus on the industry-specific skills that are in demand when you are working on improving your chances as a candidate, but this shouldn’t be to the detriment of your soft skills either. From decision making to leadership and communication to adaptability, it’s important that you work hard to round off your skills in all areas so that you are not only a viable candidate but are an employer’s first choice!

Not All Skills Are Created Equal

Even if you have the skills that are required for the job you want, it is important to remember that most skills will erode over time, leaving you in the position of needing to top up your knowledge to continue being valuable to prospective employers. Whether it’s hard skills, technical skills, soft skills, or trade skills, you will need to keep up to date if you want to remain a viable candidate throughout your career.

Get the Right Job with GeneCoda®

Are you keen to find a new job that utilizes the skills you have to offer? GeneCoda® can help you succeed. We work with several different companies, pairing great Life Sciences executives with fantastic opportunities. Talk to us today about your skills and experience so that you can take the leap you’ve been looking for.

The End of Non Competes?

In January 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a proposed rule that would ban most non-compete agreements for workers. This proposed rule defines a “non-compete clause” as a contractual term that prevents a worker from seeking or accepting employment with a person or operating a business after the conclusion of their employment with the employer.

The proposed rule would apply to agreements with any worker, including employees, independent contractors, externs, interns, volunteers, apprentices, or sole proprietors who provide a service to a client or customer. The only exceptions to the rule would be non-compete clauses between a seller and the buyer of a business, as long as the party restricted is an owner, member or partner holding at least 25% ownership interest in the business entity.

It’s worth noting that this proposed rule would supersede all state laws, regulations, orders, and interpretations of them that are not consistent with the proposed rule’s requirements. The public comment period is currently open until April 19th, 2023.

While the proposed rule may be good news for workers, it could have significant ramifications for employers in terms of protecting intellectual property, institutional knowledge, and customer lists. In particular, life sciences companies may need to carefully review their current employment agreements and policies to ensure compliance with the new rule if it goes into effect.

At GeneCoda, we specialize in executive search and recruitment services for life sciences companies. If you are a Life Sciences executive and would like help understanding how this may impact your company, GeneCoda offers support and guidance, please contact us.

We hope this information is helpful as you consider the potential impact of the proposed rule on your organization.

Understanding Skills Shortages and How They Are Created

The world is changing and with it so are the needs of employers and employees all over the country. However, with this change comes a problem for businesses; a workforce that is no longer skilled-up for what is needed may cause a loss of $162 billion by 2030 for US companies to deal with. Find out more about the skills gap crisis, how it’s come to be and what we need to do to change course.

What Causes a Skills Gap?

While there are many reasons for a skills gap forming, one of the key reasons in 2023 is the issue with being able to hire the right staff and then retain them. The constant revolving door means that staff are subsequently not accessing ongoing professional development and businesses have to spend more on hiring, which takes it’s toll on other budget areas and it’s not just businesses that are worried; 46% of employees also share significant anxieties about their skills becoming irrelevant by 2024!

It’s also important to note that the other issue with a skills gap comes when an organization does not properly understand it’s responsibility to provide ongoing development opportunities, even for the most skilled staff. When the development opportunities dwindle or are of poor quality, people become demotivated and then stop seeing their own development as important, creating a bigger skills gap than before.

What Happens When an Organization Has a Skills Shortage?

When an organization experiences a skills shortage, it has a domino effect on the rest of the company, reducing the capacity to achieve the results it needs to remain in a strong market position.

This means lower efficiency ratings, less profits and more expenditure as the company tries to push forward with a sub-standard workforce. The only genuine way to reduce the impact of a skills shortage is to close the skills gap and provide the opportunities for development that individuals need.

How to Close the Skills Gap

If your organization is struggling with a skills gap, there are steps that you can take to actively start reducing it while you wait for your development programs to start producing the long term results you need. The good news is that 77% of workers say that they are ready and willing to upskill if offered the opportunity. While this upskilling takes place there are three simple, short-term ways forward, including:

  • Working closely with an expert recruiter to find the candidates with the skills you need.
  • Offering temporary contracts to get a short-term skills injection in a key area.
  • Outsource your requirements to a specialist service until you’ve recruited the skills you need.

Many companies avoid accepting or don’t notice that a skills gap is occurring until it is too late. Rather than allowing this to happen to your company, take the initiative and start closing the gap before it becomes problematic for you!

Advice and Support for Employers and Employees

Whether you are running a business with a quantifiable skills gap or are a Life Sciences executive seeking a role that is right for your skills, getting support from GeneCoda® is a great way forward. We are life science experts with years of experience and we’re ready to help. Contact our team today and let us get to work for you!

