Author: Chloe Carter

In episode #09 of Talent Acquisition Matters, we sat down with Sven Steinebach, who is the Vice President, Head of Global Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding at Evotec.

It was great to speak to him about all things talent-related, from employer branding to vision and values and how this should translate and permeate throughout the whole business.

We’ve highlighted our favourite takeaways for you below.

What part does talent acquisition play in retention and internal mobility?

“I think this starts getting into the employer branding piece because it’s all about managing expectations and telling the stories, right. So, why is the person going to be joining our organisation?

What are their motivations? How is their suitability for this specific organisation? Those things we need to be cautious and clear about and see how we identify that throughout the process to ensure that we have that right hire at the end of the day.”

How do you dig deeper into the values or the vision of the team?

“Well, I think that the secret sauce of any good recruiter is talking to people. But, at the same time, listening; truly, actively listening to what they have to say. It’s not only about what people are doing, it’s why they’re doing it and what their purpose is.

After being in a number of industries myself, I feel very lucky in having landed in Life Sciences. Because from my perspective, what we do, and the outcome of our work, has an impact on people and their lives. How much better can it get?”

How do you cut through the noise when hiring?

“So this is where you need to see what your key differentiators are. You must be clear about how you’re telling your story, how you’re positioning it and what the true meaning of the organisation is.

We must be very careful when we’re telling those stories, they need to be realistic. Also, when you meet someone that you like, what is their personality? You know, how do they act? What do they like, what they don’t like. And, then you start seeing if you can connect to that individual. That is the same regarding connecting to the vision of the organisation.

I think being able to translate those stories to be clear about what’s the messaging behind all of this – that is, what makes the difference.”

How do you ensure that that is integrated into how people feel about the business?

“From my perspective, the best way to do this is ensure that every single person within that process has the same understanding.

I always talk about the role of the recruitment coordinator, or let’s say their administrative support in the recruitment process, right, which is, for me is one of the most underestimated jobs within recruitment. Because, for me, that is a hugely important job, right? Really being that face to the candidate throughout the scheduling process, making sure they feel okay, etc.

It’s an experience of getting to know someone, and them getting to know an organisation. And sometimes you come to these organisations, where you’ve never even heard about them yet, but then suddenly, you’re able to open the doors.

And for me, the important thing is that once you open those doors, you make the “wow” effect. And you say, “wow, I did not expect this, this is much better than I expected”. You can only achieve this if every single person in the process really understands what we’re doing.”

You can listen to the full episode here.

Talent Acquisition Matters aims to answer the most pressing TA questions and gains valuable insights from some of the most engaging and innovative global professionals. Subscribe to us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to get alerts when new episodes are posted.

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 been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-ups to established leaders – since 2013.

Amancio Ortega, Founder of Zara once proclaimed that “We cannot limit ourselves to continuing on the path we have already opened” (Medium).

The higher up the corporate ladder you are, the harder the job searching becomes. With fewer executive jobs at the top to compete for and a tendency for executive positions not to be advertised online for confidentiality reasons, many executives are uncertain about how to navigate their job search. This is particularly true for senior executives who have held long tenures; a lot has changed in the past five years. The job market has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and it can be a huge adjustment for executives who have been at their current organisation for a long duration. These changes can be reflected in the increasing likelihood of securing your next executive role through networking, rather than job boards.

Preparation

• Research: Before you begin your executive job search, identify what kind of role you are seeking Although applying directly via job boards may not be the best use of your time, it’s worth identifying and researching the organisations advertising on them and making a personal approach to those that might be a good fit.
• CV: You won’t get very far in your job search without an up-to-date CV, so ensure that it includes your most recent positions and a concise, informative executive bio.
• Executive pain letter: Rather than just simply listing your accomplishments and skills in a cover letter, with an executive pain letter you can position yourself as the solution to the hiring manager’s problem. It helps you to stand out from a myriad of other applicants.
• Personal branding: Take some time to work on your personal brand. What do you want to represent? Your personal brand showcases who you are, what you stand for, what makes you unique and what value you offer.
• Get help: If you’re feeling particularly uncertain about navigating the tricky job search terrain, you can consult branding experts, CV writers and executive search firms to enhance your application and personal brand.

There are a number of different methods that you can adopt into your job search:

1. Networking

Networking is by far one of the best ways to hear about new opportunities. It can help you to penetrate the hidden job market, making this a worthwhile endeavour. In fact, a whopping 80% of jobs are filled through networking, making networking a job search strategy that you cannot ignore. Your network should consist of your peers, ex-colleagues, key influencers, alumni and headhunters.

There are several methods you can harness to leverage your network. One of the most obvious ways is to attend face-to-face events and conferences. A lot of conferences are structured to facilitate networking and communication. Exchange details with them and connect with them on LinkedIn so that you can carry on the conversation. Alternatively, if speaking to strangers isn’t your thing,  network online via LinkedIn by commenting on key influencer’s posts, connecting with peers, and participating in LinkedIn groups. For more tips on how to network effectively, read our blog: How To Build And Maintain Your Professional Network.

