Mentoring has been a vital part of business success for many years, but in today’s fast-paced and competitive world, it has become even more important. In this article, we will explore what mentoring is, how it is different from coaching, and the benefits of mentoring for life science businesses.

Continue reading “Mentoring – Why it is Vital to Business Success”

Making the decision to move jobs can come with a lot of anxiety and trepidation, but if you are ready for something new or want career progression then switching paths makes sense. However, lots of candidates are worried about the impact of the global downturn and ongoing financial crisis in the US, leaving them concerned that now may not be a good time to move. If you are in this situation, then this post will tell you what you need to know about moving jobs during a financial downturn and how to make it work in your favour.

Understand the Reality of the Hiring Market

Once you’ve decided that you want to move jobs, take a moment to consider the reality of the present hiring market. Even with a downturn in the economy, it is still a jobseeker’s market right now with companies looking to hire talent in areas that are understaffed, such as life sciences. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics state that job ads have increased by more than 60% since the COVID crisis and our own proprietary reports focused on the life sciences showcased 2 straight years of rising numbers until Q3 of 2022.  This means that experienced professionals are likely to find several opportunities worth considering!

Ask the Right Questions

When you are actively interviewing for new jobs, you should take the time to ask the right questions to assess whether this new role is a desirable choice for you or not. Find out about average tenures, consider job stability, and inquire about how the company is mitigating against financial challenges. Their answers should serve to give you the insight you need to decide whether they are an employer worth making a change for.

Be Careful About Quitting

Once you’ve found a new job that sparks your interest, take the time to apply and follow the process through until you have a job offer in hand. It can be tempting to quit once you’ve had a verbal offer, but you should avoid this at all costs as your future employer is not obligated to hire you until all the paperwork is signed. Ensure your new job is a done deal and then, you can resign with confidence.

Get Help to Find the Right Job for You

If you are ready to find a new role but need some expert help and guidance, then why not let GeneCoda® help? We offer several expert articles covering many aspects of job search and career guidance. Check out our library to learn more!

Leadership talent is incredibly hard to quantify, especially with the Life Science industry in dire need of fresh talent and innovative ideas. Rather than sticking to the same talent pool or trying to attract leaders from other companies, it may be a suitable time to look within your organization to see if any budding personnel could be nurtured into your leadership positions. Take a moment to discover what you should look for when searching for new and inspiring leaders.

People Who Work Collaboratively

One of the first indicators that someone is right for a leadership position is when they work well with others, not trying to take credit for work that wasn’t theirs. Life Science is all about collaboration and discovery, but many people get weighed down with making a name for themselves as an individual and then forget that it takes a village to advance projects. Collaboration allows everyone to shine and receive the credit they deserve and can highlight a colleague’s recognition of the value of the contributions of others. These people will strive to build a team and see the global picture when they are in a position of power in the workplace.

People Who Are Decisive When Needed

While collaboration is essential, a trusted leader should also be able to take decisive action when needed. There will always be times when a company faces difficult choices, but great leaders know that stagnating is often more damaging than making a wrong decision and having to pivot. When you seek leadership talent from within, you should be looking for people who know when to wait and when to act – these people will be able to learn how to move a business forward and face tough decisions without fear.

People Who Are on a Journey

Being happy and content in your job is great, but some people do not aspire to greater things no matter how many opportunities they are offered. To find your new wave of leaders, you need to look for people who see themselves on a journey and are open to new challenges and responsibilities. These people are often the first to volunteer for new things and are always around to help solve unexpected problems. They are working hard to be recognized as they want to progress, so interactions early on may help you find the future leaders you are looking for.

People Who Have Good Values

Every organization has a set of values that they work within, helping to achieve a moral compass and ensuring that everything they produce is within a framework that meets the needs of the business. It’s also important to note that individuals have their own values too and finding the right leadership talent means finding people whose values align with the organization. These people will not only agree with how business is done in your company but will also promote your ethos and values, helping clients and the rest of your team feel safe and secure when they collaborate with you.

Find Your Future Leaders with GeneCoda®

If you are keen to learn more about finding the right candidates with real potential as future leaders, then GeneCoda® is here to help. As experts in recruitment, we can help you understand what to look for and support you in picking the ideal candidates for your needs. Connect with us today to find out more!