Should You Hire Internally or Externally for the Best Candidates?

Hiring the best candidates is an essential part of any business’s success, especially when you can secure top talent that offers the skills you need. However, one of the biggest questions that hiring managers all over the US face is whether to hire internal candidates or external candidates. We reviewed the advantages of each to help you decide what is best for your company – read on to find out more!

Why Internal Hiring is Great

Choosing to look within when it comes to hiring is a great way to boost staff morale and keep your retention rates high. It also works to keep staff loyal and engaged as they feel that there is a defined route for them to follow when they want to promote. We all know that a happy workforce is more likely to be a productive workforce but hiring internally can also work well as the hires will already know about your culture and ethos as well as have good working relationships with colleagues and managers.

Looking to save money on hires? Internal candidates are cheaper too! Choosing an internal hiring process requires less advertising costs, time, and onboarding expenses. You’ll also find that internal hires are able to transition into their new role at a pace that works for you and will often need far less guidance as they progress.

The Cons of Internal Hiring

As with all hiring, there are factors that you must be prepared for; we’ve shared some of the cons that come with internal hiring:

  • Internal hiring can be challenging when you have lots of applicants who go for a single job, leaving you with political fallout to deal with. In the worst cases, this can lead to other staff leaving their roles or working to sabotage the person that was appointed.
  • Internal hiring could leave you with a skills shortage if you hire someone that doesn’t have everything you need.
  • Internal hires often need mentoring or coaching to help them assimilate into their new role and deal with the change in dynamics between them and their former colleagues.
  • Internal hiring may stop you from making diverse and inclusive hires that may hinder your company’s success.

Why External Hiring is Great

There’s no doubt that internal hiring may be less time-consuming to begin with, but sometimes it’s worth spending a bit of extra time to get the optimal candidate from the start. One of the best things about external hiring is that you can reach a wide range of different candidates with varying skills that will help your business to grow. You are also able to bring new ideas and ways of working into your company to help avoid group think and becoming a place where things are always done the same because that’s how it’s always been done.

If you are worried about the time commitment of external hiring, there are plenty of ways to reduce the impact while reaping the rewards. One of the best ways is to work with a specialist recruitment firm that can help you to find exceptional candidates that meet your needs.

The Cons of External Hiring

As with all decisions, there are aspects you should consider before choosing to hire externally:

  • Will the candidate fit into the organization and be happy and productive with you? This is not always easy to determine during a hiring process, but it should be something that you think about before you offer a job.
  • Do you have the infrastructure in place to train and support an external candidate so that they can succeed? Making sure that appropriate onboarding is in place will help you to get the most from your new recruits!

Use GeneCoda® as Your Recruitment Strategist

If you want help organizing your recruitment strategy or need a recruitment service that can find you great Life Sciences executives, GeneCoda® is the obvious choice. Get in touch with our team today and let us make a plan that works for you!

Resigning with Dignity – How to Leave Without Damaging Your Career

There’s no denying that the Life Science industry is constantly evolving with new discoveries and foci to work on. This speed of change means that you may find the job you were initially hired to do has changed into something you no longer want and so resigning is the only way forward. Sadly, many people use poor judgement when resigning and air gripes and complaints in their resignation, only to regret it later when they find themselves working with the same colleagues in a new role. Rather than being that person, use our advice and resign with dignity so that your career can flourish with no skeletons in the closet.

Think About Whether It’s the Right Time to Resign

Before you ditch your job, take a moment to work out whether it really is the right time to resign or not. You may be feeling frustrated or overlooked, but are there any steps you can take in work to remedy this? Interestingly, 80% of employees say that they now regret quitting during The Great Resignation and wish they had stayed where they were. If this is a possibility, it may be time to work on your current role and reevaluate in a specified timeframe so that you don’t experience regret by moving too fast.

Be Honest but Remain Professional

Many people see their resignation letter as a method to share everything that made them unhappy, including personal details about things that have happened during their employment.  This is not what a resignation letter is for.  Here is an example of a professional resignation letter:

{Date}

{Your  Supervisor},

This letter is to inform you that I am tendering my resignation to {YOUR COMPANY} effective today. 

In accordance with the level of professionalism that you and {YOUR COMPANY} deserve, I commit to continue my employment for a period of two weeks, based entirely on your needs. 

I appreciate the work we have been able to accomplish together at {YOUR COMPANY} but I have now made a commitment to another organization and plan to begin with them in two weeks.