One of the benefits of having a robust network is that you can fall back on your connections if you’re struggling to get the ball rolling with your job search. If you’ve kept in touch regularly since first connecting with them, it won’t feel inconvenient or awkward striking up conversation. You can enquire about what’s going on at their organisation and whether there are any opportunities on the horizon. Alternatively, they may have heard of positions opening-up with different employers through their own network.

2. Referrals

For executive and senior-level positions, securing strong references is vital to securing top jobs. While job search touchpoints (CV, Pain Letter and LinkedIn Profile) were once enough to differentiate you from other candidates and secure an interview, references now pack just as much punch. From a hiring managers perspective, a robust reference gives them an excellent overview of your accomplishments and confirms the validity of what you’ve stated in your application and interview. Just by reading or speaking to a referee, they’ll be able to decide whether you would be a good fit for the role. When you’re seeking a new opportunity, reach out to your existing network and ask whether they’re willing to provide one.

If you have connections within a company you would particularly like to work for, reach out to that contact and ask them to vouch for you. While many executives doubt the influence that references can carry, referrals account for 1/3 of all external hires. Hiring managers value recommendations and referrals that come from their existing employees, especially if it’s coming from a credible and trustworthy source.

3. Social media

Social media must never be underestimated in your job search; 73% of organisations use social media to recruit and hire candidates. This demonstrates the importance of having a strong, online presence that attracts hiring managers. Platforms such as LinkedIn allow hiring managers to search for executives based on their background and experiences. An active presence allows them to find you easily and identify whether you’re the right fit.

Hiring managers will be particularly interested in you if you position yourself as a thought leader. Commenting and posting your opinions demonstrates your awareness of industry topics and happenings. It’s also a way for you to establish credibility and trust; people value consistent and accurate information. Additionally, you can showcase your experiences, accomplishments and skills, acting as a highlight reel of what you have to offer. Contribute to groups and discussions with your knowledge and expertise; you never know who else could be members and gaining value from your insights.

What’s more, you are essentially giving headhunters all of the information that they need to decipher whether it’s worth reaching out to you with career opportunities. If you’re not the best fit for the opportunity they’re currently searching for, they can retain you for future searches, increasing your odds greatly.

4. Promotion

When you’re proud and content working for your organisation, you might not want to leave. However, career progression is a natural desire for executives. Rather than leaving an organisation, that you’re happy with, it might be time to turn your attention to obtaining a promotion from within.

Positions at the very top of the organisational structure are hard to come by. When a new opportunity does eventually open up, executives are often up against fierce competition. It’s vital to keep an ear out for signs of someone stepping down or retiring in the near future. Make sure that you continue to build relations internally, networking with key decision-makers in the replacement process so that they’ll think of you when a position eventually opens up.

5. Job boards

While job boards once packed a punch, for senior managers and executives, they’re increasingly ineffective. In fact, less than 10% of executive jobs are landed via job boards.

It’s hardly surprising. 80% of jobs aren’t even published online, and that figure is likely to be far higher for senior-management and executive positions. This is because many executive positions are confidential; organisations seek to fill these roles through internal promotion, employee referrals or partnering with an executive search firm or specialist recruiter.

But don’t be disheartened. Job boards can be a good starting point to gain insight into the opportunities available and the skills and expertise required to be considered for the role. What’s more, those owned and managed by the hiring organisation, or an executive search firm or specialist recruiter, are likely to offer a better return for your hard-earned time.

6. Company targeting (research)

If you’ve been seeking a new opportunity for some time now, you might have already set your sights on a dream organisation to work for. Or, you might have narrowed down your choices to a number of organisations. Start setting aside time to start researching the organisation to identify whether they would be a good fit for you. If it is, then your next steps should be to connect with the hiring manager on LinkedIn. Establish a relationship with them in which you can state that you’re looking for a new opportunity and think that their organisation would be the ideal progression for you. Be sure to include what has drawn you to the organisation and why you want to work there.

By doing so, many executives find themselves co-creating a position with the hiring manager. While a position may not exist when you initially get in touch, you may be too good to pass up and the hiring manager will feel inclined to hire you in whatever way possible. Together, you can tailor a role to suit your needs and the business’s requirements. In this way, you can also target the hidden job market and snap up jobs before competitors hear about it.

7. Executive Search firms

Executive Search firms can be a fantastic way to hear about new opportunities; they’ll approach you rather than you having to search high and low on job boards and through your network. Establish a relationship with a life science executive search firm so that when positions open up, they can contact you. Most executive search firms will have a job board, allowing you to apply and give your contact details. Alternatively, you could reach out to them on LinkedIn. If you don’t quite match the positions they’re currently working on, they can retain you for future searches.

