7 Successful Job Search Strategies for Senior Management

Life sciences companies don’t typically advertise open C-Suite positions. This can make things challenging if you’re after a new role but don’t know where to look. With that in mind, you need to consider what job search strategies you can use to find exciting and available roles.

Don’t fret! Below are 7 top job search strategies for senior managers in the life sciences.

• Plan and Pace Yourself
• Research The Organisations
• Optimise Your Touchpoints
• Reach Out with a Multi-Channel Approach
• Prepare for Interviews
• Follow Up After Interviews
• Benchmark Your Job Search Offers

These seven tips can help you develop a job search strategy that advances your career.

1. Plan and Pace Yourself

Jumping into the first role that becomes available isn’t the best call. The last thing you want is to end up in a position you’re overqualified for, or work for a company that isn’t aligned with your corporate philosophy.  Take some time, do your research, and consider your options carefully. 

Treat your job search like a project you would oversee at work. This means creating a plan: 

Take stock of your situation

You are at a stage in your career where you know which opportunities will work for you and which ones won’t. For example, do you require flexible hours or stock options in the company? What are your salary expectations? Once you have a definite idea of what you’re looking for, it’s time to review the current life science job market. What job titles are relevant? Which ones are most compatible with your goals and experience? The answers to those questions will give your job search both relevance and focus.

Use your network strategically

Many senior managers looking for new opportunities immediately start reaching out to their network before they know what they’re looking for. To get the results you’re seeking, be specific. For example, “I’m looking for a new opportunity as a Business Development Executive in a pharmaceuticals firm” instead of “I need an Executive job in Life Sciences”.

Also, it’s worth remembering not to conduct all your network within the opening weeks of your job search. Pitch to your network, pay attention to how your pitch is received, and tailor your approach.

Reach out to executive search firms and specialist recruiters

Executive Search Firms and specialist recruiters differ from contingency recruiters. They develop close relationships with their clients and actively search for high-quality candidates to fill executive and senior management positions or those requiring a unique skill set. They can also advise you on what roles would match your experience and skill set, help you hone your interview techniques, provide advice on salary expectations, and more.

2. Research The Organisations

During your job search, you should always take the time to research organisations before applying for open executive positions. Applying to an organisation that doesn’t match your qualifications, abilities, and career goals is pointless. Instead, investigate potential employers upfront and ensure you apply for roles where you know you would like to work. Here are some areas you should focus on when compiling your list:

Mission and values

Check the company website or annual report for a statement regarding its mission and values. Do they align with your own?

Company performance

To assess how well a company is performing, use the organisation’s financial statements and reports to access their financial profile.

Products and services

Review the company website for information about its products and services. Seek out press releases, brochures, and white papers.

Job listings

Review online listings to unearth any job ads posted by the organisation. Many companies have a ‘careers’ section on their website where they post open positions.

Social media

Corporate social media profiles can provide a wealth of information about an organisation, including product releases, announcements and CSR initiatives. Referring to their profile is perfect for targeting your job search more accurately.

Hiring managers/stakeholders

Review the company website for the career summaries of its hiring manager(s) and stakeholders. Many larger life sciences organisations include this information in their ‘About Us’ or ‘Investors’ section. If this is not available on the company website, examining their LinkedIn pages will show connections to employee profiles.

Press release and news

Has the organisation been in the news of late, for better or for worse? Review press activity for the past six months, making notes of the types of coverage (acquisitions, mergers, product releases, CSR activities, negative press), it’s market reception (positive or negative), and where it was published.  

3. Optimise Your Touchpoints

Once you’ve assembled a list of organisations, it’s time to review and update your CV. Working with a professional CV writer can be money well spent. Alternatively, an executive search firm or specialist recruiter can give you hints and tips on what works for their clients. Regardless of whether you work with a professional or update your CV yourself, do the following:

Collate evidence of your qualifications

In addition to listing your education and experience, provide details for industry or career achievements and notable projects and activities that you guided or participated in, together with tangible results of your efforts. Senior management candidates are expected to be leaders, and these accomplishments speak volumes.

