Whether you’re a full time, part-time, or temporary employee, it’s important to know your worth when accepting a job or seeking a raise.
Feeling underpaid is a predicament that many people find themselves in, whether at a new job or an old one. In fact, not negotiating your salary because you don’t know your worth could cost hundreds of thousands from your lifetime earnings.
Here are seven negotiation suggestions to get the salary you deserve:
1. Know Your Value
To get the pay you deserve, you need to know the going rate for your specific industry and your area. Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of an experienced hiring manager who can control the conversation. Do this by doing an online search on sites such as Payscale or Glassdoor, or by asking others in your field.
2. Talk to a Recruiter
One of the best ways to discover your true worth is to reach out to a recruiter in your area. They know what people with your experience and expertise are worth, so use it to your advantage! They may not be able to give you a specific number, but even a range is helpful.
3. Know When to Ask for a Raise
If you’re otherwise happy at your job, but your salary has remained static over a period of time, you’re likely underpaid. It’s time to ask for a raise! You may think your hiring manager should know when you deserve an increase, but that’s not always the case. Talking to your employer about a raise can be tricky, so be smart and cautious about it.
4. Present your Accomplishments
It’s important to make sure your boss knows about the great things you’re doing. One way is to prepare a one-page summary that highlights your accomplishments. List things since your last review, such as positive sales numbers, increased responsibilities, successful projects, etc.
5. Engage in Discussion
You should be prepared to discuss your pay with your hiring manager, HR director, or whoever can give you a raise. Understand what your boundaries are. How much flexibility are you going to allow? What are you willing to accept or not accept? Listen to what your employer proposes, and if not satisfied, come back with a compromise and other suggestions.
6. Don’t Rush It
It’s a good idea to consider an offer depending on how close it is to what you want. If you’re asked how long you need to think it over, say you’ll let them know in the next day or two. Even if the offer seems perfect, it’s usually good to not commit right away.
7. Consider your Options
If your supervisor won’t (or can’t) improve your salary, try negotiating for flex time, more vacation, a better title, or plum projects. It’s important to keep the conversation positive so, don’t threaten to leave if you don’t get a raise. You can, however, quietly begin your job search.
A Final Thought
Whether it’s a new job or an existing one, negotiating for the salary you want can be stressful. The good news is, with the proper preparation, research, and attitude, you can make it happen.
Sci.Bio is a leading recruitment and search firm based in Boston. We specialize in finding and hiring the best talent to fill temporary openings, long-term positions, and executive roles in the Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and the Life Sciences industries. To learn more, visit our website today!
As a hiring manager or recruiter working with a life sciences company, an employee referral program is an excellent source for locating talented candidates.
Employee referrals are a way of leveraging the existing employees in an organization to help identify and recruit quality talent. For many reasons, employee referrals have proven to be one of the best ways of sourcing.
Many life sciences companies have implemented employee referrals in their organizations – some using methods such as a referral program, and some are keeping it less organized. No matter how it’s set up, what matters most is to actively engage your staff through employee referrals.
Listed below are five benefits to implementing an employee referral program, and why it could be your best way to hire the most qualified talent:
1. Saves Time and Money
Sourcing candidates requires a lot of effort, which means it can cost a company both time and money. It was found in one study that referred candidates are faster to hire. An advantage of employee referrals is that your current team member makes the connection and saves the recruiter the initial time of sourcing the candidate. Further, the candidate could be a better match compared to others who apply externally. This can help expedite the process and cut back on the need to find alternative options.
2. Receive Qualified Candidates
Employees often want to work with someone who they know can do the job. With a referral, you can have much more confidence in the candidate’s ability to perform the necessary tasks, since they are “pre-sold.” In addition, a personal recommendation that is already within the company can instill confidence that the reference is in fact, valid and reputable.
3. Higher Retention Rate
Studies have shown that finding and retaining life sciences professionals is an ongoing challenge. The good news is employee referrals tend to stay around longer, perhaps because they are personally connected to their peers. That’s not to mention that the referrer themselves may feel more respected and valued after the company takes their recommendation. And when an employee feels respected and valued, they can become more dedicated in the long run. You may also want to give an employee referrer a bonus to show your appreciation!
4. Better Cultural Fit
A referred new hire will help alleviate the concern that a candidate may or may not be a good cultural fit. A successful employee referral program can help achieve this goal. Your employees are in the best position to understand the suitability of a referral to fit within your business.
5. Improved Employee Engagement
Encouraging qualified referrals can be the best way to engage your employees in more meaningful ways. When a company asks staff members to find the next great hire in their organization, they feel more empowered. At the same time, it’s a feeling of accomplishment for them by helping their friends achieve their next career move.
Conclusion
When it comes to finding candidates with specific life sciences skills, employee referrals have proven effective time and time again. Referrals are a great way for recruiters and hiring managers to fill positions with “pre-recommended” talent that possess the critical skills and cultural fit you’re looking for.
Sci.bio is a leading recruitment and search firm based in Boston. We specialize in finding and hiring the best talent to fill temporary openings, long-term positions, and executive roles in the Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and the Life Sciences industries. To learn more, visit our website today!