Conclusion

There’s no one-size-fits-all process for an executive job search; what works for one executive may not work for you. Assess the pros and cons of each of the strategies above and narrow it down to a select few. There’s no need to adopt all of these approaches, but it might be worth exploring other options if you’re job search is coming to a standstill.

For more job-search advice tailored to senior managers and executives in the life sciences…

• Read When To Make A Career Transition (And When Not To).

* 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 been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-up to established leaders – since 2013.

Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook stated that “We need to resist the tyranny of low expectations. We need to open our eyes to the inequality that remains. We won’t unlock the full potential of the workplace until we see how far from equality we really are” (Thrive Global, 2017).

Diversity is taking the Human Resources (HR) world by storm; many life science organisations are recognising the benefits of a diverse workforce. However, it’s not without its challenges. With employees working upwards of 35 hours a week, in close proximity to one another, conflict will inevitably arise, and without a little due diligence on your side, workplace diversity can fan the flames.

There’s no denying the many advantages of workplace diversity; increased productivity, better problem-solving abilities and financial growth. For more benefits of workplace diversity, read our blog: The Ultimate Business Case For Diversity In The Workplace. However, what a lot of hiring managers and CEOs don’t realise is that, while workplace diversity sounds intuitive, it can be challenging to put into practice. Decision-makers must be aware of the potential issues they face so that they can be prepared with strategies to combat against them and ensure diversity initiatives take account of:

• Acquired diversity: This involves differences in skills, education and experiences. Acquired differences help to produce constructive debate amongst employees when problem-solving to help them arrive at the best solution. For this reason, debate based on differences should be encouraged as it can be advantageous to the organisation and, provided it is moderated isn’t harmful.
• Inherent diversity: This involves differences in gender, race and age. However, this type of diversity can create interpersonal conflict amongst employees due to biases and prejudices against those who are different. Conflicts based on inherent diversity can be lengthy and require careful management to avoid low performance and morale.

It may seem surprising that in this day and age diversity is problematic, but here are a few facts to keep in mind when considering introducing diversity into your organisation:

• There are fewer Fortune 500 CEOs who are women (4.1%) than who are named David (4.5%) or John (5.3%) – two single male names outnumber an entire gender.
• Today, on average, a woman working full time earns 80.7 cents for every dollar a man working full time earns.
• 57% of employees think their organisations should be more diverse.

Here are several challenges that can arise with diverse workforces:

1. Communication issues

When you have a diverse workforce, communication between team members can become challenging. For many members of your team, English might not be their first language. Language barriers could mean that team members ineffectively communicate and have difficulties understanding one another. Failure to fully comprehend instructions could lead to a significant drop in productivity and team synergy.

Organisations with diversity plans strive to tackle the gender and age gap. Employees may find it challenging to understand each other if differences in demographics encourage them to use slang or particular kinds of language. For example, female employees may talk more politely, avoid swear words and use more tag questions than male employees, which could lead to misunderstandings. Or younger employees may use different terminology and slang which older generations are unfamiliar with. Communication issues like these can crop up all the time, not just in the workplace, but outside of it too.

Solutions:

• • Agree on a common language and an appropriate workplace discourse to avoid miscommunication.
  • Although this can be difficult, try to hire as many bilingual employees as possible. It’s also a significant competitive advantage having employees with advanced bilingual abilities, especially if you’re an international organisation. Be patient with employees; understandably, it might take them a little while to adjust. Even if their English is basic, they will soon learn if given the chance. Offer support and tell your employees to do the same.
  • Encourage your employees to ask for clarification if they are unsure about what they’re being asked to do. Better to clarify matters at the outset then rectify faults later.

2. Too many opinions

With their different backgrounds and experiences, diverse employees have different ways of approaching the same scenario and putting forth their ideas. Employees who do so are extremely valuable to your organisation; they will keep driving innovative ideas and identify issues. However, an excessive number of opinions can lead to failure to reach a consensus. Particularly innovative solutions to problems may go unnoticed amongst the plethora of other ideas. Too many opinions can compromise the organisation’s ability to stick to tight deadlines due to this reduction in productivity.

Solution:

• • • Elect a committee of high-performing executives who will hear every opinion and make the final decision themselves. If a consensus cannot be reached, the committee can evaluate all of the options and identify the best one. Once a majority has been established amongst the committee, then you have your decision.

3. Hostility

As much as we hate to admit it, humans make decisions based on biases, rather than on facts and logic. Sadly, this is no different in the workplace; employees will base their decisions and judgements on unconscious biases despite their best intentions. Distrust can arise as employees doubt each others ability to do their jobs. “They’re different to me so I can’t trust them” or “They don’t know what they’re doing” are common thoughts.

Solutions:

• • • Hiring managers need to be able to recognise the signs of hostility. Diversity training for employees can also help to educate them and mitigate any bias. With awareness training, employees will understand that differences between colleagues are beneficial and nothing to fret about.
    • Communicate your company values; resistant employees will eventually realise that their values no longer align with that of their employer and leave. If you’re concerned about losing star employees, just remember that quality employees who align with your values are more beneficial to your mission and vision.

