Can You Be Certain a Biotech Candidate Will Succeed? Not Exactly – But You Can Get Close
In biotech hiring, there’s no surefire formula for identifying the perfect candidate. Even seasoned recruiters and hiring managers know that the ideal résumé rarely matches the job description line for line. But that’s okay! In this rapidly evolving field, success isn’t just about credentials. It’s about finding someone with the right combination of mindset, adaptability, and potential.
Fortunately, a candidate doesn’t need to check every technical box to be a standout contributor. With the right approach to screening and evaluation, you can identify individuals who will not only meet the demands of today, but also help shape the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
The Résumé Is a Starting Point – Not the Whole Story
In many hiring processes, especially for early-career or research-focused roles, the résumé may be your first and only impression before the interview. While technical fit matters – particularly in specialized roles involving lab techniques, regulatory knowledge, or data analysis – too much focus on hard skills can mean that you overlook candidates with the soft skills and growth potential to become top performers.
In a field like biotech, where both science and technology are constantly evolving, the ability to grow with the role can be more important than ticking every box from the outset.
Four Key Questions to Guide Biotech Hiring Decisions
1. Is the candidate coachable?
Biotech is fast-paced and continuously shifting, with new tools, therapeutic approaches, and regulatory frameworks emerging all the time. A candidate who is adaptable and open to feedback will likely outlast and outperform someone who knows today’s tools but struggles to evolve with the industry. During interviews, ask about moments when the candidate had to quickly master a new technique or pivot a project – and how they handled the challenge.
2. Is the candidate self-motivated?
The most impactful biotech professionals don’t just fulfill their job description – they actively seek out ways to contribute. Strong candidates often show a passion for the field that extends beyond their day-to-day responsibilities: they may have pursued side projects, earned additional certifications, volunteered for cross-functional initiatives, or engaged with scientific communities. Look for signs of intellectual curiosity and initiative that suggest the candidate is invested in the industry’s future – not just their own role.
3. Is the candidate competent – not just technically skilled?
Meeting baseline requirements (e.g., cell culture experience or bioinformatics knowledge) doesn’t always translate to effective team-based execution. Probe deeper during interviews: ask candidates to walk through their experimental design choices, how they troubleshoot failed assays, or how they manage timelines in collaborative research projects. These details reveal a great deal about how they work under real-world conditions.
4. Is the candidate likely to stay and grow with your company?
Retention is especially critical in biotech, where training is intensive and institutional knowledge compounds over time. Does the candidate demonstrate a long-term interest in your company’s mission or therapeutic area? Have they committed to past roles, or are they hopping frequently between opportunities? A track record of engagement in biotech communities – such as presenting at conferences, co-authoring publications, or contributing to open-source data projects – may also suggest a deeper professional investment.
Final Thought: Look Beyond the Obvious
The most successful biotech hires are often those with a solid foundation and the hunger to learn – not necessarily those with the most polished résumés. By evaluating candidates through the lens of coachability, self-motivation, demonstrated competency, and long-term potential, you’ll build a team that’s prepared to tackle the scientific challenges ahead – and help your organization drive innovation and impact.
If you’re looking to fill a role with a highly qualified candidate, Sci.bio’s recruitment services can help. We know that no two clients are the same, so we provide customized recruiting support that adapts to a given client’s structure and needs, and have placed successful candidates with a variety of companies. Please contact us to connect with a recruiter and discuss your needs, and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.
Meet Mike Cordaro, one of Sci.bio Recruiting’s wonderful Senior Recruiting Partners. Mike has been an integral part of the Sci.bio team for more than 6 years, and specializes in filling medical affairs roles, as well as expanding Sci.bio’s executive recruiting branch.
Read on for a deeper dive into Mike’s journey which led him to Sci.bio, what he loves most about the industry, and more!
How did you get into recruiting, and how did you end up at Sci.bio?
I was inspired after calling asking for donations from alumni during my college’s Phonathon. The nature of being on calls the entire time and forming relationships with people that I had never met before really struck a chord with me, and I wanted to continue developing that skill. I had joined a contract staffing company where I learned the day-day of Candidate Recruitment and built my foundational skills. After excelling in candidate Recruitment, I wanted to learn the BD nature of the business, so I joined a prominent company in the industry and ran my own 360 desk. Since I graduated with a degree in biology, I always wanted to utilize my life science knowledge in a more direct way, and Eric (Founder and Sr. Managing Partner here at Sci.bio) was someone I had been in touch with for years. In early 2019, the timing was just right, and I became a part of the Sci.bio team.
What do you enjoy most about being a recruiter?
The relationships I’ve built with my clients – not just in helping them fill their key roles and achieving their goals, but also the times when we catch up just to see how life is going and what’s new in their world outside of work. Even more so, I love the process of starting new relationships with new hiring managers and clients.
