What Does “Quality” Really Mean When Hiring?
When it comes to recruiting executives in the life sciences industry, nearly every company agrees on one priority: quality of hire. But ask ten stakeholders to define it, and you’ll get ten different answers.
Is it about hitting performance goals? Longevity in the role? Cultural alignment? Scientific acumen?
The truth is that quality of hire is less a single metric and more a multidimensional outcome. And in life sciences, where leadership roles often span regulatory complexity, R&D, commercialization, and cross-border operations, defining and measuring that quality becomes even more nuanced.
Why It’s So Hard to Measure
Traditional metrics like time-to-fill or cost-per-hire are easy to track, but they don’t tell you much about whether the right person was hired.
On the other hand, quality of hire is often determined long after onboarding. Did the executive:
- Lead successful product development or launches?
- Improve departmental performance or morale?
- Build lasting team infrastructure and mentor future leaders?
- Help navigate an M&A or IPO event successfully?
These markers may take months or even years to fully assess, which can make feedback loops frustratingly slow, especially when hiring for transformative roles.
A Better Framework for Life Sciences Executive Hires
To move the needle on quality, life sciences companies need a more structured yet flexible approach. At GeneCoda®, we’ve seen effective organizations align around three core pillars:
Alignment on Role Purpose and Expectations
Before you begin the search, align with stakeholders on what success really looks like. Is this hire expected to stabilize operations or drive exponential growth? Will they need to build from scratch or scale existing systems?
For example, hiring a Chief Scientific Officer for a preclinical biotech firm requires a different lens than hiring one for a company moving toward commercialization. The clearer the expectations, the better your search partner can deliver quality.
Focus on Long-Term Indicators
Rather than relying solely on resume achievements or interview performance, we encourage clients to assess long-term indicators like:
- Past leadership impact (not just job titles)
- Strategic thinking and adaptability
- Ability to hire, develop, and retain key talent
- Fit with your organization’s mission and pace
These are the traits that build organizations, not just fill roles.
Ongoing Evaluation and Feedback
Once a hire is made, the evaluation shouldn’t stop. Companies who measure performance at key milestones (90 days, 6 months, 1 year) are better positioned to:
- Understand what went right (or wrong)
- Adjust onboarding processes
- Sharpen future hiring criteria
Your recruitment process should be a learning engine, not a one-and-done effort.
How an Executive Search Partner Adds Value
Experienced search partners don’t just find candidates, they help you define, measure, and optimize quality. At GeneCoda®, we specialize in executive and professional placements within the life sciences space. We partner with companies to:
- Build custom search strategies aligned to organizational goals
- Assess leadership traits beyond the CV
- Present candidates with proven performance in regulated and innovative environments
- Provide post-placement support and feedback frameworks
In high-stakes industries like biotech and medtech, the wrong hire is expensive. The right one is transformative.
Quality: Not Just a Buzzword
In a world full of dashboards and metrics, quality of hire remains one of the most meaningful, and difficult, metrics to get right. But in the life sciences, where leadership directly impacts patient outcomes, investor trust, and scientific breakthroughs, it’s a challenge worth solving.
Ready to improve your quality of hire outcomes? At GeneCoda®, we bring precision, experience, and a deep understanding of the life sciences sector to every executive search. Contact us today to learn how we can help you define, and achieve, quality at the highest level.