4. Diversity implementation challenges

Creating a diverse workforce looks good on paper, but it can be challenging to effectively implement it. Although there’s plenty of diversity guides out there, there’s no one-size-fits-all diversity plan that works. That is because diversity means different things to different people.

Enforcing diversity is the responsibility of hiring managers and senior decision-makers. In fact, 38% of executives reported that the primary sponsor of diversity and inclusion efforts is the CEO. If your CEO isn’t on board with creating a more diverse and inclusive atmosphere then how do you expect to convince your employees of the new direction your organisation is heading? The only problem is, with 41% of managers reported being “too busy” to implement diversity initiatives, progress can quickly stifle. With their own agenda, managers don’t always have the time to manage such a large and time-consuming operation, meaning that diversity plans don’t receive the attention they deserve and require.

Your employees will feel frustrated if the transition to a more diverse future isn’t a smooth one. For many established life science organisations, implementing a diversity initiative can be a complete 180 from the origins of the organisation. A lot of people are resistant to change, so don’t be alarmed if you receive some initial hostility. Humans are creatures of habit; they won’t want to change their way of doing things, especially if this is deeply ingrained in their mind.

Solutions:

• • • It is of paramount importance that you communicate to employees the value in pursuing workplace diversity. Once your employees understand the benefits that diverse employees could bring to the organisation, they’ll be much more willing and patient during the implementation process.
    • Arrange diversity training so that employees can learn about the benefits and how to respect their colleagues.
    • Make no mistake, diversity plans shouldn’t be rushed. You must spend quality time crafting them to ensure that you achieve your goals, but are also prepared to resolve challenges should they arise.

5. Retain bad talent

If your goal is to diversify your workforce, you might hold onto diverse employees that currently work for your organisation simply because they boost your diversity figures. However, with poor performers, comes a reduction in productivity, morale and innovation.

Solution:

• • • It’s counterproductive to hold onto employees who are unable to do their job effectively. If an employee isn’t performing and no amount of additional training is helping, you should consider letting them go. The ideal replacement could be just around the corner. Don’t sacrifice the success of your organisation for one underperforming employee, regardless of their diversity.

Diversity in the workplace can bring positive changes to your organisation, but it also has the potential to introduce challenges. While these challenges can be extremely inconvenient and damaging to your entire organisation, they can be avoided. Be prepared to combat the challenges listed above before your diversity initiative is implemented. If you rush your diversity plans, you risk causing even bigger challenges that are harder to resolve.

For more hiring advice tailored to hiring managers in the life science industry…

• • • Read The Importance of Workplace Diversity in the Life Sciences.
    • View our talent solutions to see how we can help you gain a competitive edge through talent.

* 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 been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-up to established leaders – since 2013.

For life science executives, job searches can be a lengthy and gruelling process. Being at the top means the stakes are higher and the competition, fiercer. Most executive job searches can take up to six months, from submitting your application through to accepting a job offer. The long-winded process can leave you feeling anxious and stressed for months-on-end.

Executives tend to be highly ambitious, with long-term career goals. This can translate into frequent career transitions. In fact, the average person changes jobs an average of 12 times during their career. Of course, it’s important you build a good rapport with each organisation you work at and avoid short stints in roles where possible. Job tenure (how long you’ve been at an organisation) is taken into consideration by prospective hiring managers, but you should still set aside time to assess your career regularly. While job-hopping is on the rise, a series of short stints at a company is a red flag to any prospective hiring manager.

Take time out of your busy schedule to assess where you’ve come, where you are currently and where you want to be in five or ten years time. Only by evaluating your career trajectory can you recognise the best time to make a career transition and which opportunities will set you off on your path to achieving your career goals.

Before you make a career transition:

Before you pursue another role, whether internally or with a new employer, you need to consider the reasoning behind your desire for a transition. Are you concerned about the future direction of the organisation? Is your commute draining and compromising quality time with your family? Are there no opportunities to progress at your current organisation? Or are you just going through a phase of doubt and uncertainty? It’s normal to have ups and downs at work; some days will be better than others, but if you’re beginning to lose hope of ever finding job satisfaction again or the stress you’re enduring on a daily basis is getting too much, then perhaps it’s time to look for other opportunities.

Assessing the pros and cons of a career transition is vital before you make any final decisions. As an executive, you should consider the economic implications of a career move, particularly if you have financial responsibilities.