What do you find most challenging about recruiting?
The things that are outside our control: offers, hard to fill roles, contracts, and more are all second nature, and a normal part of our day-day. But things like the overall state of the economy, sudden changes in people’s lives, and other unforeseen events can be hard to rationalize and respond to at times. However, it’s what also makes our industry so unique – and over time, you learn how to deal with them, and they go from obstacles to accomplishments.
What are your passions and interests outside of work?
Traveling with my wife, hikes and long walks with both my wife and my dog, skiing, trying to be good at golf and failing every time, and my adult recreational soccer league.
What do you think your greatest strength is as a recruiter?
I’m good at discovering small, somewhat under-the-radar companies facing their own unique challenges in hiring, and coming up with creative solutions to find long-term talent for them.
What advice would you give to someone entering the world of biotech recruiting, or recruiting in general?
There are great days, and there are tough days. This piece of advice was given to me by someone I worked with previously: never get too high on yourself, and never get too low on yourself. Just keeping showing up, and you’ll find success.
What are your goals that you hope to accomplish as a recruiter?
I hope to continue to build on my network, and always follow a Kaizen method (a Japanese term meaning “continuous improvement”) to keep improving on my own skills.
Meet Carla Yacoub, one of our wonderful Scientific Recruiting Partners. Coming to Sci.bio from a background in biology and environmental science and policy, she has now been a part of the team for more than four years, and is currently focused on several of Sci.bio’s ongoing RPO projects.
Read below to learn more about what led Carla to the world of recruiting, her advice to those new to the industry, and her interests outside of work!
How did you get into recruiting, and how did you end up at Sci.bio?
I met Eric on LinkedIn after he reached out to me. He gave me an in depth description of what recruiting is and how I could possibly excel in the area so I figured I would give it a try!
What do you enjoy most about being a recruiter?
What I enjoy most about being a recruiter is being able to identify what values are important to a candidate in a workplace environment and then placing that individual in an environment where I’m confident they will thrive. Seeing these results blossom is always just the best.
What do you find most challenging about recruiting?
What I find most challenging is our inability to predict the future. While we definitely don’t always know exactly what will happen, we can continue to do our best in connecting top talent to great organizations.
What are your passions and interests outside of work?
Outside of work, I’m passionate about gaming and spending time with my family! We enjoy being outside together, lots of cooking, and local music.
What do you think your greatest strength is as a recruiter?
My greatest strength as a recruiter is being a sincere listener. I’m able to thoroughly understand what my clients need and I’m able to market my candidates accurately.
What advice would you give to someone entering the world of biotech recruiting, or recruiting in general?
My advice to anyone joining this industry would be to put in the work and genuinely ask questions about what true needs or challenges may be at play in any hiring process. There are many nuances involved and often the target can change while in play so continuing to be curious is essential.
What are your goals that you hope to accomplish as a recruiter?
My goals as a recruiter are to continue growing as a trusted business partner so I can quickly step in to assess talent management and hiring needs for growing teams.
If you’re looking to fill a role with a highly qualified candidate, Sci.bio’s recruitment services can help. We know that no two clients are the same, so we provide customized recruiting support that adapts to a given client’s structure and needs, and have placed successful candidates with a variety of companies. Please contact us to connect with a recruiter and discuss your needs, and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.
Aly Budny is one of our amazing Recruiting Partners, who originally joined the Sci.bio team in a dual role comprising marketing and recruiting. Since she joined the team almost four years ago, she’s transitioned to full-time recruiting and has developed a tailored approach to talent acquisition across various kinds of roles.
Read more below about Aly’s serendipitous path to Sci.bio, the way she tackles the day-to-day difficulties of recruiting, her passion for wildlife photography, and more!
How did you get into recruiting, and how did you end up at Sci.bio?
I got into recruiting accidentally! When I graduated from Northeastern, I knew I wanted to work in Biotech, but wasn’t sure how to break into the industry without landing in a research position. I didn’t want to work in the lab and I didn’t have plans to get a PhD, so I was seeking a way into the industry that was more business oriented. I had done a co-op in marketing while in college, giving me skills in social media marketing, event planning, and newsletter creation. I figured biotech marketing was a path I could explore, but I also did a second co-op at SQZ Biotech supporting the CEO, which exposed me to other areas like business development, HR, investor relations, and even recruiting. I saw an opening at Sci.bio and applied. In chatting with Eric, I learned that Sci.bio had a need for marketing support, and we decided I would join in a dual position – marketing and recruiting. I got to learn something new (that has turned into my career) and continue to develop on the marketing side. I ended up liking recruiting more, and transitioned to being a full time recruiter in 2022.
What do you enjoy most about being a recruiter?
