How to use social media to get a job in Pharmaceuticals

With a growing worldwide market worth approximately $1,105bn, and the chance to use cutting-edge technology to develop exciting new medicines, pharmaceuticals is a great industry to get involved in. However, it’s not quite as easy as that because competition for experienced staff is strong, and there are often manmy graduates applying for a limited number of entry-level jobs. 

If you’re looking for a way into the pharma industry, one way to get ahead of the competition is to get online. Increasing numbers of us are logging onto social media, making the most of our personal accounts to connect with other professionals and find out what’s happening in the industry. Though the pharma industry has traditionally been slow to adopt social media, due to rules and regulations governing how firms interact with patients, consumers and the public, a change is happening and more companies than ever before are becoming active online, using their platforms to connect with patients, collect reviews of their products, or advertise job vacancies.

Social media is quickly becoming an excellent place for jobseekers to get a leg-up in their job hunt. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Network

One of the main reasons that people go online is to network with like-minded people. Given that 70% of jobs today are found through social networking, it’s well worth doing. The pharmaceutical industry is no different: increasing numbers of prominent researchers, clinicians and for instance, people like Dr. Kevin Campbell who has built up a large social media following, are online and with their connections and industry experience are getting in touch with them could pay off for you. 

Use your social media profiles to network. Many sites like LinkedIn and Facebook will have specific groups for industry professionals - for instance, Professionals in the Pharmaceutical and Biotech Industry, or FiercePharma: A Network of Pharmaceutical Professionals. These groups are especially good for staying up to date with industry news, and for establishing relationships with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. You can also participate in industry conversations and send direct messages asking for advice or potential vacancies. 

As a way of finding out what’s going on in the pharmaceutical industry, joining online groups provides a fantastic source of information and you may also be able to find out if there are any vacancies in the market. 

Get involved

It’s no use becoming a member of a LinkedIn or Facebook group if you don’t get really involved. These groups are a wellspring of pharmaceutical know-how, so get involved: don’t be afraid to get stuck into conversations, whether it’s to ask for advice or clarification on issues or to air your own views. Not only will this help you learn more about the industry as a whole, it’ll also raise your profile within the group, and potentially open doors for you amongst professionals whose companies might have an upcoming vacancy. 

Follow your favourites

In the digital age, many companies are becoming increasingly savvy about the power of the internet, especially when it comes to hiring. Big companies like GlaxoSmithKline and Johnson & Johnson are very active online, and still more will post news and updates online - especially job vacancies that will then link to their careers websites. Given the high levels of competition when it comes to applying for vacancies, it pays to follow them online, so you can make the most of the immediate notifications you’ll get as a result to quickly apply for jobs. You can even check out company profile pages (for instance, on LinkedIn) to learn more about your prospective employers and further tailor your job application.

Job hunt

Social media has become somewhat of a goldmine when it comes to finding job vacancies. Facebook and LinkedIn have both heavily invested time and money into making it easy for companies to post vacancies online, and for candidates to find those vacancies. LinkedIn, in particular, is a haven for job hunters: the platform recommends jobs to you based on your previous search preferences, and it’s easy to apply for jobs with just one click (though for this to have maximum impact you need to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date).

LinkedIn is also especially useful because you can request LinkedIn recommendations from people in your network. If you’re connected to somebody, you can ask them to write official recommendations for you that you can then display on your profile, thereby increasing your credibility on the job market. LinkedIn will provide you with a template to send to that person to fill out. If you have a connection at a company that has posted a job vacancy you want to apply to, why not ask them to fill out a recommendation for you? If they agree, it will definitely boost your credibility and job application with your prospective employers. 

At IQVIA™, we provide cutting-edge recruitment and healthcare solutions to the best and brightest talent, connecting them to the most exciting jobs in healthcare. If you’re looking for more tips on applying for a job, why not have a look at our article section here, or if you want to discover more job opportunities, take a look here.

Sources

https://www.statista.com/topics/1764/global-pharmaceutical-industry/

https://www.agencycentral.co.uk/agencysearch/headhunting/skills/life-sciences-healthcare/pharmaceutical.htm

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joannabelbey/2016/03/09/6-ways-pharma-may-use-social-media/#2f1d4e333518

https://www.thebalance.com/best-social-media-sites-for-job-searching-2062617

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/61852/profile

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/5042642/profile

http://www.getreskilled.com/2017s-top-20-linkedin-groups-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-professionals/

https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-use-linkedin-to-job-search-2062600

https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-get-linkedin-recommendations-2062316