Red flags to look out for:

If you’re still unsure about whether a career transition is the right thing to do, here are some signs to look out for that might suggest you’re in the wrong position:

• Physical signs of an unhappy career: It’s not unusual for executives to spend the majority of their day working; interestingly the average person will spend 90, 000 hours at work over their lifetime. Your job has more influence on your health than you might expect. If your body feels lethargic, drained and run down, then your job and the responsibility it brings might be the root cause.
• You don’t wake up feeling excited: In an ideal world, you want to be waking up feeling passionate and excited for a day at work. The most obvious sign that you’re dissatisfied in your current role is when feelings of dread for the week ahead occupy your mind on a Sunday night. The Sunday blues as it’s known.
• Difficult separating work and home life: Executives have a great deal of pressure on their shoulders to get the job done within strict time frames. This shouldn’t have to mean that your work-life balance is compromised, however. If your CEO is relentlessly adding more to your workload, forcing you to take it home with you and miss out on quality family time, it’s perfectly normal to crave a different opportunity where you’ll feel appreciated and respected.
• Split personality: It’s difficult putting on an act and pretending to be someone you’re not. If you feel as though you can’t be your true self at work, not only is this incredibly disheartening, but it’s also emotionally draining. If your behaviour at work doesn’t reflect your behaviour out of the office, then it’s worth assessing whether the job is a good fit.
• You fundamentally know you’re in the wrong place: Admitting you haven’t been happy at work is the first step to creating a better life for yourself. If deep down something feels wrong, don’t suppress it, acknowledge it.

When should you make a career transition?

You should first understand that there are different types of career transition:

1. A promotion

If you wake up every morning looking forward to seeing your colleagues and working hard for an organisation that you are proud to work for and values your commitment, then chances are you’ve never considered leaving. And why would you? When you feel appreciated, valued and most importantly, enjoy what you do, you feel loyalty towards your employer. Loyal employees are rewarded for their hard work and perseverance.

Nevertheless, striving for a promotion can be challenging and it might feel like it’ll never happen. For life science executives, promotions can be difficult simply because there are a limited number of roles at the very top. Patience is key; you should continue to work hard and build relations internally so that when top executives are promoted, step down or switch organisations, you’ll be a strong contender for promotion. Once you’ve established yourself as an integral team member, the very thought of you leaving the organisation would put hiring managers into a tailspin trying to find a replacement. Continue working hard and one day you may be rewarded.

2. Join a different organisation

If you’re feeling frustrated at the lack of opportunities in your current organisation or you’re no longer feeling challenged, it might be time to move on. When executives are no longer challenged, the job becomes monotonous and motivation is reduced significantly. Naturally, you’ll start to look for other opportunities in which you can thrive. When you become aware of an opportunity that better fits your short and long-term career goals, a career transition is only natural. An opportunity to further yourself and your knowledge is an opportunity that executives cannot miss. A similar role at another organisation might give you control over a larger team, an opportunity to hone your skills in a different environment, and a better work-life balance.

3. Tread a different path

A lateral career move is one which sees you move into another department or functional role. It’s clearly distinct from receiving a promotion in the sense that there’s no obvious benefit or gain to be had that makes your new role different from your previous role. You’ll essentially be doing similar work in a similar position, just in a different department. While it might seem like a backwards career move for some, it has the potential to open doors in the future. The role itself may not involve a pay rise or more responsibility, but it could involve a shorter commute or the ability to hone new skills that make all the difference to your sense of job satisfaction.

When should you NOT make a career transition?

It’s important not to just accept every position that comes your way though. Here are a number of situations where a career transition might not be so sensible:

1. Motivated by money

Changing positions simply because you desire more money leads you down a dark path. Hiring managers will be wary of your answer to the “Why do you want to work here?” question which crops up in every interview. Hiring managers can spot a poor answer to this question from a mile off. While you might have genuine reasons for pursuing a higher salary, for example, trying to provide a better life for your family, being motivated purely by profit can halt your career progression in its tracks. A larger salary doesn’t guarantee that you’ll become a better leader or produce better quality work. Your career should be about personal growth, not just financial growth. Equally, an increase in salary doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll enjoy your job any more. And if you have to relocate to an area where the cost of living is greater, or you spend more money on travel, your ‘raise’ might be absorbed by increased living costs.

When you’re considering a new job opportunity, you should evaluate the role as a whole, rather than just focusing on a single aspect, like salary for example. If the negatives outweigh the positives then a career transition is not worth pursuing.

2. Can’t financially afford a risk

Career transitions can be risky, even for executives. Leaving a job that you feel comfortable or confident in your ability to deliver is always going to be nerve-wracking; what if you don’t settle into your new role? What if you leave an unsatisfactory job for another unsatisfactory job? The upheaval can be particularly treacherous if you have a family who relies on your income, for example. In fact, 29% of participants in a study said that the lack of financial security when changing jobs was a major concern.

3. Haven’t evaluated all of your options

It’s absolutely crucial that you evaluate all of your options before you decide on the wrong career move. Identify why you’re unhappy in your current role and whether you have the power to change this yourself before jumping ship. If there’s been an obvious reduction in your responsibilities, for example, then you should speak to your CEO to identify whether there’s a problem. Addressing the issue will allow you to resolve it, rather than taking the easy way out and moving jobs.