I really enjoy the opportunity to work with so many different people across the industry and even specifically within an organization. At this point in my career, I have supported all the baseline functions a biotech company may have – G&A, Clinical, Research, and more recently Commercial. I look forward to developing a relationship with my hiring managers and building a partnership that can lead to successful hiring. You can draft a JD, look at some resumes, and guess on paper what will be a fit, but if you aren’t taking the time to meet with a hiring manager to understand their personality, their management style, their goals, you can spin in circles looking for the right candidate. Everyone has a unique approach, and I learn something new every time I kick off an opening with a new hiring manager.
What do you find most challenging about recruiting?
Lately, small tasks can be a challenge. Resume review, scheduling interviews, and keeping a hiring process moving forward can involve a lot of small steps. I get excited when I know we have the right candidate moving through the process, and sometimes I have to step back, remind myself what steps need to occur, and make sure I am consistent from a process perspective.
What are your passions and interests outside of work?
I currently play on multiple tennis teams throughout the week, which nicely breaks up the amount of time I sit at my desk! I also love wildlife photography and am looking forward to warbler season (IYKYK). Photography has led me to be a lot more active and spend more time outside – even in the winter!
What do you think your greatest strength is as a recruiter?
I think my greatest strength as a recruiter is that I don’t give up easily. I have worked through many difficult positions – from lack of clarity on the requirements, to multiple offer declines, to one specific role that arguably only 10 people on the planet could do, I will find the right fit, no matter how long it takes. You can always work with a hiring manager to shift expectations, priorities, and even hiring location, but I interpret that as a last resort.
What advice would you give to someone entering the world of biotech recruiting, or recruiting in general?
Patience is a virtue. There will be jobs you don’t fill, jobs you lose out to another agency, jobs that will be cancelled right when you get a good candidate in the mix. This job requires being in it for the long haul, and the benefits will outweigh the struggle, you just have to have the patience to get there.
What are your goals that you hope to accomplish as a recruiter?
I could list metric based goals or processes I want to improve, as there are always things to think about in this sense, but I really enjoy what I am doing currently, and my goal is to continue to enjoy what I do.
Here at Sci.bio, we work with a variety of candidates from new graduates to experienced executives and have myriad open roles. We pride ourselves on connecting our highly discerning clients with candidates who fit their specific needs. Check out our job search page to see current openings and follow us on LinkedIn for more information.
Martha Navarro is one of Sci.bio’s wonderful Senior Recruiting Associates. She came to life sciences recruiting from a background in STEM education and has been a valuable part of the Sci.bio team for more than two years.
Read below to learn more about Martha, including her greatest strengths and challenges in recruiting, her work volunteering and fostering animals outside of work, and her advice for new recruiters.
How did you get into recruiting, and how did you end up at Sci.bio?
As someone with a STEM education background, the most tangible options were to work lab related roles or apply to med school. I took a chance and applied to one of Sci.bio’s job posts. Turns out it’s a great fit and compliments quite a few skills I’m still developing here at Sci.bio!
What do you enjoy most about being a recruiter?
There’s spontaneity! Something is always changing whether it’s supporting clients or managing candidate relationships. As you support others, there’s so much to learn with great potential to keep developing yourself.
What do you find most challenging about recruiting?
If I had to name one challenging aspect of recruiting, it would be not being able to connect everyone to opportunities. The biotech industry is everchanging, and we all know of someone who has been impacted by layoffs. Safe to say, there’s amazing talent out there and not enough roles.
What are your passions and interests outside of work?
Outside of work, I spend my time volunteering with a non-profit TNR group. I’d love to continue fostering, but there’s only so many foster fails that can be had! I enjoy having coffee with friends, reading a good mystery thriller series, and listening to podcasts.
What do you think your greatest strength is as a recruiter?
My ability to connect with people and persevere has been incredibly helpful. To me, being a recruiter isn’t just about being on the phone or behind a computer. These are real people looking for their next role or clients looking to build out their teams.
What advice would you give to someone entering the world of biotech recruiting, or recruiting in general?
Recruiting takes time and focus. You truly learn once you begin immersing yourself in the role. Find what works for you, there’s no perfect recruiting method but always ways to improve. The industry and people that come with it are always changing. Take the time to understand each. You’ll be a better recruiter for it and know how to navigate unknowns.
What are your goals that you hope to accomplish as a recruiter?
As a recruiter, I hope to always be a reliable resource for candidates and clients. My aim by the end of each interaction is to have answered any questions or concerns. I’d like to continue supporting clients for hiring needs and utilizing my ability to connect with others to bring in my own.
If you’re looking to fill a role with a highly qualified candidate, Sci.bio’s recruitment services can help. We know that no two clients are the same, so we provide customized recruiting support that adapts to a given client’s structure and needs and have placed successful candidates with a variety of companies. Please contact us to connect with a recruiter and discuss your needs, and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.