Know that it is my intention to work diligently with you to assist in any transition planning, knowledge sharing or other activities where you feel I can add value.

I look forward to your thoughts on my transition as I am eager to leave on the most positive note possible.

Best regards,

{Your Name}

{Your  Signature}

While it can be helpful to provide a verbal explanation for your resignation if asked or during a formal exit interview, it is unwise to be rude or excessive. Instead, share things that you have raised with your managers that haven’t changed for you if appropriate, the merits your exit will have on your career and always maintain a professional and courteous tone. It’s also wise to share your gratitude for the opportunities you were given as this provides the most balanced overview for HR to act on.

Provide a Quality Handover

Once your resignation is in, you may find yourself wishing the days away, but don’t let it stop you from doing your job. Take time to tie up all the loose ends and provide your boss and team with a quality handover so that your departure doesn’t stop the business from functioning. There is nothing worse than being badly thought of when you leave one employment, so putting in the effort now will help you to maintain a positive reputation long after you have left.

Show Respect to Your Colleagues and Managers

Sadly, some people choose to spend their notice period dealing with old arguments and bad feelings and telling everyone exactly what they think of them. We strongly urge you to avoid this at all costs, even if you have been unhappy in your role. Employers and colleagues will be providing references about you and being able to call on them in the future will be important when you continue to progress in your career. Remain pleasant, polite, and gracious right until the very end of your employment!

Leave So That You Can Come Back

Our final snippet of advice is that you should always leave an employer in such a way that you can return to them in the future. The life science industry is relatively small and the only reputation that you want to precede you is one that is positive. This means taking positive steps towards your new job and remembering not to share any negative comments among colleagues or via your social media accounts, no matter how strongly you feel.

Let GeneCoda® Support Your Next Steps

If you are a seasoned executive and keen to find new employment in the life science industry but don’t know where to start, get in touch with the GeneCoda® team today! We will work with you to help locate an employment situation that works for your needs so that you can look forward to going to work every day!

Consolidated Hours – is a 4 Day Work Week the Way Forward?

Finding new ways to support staff is something that many companies and business owners think about frequently, especially because there is often a new idea or suggestion that claims to offer the perfect solution. One of the ideas that has been circulating and trialled for a few years now is the 4-day working with using consolidated hours, but could this work for you?

The Main Benefits of a 4 Day Working Week

Before you leap into offering a 4 day working week, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons so that you end up with a solution that works for your team as well as for you. Some of the most important benefits include:

  • Improving the work life balance of your team so that they can pursue interests outside of work or spend more time with family and friends, helping them to feel more fulfilled and happier.
  • Heightened productivity as employees work harder over the four days so that they they can enjoy their time off without worrying about work. Many studies have shown that employees are more motivated during a 4 day work week as there are fewer distractions for them to navigate and no need for them to take time off for routine appointments that can be scheduled on their days off.
  • Fewer incidents of burnout as people have more time away from work and can rest and recover. This is especially true in industries where working hours are long and stressful.

The Possible Drawbacks of a 4 Day Working Week

No solution will ever be perfect, especially when you are trying to balance the needs of your team with the needs of your business. Take a look at some of the possible drawbacks that may make a 4-day week difficult for you:

  • Concerns about productivity will always be a concern before you adopt a 4-day week and test if it works. No business owner wants to fall behind as this can have a direct impact on your income.
  • Issues with rosters could also be challenging if you always need someone in the office. Working out who should be in and when could add a headache to your already-busy workday.

What Others Have to Say

Many businesses have already trialled 4 day working weeks and the results seem to point to it being a positive decision. In the UK, a large 4 day week trial has been underway and the results appear to be resoundingly positive with a third of participating businesses stating that they are ready to make the change a permanent one. The great thing about the trials that have already taken place is that there are terrific success stories that can assuage concerns about testing it in your workplace!

Should You Consolidate Your Hours or Not?

It’s important to note that the 4 day work week can take a number of different formats. Some employers have reduced the working hours of their teams to give them the day off, while others have opted for consolidated hours instead. What’s important is that you think about what your business really needs before you decide what to do.

Consolidated hours mean that staff work the same number of hours as they previously did, but they are spread out over 4 days instead of 5, meaning longer hours in work with the benefit of an extra day off. Consolidated hours are often the preferred choice for employers as it keeps the business running smoothly but ensures that the workload is still completed.

If you want to discuss the best ways to help keep your team motivated and happy at work, the GeneCoda® team are always ready and willing to help – connect with us today and let’s arrange a time to talk!