4. You’ve had a few bad days at work

There’s a considerable difference between not enjoying your job and having a few bad days at work. If you had a disagreement with your CEO or colleague the day before, then this isn’t a reason to hand in your notice. Disagreements naturally occur in the workplace as each individual will approach problems in different ways, but they can be easily resolved. Of course, if the negative atmosphere continues and you’re dreading going to work each day, take a step back to evaluate your options. It’s important to be realistic and do the mental math first; just how many bad days have you had?

Navigating a career transition can be difficult for life science executives. The advantages and disadvantages need to be carefully considered before you make any sudden decisions. Ultimately, it’s completely natural to change jobs during the course of your career, but doing so on a regular basis could potentially hurt your career prospects. You need to find a balance between moving jobs to personally progress and appearing to flit about from one opportunity to the next.

For more job-search advice tailored to senior managers and executives in the life sciences…

• Read How To Balance Your Executive Job Search While Employed.

* 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 been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-up to established leaders – since 2013.

In recent years, the business case for diversity in the workplace has been gaining traction. Life science organisations that incorporate it into their business strategy benefit across the board, from an increase in productivity to improvements in employee retention. With Forbes stating that there’s a direct correlation between levels of bias and feelings of inclusion in the workplace, it’s clear that more needs to be done to embrace diversity and reap the benefits.

Life science organisations have the power to bring about change. But despite their best efforts, hiring a diverse workforce that reflects the makeup of society remains a challenge. However, the vast amount of research on the financial and performance benefits that come with a diverse workplace makes this a no brainer.

What is workplace diversity?

Diversity forms the fabric of society. You should aim to have a diverse workforce consisting of individuals with inherent diversity traits (i.e those that you were born with, such as age, sex and race) and acquired diversity traits (i.e. those gained through experiences, such as previous employment and education). Organisations are learning that by supporting diversity, there are numerous benefits to be had.

A compelling moral case:

Before we delve into the business and performance benefits of workplace diversity, ensuring that there’s equality in the workplace is morally the right thing to do. Every employee deserves recognition for the work they undertake, no matter their identity or background. The average employee spends upwards of 90,000 hours (⅓ of their lives) at work, often putting in overtime to propel your organisation to success. For their dedication and enthusiasm, they deserve to enjoy their jobs, thrive in the workplace and be rewarded. It makes no difference what they look like or where they’ve worked previously, it’s the morally sound thing to do.

Additionally, as the hiring manager, you have a responsibility to ensure that every candidate has an equal chance of success during the hiring process, which means putting preventative measures in place to avoid unconscious biases. For more information on implementing diverse hiring strategies, read How To Attract Diverse Life Science Leaders With Your Employer Brand.

The business case for diversity:

Workplace diversity can drive business growth, helping you outperform your competitors. Without further ado, here are several points outlining the business case for diversity:

1. Increases productivity:

Many organisations are reluctant to hire diverse candidates because they fear that the introduction of different people would be counterproductive, causing culture clashes and hindering productivity. When you aim to bring diverse individuals together, inevitably adjustments will be required. For example, people of different nationalities may suffer from communication issues initially, particularly if there are language barriers in place. Naturally, this would incur that productivity is reduced.

However, despite the possibility of culture clashes and language barriers, immigration has actually made the UK workforce more productive according to recent research. A growth of immigrants in the UK labour force by 1 percentage point has caused an increase in overall productivity by 2-3 percentage points. This clearly demonstrates that despite cultural differences, teams can work together and thrive.

2. Better problem-solving abilities:

Research has demonstrated that diverse teams make better business decisions, outperforming individual decision-makers up to 87% of the time.

In an ideal world, you want your workforce to be comprised of people with unique perspectives. When you bring diverse individuals together, each with different experiences, backgrounds, personalities and ability to process information, they will intrinsically approach the same situations in different ways. There are multiple ways to solve a problem, rather than there being just one right answer. With a non-diverse team, each individual is likely to come to the same conclusion when faced with a challenge. In contrast, a diverse team will approach the same problem from different perspectives and spend more time evaluating all options in order to identify the best one.

3. Drives profitability:

Every organisation wants to identify ways in which they can engineer growth, and one of the less obvious but most effective ways is by hiring diverse candidates.

• Organisations with diverse teams have 19% higher revenue.
• Organisations in which women hold leadership positions are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability.
• For ethnically diverse teams, they’re 35% more likely to experience above-average profitability.

These statistics make it abundantly clear that the more diverse your team, the greater the profit margins. While the reasoning for this growth in profit isn’t clear, the advantages that come along with diversity, namely increased productivity and better problem-solving abilities would naturally have an impact on financial growth.

4. Drives innovation:

Diverse organisations are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders, devising more innovative ideas and ways of doing things. It makes perfect sense when you think about it; a greater perspective encourages innovative thinking. When employees are able to bounce ideas off of each other, they are able to learn from one another’s unique experiences, helping to get the creative juices flowing. Organisations that don’t bring fresh ideas to the table are stuck with dry, stagnant ideas. You want your customers to anticipate your next move and the only way to keep them interested is to foster innovative ideas.