Hone your message

When political leaders are coached on how to communicate with the media, they are told to put across three key messages and stick to them. Think about three achievements that you want the hiring manager to notice. Ensure they emphasise skills that would best qualify you to work for your dream organisations.

Every copy of your CV should accompany a cover or pain letter outlining how you can help an organisation achieve its goals or solve a problem and why your career history qualifies you to do so. In your contact details, include the link to your LinkedIn profile (which must also be updated) and make sure that its privacy protections are set so the page is visible to all.

4. Reach Out With a Multi-Channel Approach

If you’re only applying for positions via one or two channels, you’re limiting your chances of being noticed by hiring managers. Applicants who encounter the most success take a multi-channel approach. They apply for fewer jobs (think about your earlier research) but multiply their efforts to obtain an interview. Examples of a multi-channel strategy include:

Applying directly to the company

This includes LinkedIn job boards and the careers page on the company website. Even if you don’t see an open position that suits your goals and qualifications, send in your resume together with your cover letter. Most senior management openings are confidential and not advertised, so your efforts could still pay off.

Executive Search Firms

Executive search firms can be a huge asset when you’re looking for a senior management opportunity. Their job is to know about those senior roles that are not advertised directly, and these consultants can improve your chances of success by:  

• Advising you on what job titles match your experience and skill set
• Giving you feedback on your CV
• Providing salary advice
• Pitching you to organisations on your behalf.
• Helping you brush up on your interview processes and role-playing.
• Offering insider information on the interviewees and the organisation.

Approach an executive search firm by sending your CV and cover letter. Once you begin to work with them, keep your consultant up-to-date with your job search.

Use Your Network

Get your message out to your network. After organising your connections by industry, reach out to them and let them know what type of opportunity you seek. Discuss which contacts they can introduce you to, and ask them to keep you in mind as they hear about new roles or opportunities. Afterwards, connect with them via LinkedIn and stay in touch. But remember, don’t go out to your entire network in one go. Stagger your introductions and tailor your pitch as you go.

5. Prepare for Interviews

When you land an interview, you will have limited time to convince the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job. To prepare, practice a 30-second answer to these questions:

• “What do you do?”
• “What type of opportunity are you seeking?”
• “What is your greatest achievement to date?”

By keeping each answer to 30 seconds, you will have a concise and easy-to-understand response that will allow the hiring manager time to ask additional questions.

For more interview preparation tips,  check out our blog: How to prepare for a senior-level job interview.

6. Follow Up After Interviews

Always follow up after each interview. Doing so confirms your interest in the position and willingness to accept feedback.  

If an executive search firm arranged the interview, seek constructive feedback after they have spoken to their client.  If you obtained the interview yourself, send the hiring manager an email that reminds them who you are, reiterates why you’re a good candidate, and includes any relevant information that you forgot to state during the interview.

Bear in mind that, sometimes, organisations don’t provide constructive feedback. In this case, brainstorm what went well, what didn’t go as well as expected, and what you would do better next time.

7. Benchmark Your Job Search Efforts

If you are making it to the final round of interviews but not receiving offers, ask yourself the following questions to pinpoint possible reasons why not.  

• “What approaches appear to be working well?”
• What isn’t working so well and needs to change?”

Don’t forget to present these questions to your executive search consultant too. They can point you toward resources that will help you improve performance in poor areas.

Once you’ve landed a new C-Suite role, update your LinkedIn profile to let your professional contacts know where you’re working and how to reach you in the future. Be sure to thank those who helped you along the way. When you assume a role that you enjoy and which takes you to the next level in your career, they will appreciate knowing how they contributed to your success.

For more career advice tailored to senior managers and executives in the life science industry…

• Read How to prepare for a senior-level job interview.
• Also, check out our initiative Lift Up: Women in Life Sciences

* Fraser Dove International is a talent consultancy operating exclusively across the life sciences industry. While our roots lie in executive search, we provide more than the traditional recruitment services. Uniquely placed within the market, we have provided cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-ups to established leaders – since 2013.