 

With so much pressure on life science companies to find the best candidates and keep them, it’s hard to know what to do for the best. However, leading with an introspective ethos is a great starting point. Take a moment to reflect on what makes a company an excellent choice for candidates and work out if you are doing all you can. We’ve shared some top tips to help you focus more on what candidates need from you.

Think About Induction

One of the biggest reasons a candidate leaves a job quickly after starting is because they feel lost or unsupported, with companies with a poor onboarding process being twice as likely to lose staff than those with a solid system. Rather than following suit, take a moment to think about your induction process and consider whether it offers everything a candidate needs to settle into your workplace and understand their objectives. Buddying people up, offering an induction program, and providing regular check-in opportunities are great ways to give new staff the confidence they need.

Think About Progress

Once you’ve honed your induction process, you should focus on retaining great staff who have been with you for some time. Most people want to know that there are progression opportunities, so reviewing training, succession planning and upward mobility to ensure clear paths forward will help staff feel like there are opportunities for them. Remember that progression doesn’t always mean promotion; you can also offer training, support, and specialist projects for people to do to build up their resumes for the future.

Think About Coaching

With your induction and progression in order, you just need to consider how to keep getting the best from the people you employ so that they feel satisfied and want to work hard for you. One of the best ways to do this is through a formalized coaching offer where staff can be coached and mentored to help them develop. The wonderful thing about coaching is that it is personal to the individual, so your team feels invested in and use what they have learned to help your business grow – it’s a win-win for you!

Think About Exits

Even with all the best processes and offers in place, there will still be times when people choose to move on to new pastures. Rather than taking this personally and feeling unhappy that they haven’t stayed with you, use it as a valuable learning tool. Conducting non-judgmental exit interviews can give you a clear insight into how staff feel about your organization, providing you with information you can use to develop and improve your offer. Don’t let someone leave without taking the time to talk to them, as they may just hold the key to your future success.

Find the Right Candidates with GeneCoda®

Making sure you are a quality employer for candidates is a fantastic way to keep the right people, but it may not help you find the right people in the first place. That’s where GeneCoda® comes in! We are here to help you find the best candidates for your life science executive jobs so that you can enjoy greater retention and even better results. Reach out to our team today to find out more.

There is no denying that fewer STEM graduates are looking for work than ever before. While programs are being implemented to draw in fresh talent, the current lack of people makes it hard for life science companies to make the necessary progress. If you are one of those companies vying for the few candidates around, we’ve got some tips to help you attract them!

Understanding the STEM Infrastructure

By the end of 2022, more than 13 million people in the US will work in a STEM role, with that number projected to grow by eight percent by 2030. As one of the fastest growing professions, this increase puts a huge pressure on encouraging new talent into STEM education and closing the skills gap that is currently causing problems for employers.

Many potential STEM candidates fail to see the value of STEM careers, possibly because there is an issue with how it is being branded during their educational years. STEM careers are often not emphasized in K-12 and seen as hard work, whereas popular culture roles such as gaming, vlogging, and becoming a celebrity offer greater appeal.

How to Attract the Top Talent

Even with the global STEM shortage, it isn’t all doom and gloom; many fantastic STEM graduates are looking for work each year. As it’s a jobseeker’s market, you will need to work on attracting the top talent if you want to move ahead. We’ve shared some tips to help you get started:

• Be Clear About Your Brand – just as you expect candidates to know who they are and what they offer, you should also be offering the same in return. Make it clear to candidates what your brand offers them and the opportunities they can look forward to when they onboard.
• Be Flexible – work-life balance is more important than ever before, so offering flexible working hours or working locations can be a fantastic way to entice candidates. You can even consider remote roles where possible, helping you to widen your net of potential candidates.
• Offer More Than Money – salary is important, but candidates are looking for more than just financial reward. Think about other incentives that will help make your company distinctive and share them during the application process so candidates know what they can look forward to.
• Showcase Diversity – offering an inclusive and diverse workplace will show candidates that you are forward-thinking and value talent over all else. Not only will this appeal to a wide range of candidates, but it will help you achieve the reputation of being an employer that values people over labels.
• Reduce Application Red Tape – one of the biggest issues that cause candidates to go elsewhere is a drawn-out application process. Streamlining and using specialist recruitment support allows you to get STEM candidates into jobs quicker than your competition, making you the best option for new talent.