5. Enhances the reputation:

An organisation that prioritises and promotes diversity has a significantly positive effect on its reputation. Organisations with diverse employees are generally perceived to be good employers. When you’re classed as a good employer, your customers are more willing to do business with you and you are more likely to attract top talent. And with 67% of job seekers factoring in an organisation’s stance on diversity when considering job offers, it’s critical you get the balance right. If you want to attract and recruit the best talent to propel your organisation to success, then you need to ensure that you’ve sparked desire and interest in their minds so that they want to work for you, not just need to.

6. Unearth a larger talent pool:

Diverse candidates belonging from minority communities are often at a disadvantage during a job search. Sometimes, during the hiring process, unconscious biases and prejudices can eliminate qualified candidates due to their diversity. However, organisations with diversity at their core attract top talent to fill important positions. Hiring managers are no strangers to pursuing candidates, but with strong workplace diversity, candidates will be lining up to work at your organisation. This opens up opportunities to discover top talent that would have otherwise gone unmissed. This is particularly true for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startup life science organisations whose geographical scope is quite limited.

7. More representative of customers:

If your workforce doesn’t represent the makeup of society, let alone your customers, your organisation will struggle to deliver. On the other hand, the more diverse your employees, the more likely they are to be able to think just like your ideal consumer, identifying any problems or changes that need to be adapted. Organisations with employees that can relate to and understand consumer motives will help to drive more profit and engagement.

8. Boosts employee morale and engagement:

Employees that feel respected and appreciated generally feel happier in the workplace. They are proud to work for an organisation that embraces their true identity, encouraging them to engage and speak highly of you as an employer. A positive work atmosphere inspires high spirits and produces high-quality work. Employees that positively engage with their organisation are more likely to shout this from the rooftops, enhancing your reputation as an employer and attracting high-calibre candidates.

9. Improves employee retention:

When employees no longer feel valued or respected in the workplace, they’ll eventually resign; no employee likes to deal with a toxic work environment. Hiring managers are forced to deal with the consequences of their actions. The hiring process can be a slow, arduous task in order to find the correct replacement. It would make far more sense to prevent these problems from even occurring in the first place, which can be done by creating an inclusive, diverse workplace so that every employee feels appreciated for the work that they do. Organisations that make it their mission to promote diversity and equal opportunity will produce loyal employees who are far less likely to leave their role and force hiring managers to deal with this upheaval.

It’s important to understand that every organisation’s diversity strategy and how they are implemented will be different. This is because diversity inevitably means different things to different people. While implementing strategies to diversify your workforce might be a long process, the benefits far outweigh the risks of not modernising your organisation in this way and missing out on all of the above.

For more hiring advice tailored to hiring managers in the life science industry…

• Read The Importance of Workplace Diversity in the Life Sciences.
• Read How To Project Your Employer Brand To Attract Top Talent.
• View our talent solutions to see how we can help you gain a competitive edge through talent.

* 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 been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-up to established leaders – since 2013.

For life science executives, networking is one of the most important ways to advance your career. In an increasingly connected world, it’s not about what you know, but who you know. A valuable connection can help you secure your next executive tenure; either through them recruiting you directly or referring you to one of their connections.

Networking is all about building long-term relationships; connecting with professionals based on career path, experiences and interests. It’s one of the most impactful ways to expand your network. While networking is often viewed from a sales perspective, it’s actually more about how you can empower others in their career, and how they can help you in return. Essentially, it’s a way to establish your personal brand and build your reputation within the life sciences industry.

Your network should consist of your peers, ex-colleagues, key influencers, alumni and headhunters. You never know when your diverse network will come in handy.

What are the benefits of networking?

Career advancement

• 80% of professionals consider networking to be a vital aspect of their career success
• 70% of individuals are hired at organisations where they already had a notable connection
• 85% of jobs are filled via networking

These statistics speak for themselves; the more established your professional network, the more likely you are to excel in your life science career. Building a strong support network with the right kind of professionals can expose you to new career opportunities and put you on the hiring manager’s radar.

Increase your visibility:

Regularly attending industry events or conferences increases your odds of being noticed and remembered. Introducing yourself to industry leaders and hiring managers and delivering your elevator pitch is a great way to boost your visibility in a saturated industry.

Exposure to confidential opportunities:

The reality is, most executive and senior-level positions aren’t published online. They remain undisclosed, usually because the organisation would prefer to keep the role confidential. If you connect directly with hiring managers or executive search firms, they can keep your details on record so that when an opportunity arises, they can get in contact with you.

Gain insight:

Your network provides you with an outlet to share ideas or stories of how you overcame challenges in the workplace. Seeing how your peers conquer hurdles can give you fresh ideas and inspiration that you can adopt into your own work.