For recruiters and hiring managers, there comes a time when it makes sense to dust off your social skills and make professional connections.
Most recruiters know why it’s important to network – career growth, knowledge expansion, and gaining new business being the primary reasons. But why the hesitation? Maybe networking doesn’t come naturally to you. It’s okay – let’s face it, networking can feel weird, artificial, and awkward. Or maybe you tried networking and didn’t get that much out of it.
There are definite benefits to networking for recruiters and managers – and the following tips will help you gain confidence as you gain contacts:
1. Virtual Networking during COVID-19
Before the pandemic, the best way to the network was to attend industry events – or even host your own. But that’s changed – at least for now. As we all adapt to the new reality of remote work brought on by COVID-19, we will also adapt the social behaviors that enable us to stay in touch and forge new relationships with potential new hires. Creating and maintaining virtual relationships is now fundamental to maintaining mental health as well as business success. Search out online networking events, webinars, and chat rooms that will allow you to make new connections and foster existing ones.
2. Be Prepared
It may be a virtual get together, but you should still have a game plan to help approach potential job candidates during networking events. Take a look at the guest list and identify some key people you want to chat with. Depending on the scenario, you can message them before and plan to meet or approach them with knowledge of mutual contacts and interests.
3. Prepare your Profile
Make sure your LinkedIn is up to date, including a recent (that means within the last three years) profile picture and accurate work information so people can easily find you.
4. Build a Rapport
When meeting people online or in person, it’s crucial to set yourself apart from other recruiters and organizations. Make sure you’re actively listening and showing your engagement by asking follow-up questions. This should allow the conversation to flow more naturally, and help you get a better idea of how this potential hire would fit into your company culture.
5. Debrief
Be sure to debrief yourself after the event and, if possible, organize any information you may have brought back with you. Add contact details to online address books and pencil future events into your calendar – anything to ensure you’ve got all the information you need.
6. Practice Makes Perfect
Remember that the more time you spend doing anything, the better you’ll get. Try to make it your business to check out as many industry networking events and recruitment conferences in your area as possible – and put everything you have into practice. Slowly, the fear should start to lift, and networking will seem like second nature.
Summing Up
Making professional connections can be challenging – especially during extraordinary times like these. But with some preparation and research, you’re sure to find success and get the results you need. As a recruiter, building and leveraging a specific network of professionals should be an ongoing effort to ensure growth, leadership, and retention. The above tips will help you get there.
Sci.bio is a leading recruitment and search firm based in Boston. We specialize in finding and hiring the best talent to fill temporary openings, long-term positions, and executive roles in the Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and the Life Sciences industries. To learn more, visit our website today!
For HR managers, recruiters, and hiring managers, it’s important to remember that the Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Life Sciences fields require very specific skills. This means job descriptions targeted to biotech and pharma talent need to work hard to outline the exact abilities, background, and experience. Writing job descriptions to attract biotech talent is so important. However, it’s easy to miss important aspects of crafting a job description to attract top Biotech talent. The language used in many job ads can prevent candidates from understanding the job!
Well-written job descriptions do more than help you recruit effectively. They also communicate the organization’s deepest cultural values – thereby attracting the right people for the right reasons. They also lead to long term employee retention, engagement, and satisfaction.
Here are some suggestions on how a detailed job description can make that happen:
Provide the Job Title
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the job title will set the tone for both the job description and the kinds of applicants you get. If you say “engineer” or “technician,” you could get people who may or may not be suited for the open role. If you say, “Biomedical Engineer,” you get a winnowed-down pool of applicants looking specifically for that kind of job.
Offer a General Overview of the Role
How does this job fit in with the organization? Are there direct reports? No personal details, but this quick one- or two-sentence overview would let the reader know that the newly hired Microbiologist reports to the VP of Biomedical and Industrial Products.
Roles and Responsibilities
A hiring manager doesn’t need to provide a minute-by-minute breakdown. But it’s okay to provide some highlights that cover the most important aspects of the job. By including this information, candidates know what to expect and can match up their own skills and experience before applying.
Give a Salary Range (if Possible)
This item can help avoid wasted time with candidates who are qualified but are seeking a higher salary. It can also set reasonable expectations if an entry-level employee is somehow thinking about senior-level compensation.
Level of Experience
If you’re hiring someone for a mid-career role, it’s important to note that a certain level of experience is necessary. This is especially true when listing required education levels. If it’s more of an entry-level position, specify that as well. This can help weed out applicants that are either overqualified or under-qualified.
List Benefits and Perks
Part of attracting candidates is showing what your company offers outside of the day-to-day work. A general overview of the benefits a good way to flesh out a job description. Examples include types of insurance offered, HSA savings plans, retirement savings, flexible hours, paid vacations, and education reimbursement. A quick benefit list (nothing too detailed) is a way to add some quick selling points to the job description.
Conclusion
As a hiring professional, you know that if you want to fill a position well, you have to get the best possible candidates to apply (or you’ll find yourself staring down this same job description a few months from now). Crafting a clear, concise, and attention-getting job description will go a long way toward making your hiring process as efficient and successful as possible.