GeneCoda® Is Here for Your Recruitment Needs

If you are keen to find the best life sciences executive talent but don’t have the time, why not let GeneCoda® do the work instead? As an experienced recruitment team, we know where to find the best candidates and can help you fill your vacancies quicker than ever before. Get in touch today to find out exactly how we can help you!

Spending money on staff is always going to be the most expensive part of your business.  As you work hard to invest in the people that can help produce the outcomes you are looking for and as most life science professionals are already employed in the US, finding new talent has become a key issue for firms across the country. In fact, CBRE state that life science has an unemployment rate of just 0.6%, making it almost impossible to discover new talent without a specific and targeted strategy.

Many firms feel that their current recruitment strategy is robust and well designed but if you really want to be a leader in life science, now is the time to create a specific brand strategy that appeals to the people you need – find out exactly what a brand strategy means to your life science firm and start creating yours.

What is a Brand Strategy and Why Do I Need One?

A brand strategy is simply a process by which you manage your company reputation by agreeing a specific format and set of rules for engaging with people. When it comes to using your brand strategy to reach new candidates, you should be focusing on sharing your values and ethos so that people can work out if you are the type of company that they want to work for. Companies that use brand strategies are more often successful at finding and retaining candidates.

How to Build Your Brand Strategy – 5 Simple Steps

If you are ready to dive into brand strategies, then these five simple steps will get you off to a great start:

1. Understand You Current Brand – before you can start working on a new brand strategy, your first need to find out how your brand is currently seen by candidates and other stakeholders. Take the time to check all types of feedback you have received and consider sharing a survey, allowing you to learn how people view your company.
2. Work Out What You Want to Change – once you know how you are currently perceived, it is time to map out what you want to change and how you are going to do it. Start by creating a brand strategy goals list before using it to create a road map that will take you to the end point you are aiming for.
3. Know Who You Want to Appeal to – it’s also important to work out who you want to appeal to when your new brand strategy is complete. Create an ‘ideal candidate’ and consider what they would want to see to join.
4. Decide What You Will Offer – when you have your new strategy and ideal candidate, you will need to decide what you will offer to entice candidates to apply for your jobs. Differentiators like the team, the platform, ongoing training, flexible work, and other benefits will all work to drive candidates to your door.
5. Constantly Evaluate Your Success – you may think that once you have created a new brand strategy then you can sit back and enjoy watching your application rates grow but this is not the case. Every great brand strategy involves a continual evaluation process, giving you scope to tweak and grow as your needs change.

Combining GeneCoda® and Your New Strategy – a Winning Combination

If you are keen to start attracting quality candidates to your freshly branded company, then GeneCoda® is the perfect partner. We work with you to understand your specific needs and then suggest specific candidates that we believe will fit your brand perfectly. Get in touch with our team to find out more about what we can do for you.

Being a leader is not as simple as making decisions and giving orders. There is a wide array of qualities that every leader needs to possess in order to be successful, especially when taking on the management of a company or division. To help you sift through all the candidate resumes on your desk, take a look at the five top traits that will help your new executive achieve success. Continue reading “The Traits Every Good Leader Needs to Have”

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the workplace evolves and times change, so do the skills and tools that leaders need to have to be successful. We are slowly moving away from rigid job descriptions and traditional hierarchies and working towards a collaborative and forward-thinking process that aims to motivate individuals while achieving the best outcomes. Whether you are new to leadership or have been in a leadership role for some time, it is important to reflect on your skills and work out where you need to adapt and learn. Take a moment to read about the most sought-after leadership skills to help you achieve your goals.

Communication Skills

65% of American workers say that they are satisfied with their job, and we think that communication plays a big part in this. Strong communication skills are vital in the world of work, especially when you are working hard to achieve a happy workforce. From telling the story of your business to sharing messages and getting everyone onboard, you will need to know exactly what to say and when to say it. The best communicators are active listeners to take the information that they are given and use it to further the interests of the business as well as supporting their people. When you are keen to get the best from your team, sharing your message and encouraging open dialogue is always going to be the best way to achieve success.