Get referrals:

Networking can help you secure referrals to hiring managers and organisations. Hiring managers are bombarded with CVs on a daily basis, but a CV accompanied with a detailed referral will increase your chances of getting hired tenfold. That’s because people trust recommendations. Generally speaking, referrals are also more convenient for organisations in the sense that it saves them valuable time and money advertising, qualifying and interviewing talent.

Below are some tips for you to take on board while networking:

In-person networking:

One of the best ways to create a robust network is to attend events and conferences, building relationships with other attendees and industry speakers. In fact, many networking events and conferences are structured to enforce communication and networking opportunities. While for many, approaching strangers can be intimidating and nerve-racking, it’s worthwhile in the long-run if it results in you securing your dream role.

Do your research:

Prior to the event, do some research to identify who will be attending and speaking. While the event’s website will provide information on guest speakers, following the event’s hashtag on social media may provide additional insight about the attendees. It’s a good idea to find these people on LinkedIn to pinpoint who they are and brainstorm ways you can strike up a conversation with them at the event; perhaps you’ve worked for the same employer, have similar experiences or both share a passion for volunteering outside of work. Whatever the connection, harness it so that you can go to the event prepared to make a strong first impression. You may find that these professionals will look at your LinkedIn profile in return and be more willing to connect with a familiar face at the event.

Introduce yourself:

Once you’re at the event, approach the professionals you researched, as well as anyone else you would like to initiate a conversation with. Now would be the perfect time to deliver your well-crafted, executive elevator pitch, introducing who you are and what you do in 30 seconds or less. Be careful to avoid boasting about your career, or unsubtly hinting that you are looking for new job opportunities. Remember that networking is mutually beneficial; your recipient won’t be best pleased to be bombarded with an unnecessary overload of information about all your past achievements. The key to networking is communication; politeness and manners go a long way. Ensure that conversation flows and demonstrate that you are genuinely interested in hearing what they have to say. Conclude your conversation by exchanging business cards or LinkedIn profiles (for a nifty way to do that, click here) so that you can contact one another afterwards should the situation arise.

Follow-through:

Most networking occurs immediately before and after an event. It is good practice to connect with the professionals that you met on LinkedIn immediately after the event so that your face will remain fresh in their mind. There’s nothing worse than going home and forgetting the names of potentially important contacts or waiting weeks before you send them a LinkedIn request. This diminishes the chances of your connection request being accepted as the recipient might not remember you. Always send a LinkedIn request with a brief personalised message, mentioning that you enjoyed meeting them at X event and hope that you can both keep in touch in the future.

Social media networking:

Social media is playing a key role in recruitment. According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 70% of hiring managers are using social media to screen potential candidates, emphasising the importance of social savviness. If your LinkedIn profile is inconsistent, out-of-date and unprofessional, then you’re missing out on a crucial opportunity to impress the hiring manager. Not only is LinkedIn the best platform for you to highlight your professional accomplishments, but it’s also a terrific way for you to foster connections with industry leaders.

Develop your personal brand:

LinkedIn enables you to position yourself as a key thought leader in the life sciences. By consistently publishing posts and sharing relevant articles, you can build your reputation and promote your expertise. Your updates will naturally attract other professionals who will consider you a trusted source of information. Additionally, you can attach presentations or videos of you speaking at conferences to your profile. Don’t be afraid to inject personality into your words with a bit of humour. While it’s tempting to remain strictly professional on LinkedIn, humour is a great way to demonstrate that there’s an actual human being behind the keyboard, rather than a robot. People are far more likely to engage with you on social media if they can relate to you.

Engage with your network:

It goes without saying that networking is a two-way street. While you want professionals to engage with your content, you should equally be making an effort to like, comment and share their posts. Not only is this the polite thing to do, but it also helps to foster long-term relationships. If someone in your network has just received a promotion or started a new role, comment on the post and congratulate them. Your message doesn’t need to be complicated; simply respond to their update how you wish people would engage with your own.

Join networking groups:

People naturally seek to connect with individuals who share the same or similar interests. LinkedIn groups allow you to do just that; providing an arena to share content, ideas and solutions. You can amplify your personal brand and credibility just by engaging with others in groups like these. This is just another way for you to forge close relationships with fellow executives who could one day help you.

Maintain your network:

While conversing with your network online has its benefits, meeting face-to-face is generally the preferred way to get a better gauge of an individual’s personality. If searching for a new job is your primary motive in developing your professional network, then you will, of course, benefit greatly from speaking on a one-to-one basis. Ensure that you regularly keep in touch with your network. If members of your network are posting about attending an event that you too will be at, then drop them a message suggesting that you catch up.

Conclusion

The fact of the matter is, we’re far more likely to help those who help us. If you’re not engaged with your network on an active basis, and simply contact them when you need something, they won’t be as willing to recommend or refer you for new opportunities. Members of your network can reward you with a new job just from you being a thoughtful, friendly being.

For more advice on job searching for life science executives…

• Read How To Balance Your Executive Job Search While Employed.

* 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 been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-up to established leaders – since 2013.