Sci.bio is a leading recruitment and search firm based in Boston. We specialize in finding and hiring the best talent to fill temporary openings, long-term positions, and executive roles in the Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and the Life Sciences industries. To learn more, visit our website today!
In our increasingly connected world, it’s no surprise that social media can aid you on your hunt for a job. There’s no need to go out and create all new profiles, though. Keep reading for some tips on how to leverage your social media during a job search.
The Importance of a Social Presence
According to a CareerBuilder survey published in August 2018, social media now has a significant role in the hiring process. Here are some of the key findings:
70 percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates.
57 percent of those who do research have found content that caused them not to hire a candidate.
47 percent of employers said that if they can’t find a candidate online, they are less likely to extend an invitation for an interview.
The study also found that monitoring doesn’t stop once a job offer is extended. Forty eight percent of employers admitted that they use social media to research current employees and that 10 percent even do it daily. Just over a third of employers said that they have reprimanded or fired an employee based on content found online.
The bottom line: You need to be on social media and it is imperative to maintain a clean online record.
The Content that Matters to Employers
The CareerBuilder survey mentioned above also dug into what type of content employers wanted to find on a new hire when they searched for a candidate:
Background information that supports professional qualifications for the job. (37 percent)
Job candidate is creative. (34 percent)
Profiles convey a professional image. (33 percent)
Candidate is well-rounded and appears to have a wide-range of interests. (31 percent)
A good understanding of the candidate’s personality and ability to see a good fit within company culture. (31 percent)
Candidate has great communication skills. (28 percent)
Candidate has received awards. (26 percent)
Positive references on the candidate. (23 percent)
Candidate interacted with the company’s social media accounts. (22 percent)
Candidate posts compelling content. (21 percent)
Candidate has a large number of followers or subscribers. (18 percent)
The Social Giants (for Professionals)
Here are the top four social platforms for job seekers:
LinkedIn
With more than half a billion professionals worldwide, LinkedIn is the ultimate networking tool for professionals. The site is considered the “professional” social network and provides business owners with recruitment and applicant tracking systems to make the hiring process run smoothly.
Facebook
Facebook is the largest social network with over 2 billion members worldwide. If you’re a member of the baby boomer, Gen X or Millennial generations and you’re not on Facebook, you need to be.
Twitter
Twitter is a sort of microblogging site that enables users to engage in public conversations. Tweet daily and demonstrate knowledge of your industry.
Google+
Use the Circles feature to connect with influential people and link all of your other online profiles together on this network.
Tips and Tricks
If you’re ready to leverage your social media to kick start your job search, here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Create professional profiles.
The first step in using social media to find a job is to create relevant, professional profiles across different networks. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are great places to start. Include your job history, skills, what you’ve accomplished in past or current roles and what you believe you can offer to a future employer.
2. Network.
If you’re not following others and no one is following you, social media is a very boring place. After creating your profile, networking is the next step. Search for groups in your industry and then participate in the conversation and introduce yourself to other members. You never know where those new connections will get you.
3. Stay active.
Creating a perfect profile and then letting it sit won’t improve your chances of getting hired. The more you engage and interact with others on social media, the more likely you are to benefit from the resource. Follow businesses in your field, join the conversations about industry trends and help out others by answering questions, making introductions, and posting and sharing relevant content.
4. Avoid looking desperate.
When you’re hidden behind a computer screen, it’s easy to feel more confident. However, asking people outright for a job over social media is still going to make you look desperate. Instead, make connections with the people you want to work with and for, post intelligent and relevant content and engage in conversations about the industry that demonstrate your knowledge.
5. Perform job searches through social media.
These days, most people start their job search on sites like Indeed or Monster. Although they are great places to find job listings, it can be hard to stand out due to the high number of users. Most people don’t think about searching for jobs on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, but they’re actually great resources!
Big Names in Biotech
Social media is still a relatively new area for biotech companies to be in, but there are a few companies who are thriving. Once you’ve created your professional profiles, following them is a pretty good place to start.
1. Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim’s goal is to improve the health and quality of patients’ lives through innovative therapies. Their social media strategy is led by two millennial women who developed an engaging presence on Twitter that gained significant media attention, including a case study by Twitter, highlighting it as good business practice.
2. Novartis
Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and they have an impressive social media following to match. They are known for conducting interviews via Twitter, known as “twitterviews” to encourage engagement and also for their patient stories about the diseases they work to cure.
3. Merck & Co.
Merck is another one of the largest biotech companies in the world and is known for their focus on innovative medicines, vaccines and animal health products. The company joined the social world in 2011 and has since stuck to a safe, corporate feel for their posts. However, their Merck for Mothers pages, which shares their fight to end preventable maternal deaths, has a more conversational tone and is thriving.
4. Amgen
Amgen’s commitment is to unlock “the potential of biology for patients suffering from serious illnesses by discovering, developing, manufacturing and delivering innovative human therapeutics.” They use social media to celebrate the people who have used and benefited from their products in a caring and proud way. With almost 75 thousand followers on Twitter, it seems to have paid off.
If you’re thinking about leaving your current position or just starting your career, polishing up your social media presence is a great place to start before embarking on the hunt for a new job.