Empathy & Emotion Skills

In addition to being strong communicators, modern leaders need to be able to be emotionally intelligent and open to creating strong connections with their teams and their clients. Not only do emotionally intelligent people understand the feelings and concerns of others better, but they can also pre-empt and respond to issues before they arise, helping to keep everyone feeling valued and cared for. Being able to know people on an emotional level also gives leaders the capability to assess a person’s strengths and determine appropriate support to help them develop in areas where they are lacking.

Vision & Planning Skills

It’s no longer acceptable to reach a management position and stick to doing the same thing that has been done for many years before. In fact, most companies want their leaders to be able to define their vision and plans for the future before they have even been offered a job! If you are looking to achieve or retain a leadership position, you will need to be able to assess what a company needs right now and what it will need in the future and then plan accordingly. The great thing about this skill requirement is that it is one that requires collaboration with an executive team, working together to help the company innovate for success.

Adaptability

Our final skill is the ability to adapt in the face of change. There’s no denying that the modern workplace is constantly moving forward, and the impact of the economy threatens to topple even the most confident leader. To avoid this happening, you will need to be able to know when to stick to your plans and when to adapt and change. Being able to do this will not only help your business to stay relevant, but it will allow you to get the best outcomes for everyone involved in your company.

At GeneCoda®, we work with companies to find skilled executives to fill leadership roles and support candidates to keep their skills up to date and in line with market demands. If you are keen to discuss your requirements, then our team would love to hear from you – get in touch today and let us help you lead the way.

 

 

 

 

All business leaders want to ensure that their teams are happy, effective, and producing great outcomes, but to do this, they need to be willing to invest in achieving these goals. The modern workplace is diverse and interesting, and individuals come to employment with different support needs. Still, one type of support that appears to be providing something great for everyone is workplace coaching. We looked at the role of coaching in the workplace so that you can decide if it is a good fit for your organization.

What is Workplace Coaching?

Workplace coaching is a system that provides employees with a coach who can help them develop the tools and knowledge they need to do their jobs well and provide a critical friend relationship when they have issues that need to be resolved. Workplace coaching is often used as part of a wider leadership strategy to help achieve the company’s goals. Over 70% of companies that have used workplace coaching state that it has improved communication, relationships, and work performance!

Workplace coaches tend to have specific coaching qualifications and can either be external coaches that visit the company regularly or internal coaches selected from the management pool. Each coach will have a specific remit, but they tend to focus on employee engagement, supporting individuals to adhere to the company’s aims and objectives, and supporting employees to achieve specific workplace goals.

How Can Workplace Coaching Support My Business?

The modern workplace is highly competitive, with candidates working hard to show off what makes them special, leaving many people feeling stressed or worried about their future with a company. Workplace coaches are hired to support everyone to achieve their goals and help everyone with their own specific needs, making your place of work far more effective and successful.

As we move away from specific job roles and work towards greater levels of collaboration, workplace coaches are best placed to help people work on transferring their skills to fit with this new ethos. The best thing about workplace coaching is that it leaves individuals feeling far more valued and wanting to do their utmost to achieve great results. It also provides a workforce that is more likely to remain in post rather than looking to your competitors for employment. In fact, 96% of companies that invested in coaching state that they have seen such great results that they would repeat it when needed.

Combining Coaching with Recruitment

Once you have a successful coaching strategy in place, it is important to cascade that down through the organization so that everyone has the opportunity to develop. This is also important when it comes to recruiting new candidates and finding out whether they have been coached or if it is something that they should access as soon as they start.

At GeneCoda®, we fully support the workplace coaching method and can team up with you to source the right people for your executive roles who will also support coaching in the workplace. Why don’t you arrange a time to discuss your needs with us and let us find the perfect match for your vacancy? We look forward to working with you!

 

The division of labor has been a huge part of history, impacting the way we run our workforces and supporting the need for job separation. It is the norm to give each person their own specific tasks to complete that are defined by their job description. The problem with this concept is that it no longer fits in the modern workplace, often stifling individuals or resulting in the wrong person for the job struggling to achieve the outcomes required. Rather than continuing in the same vein, swapping to a skills-based organization may be the change that you need!

Continue reading “Are Jobs Redundant? Moving Towards Skills-Based Employment”