The pharmaceutical industry has been hit with round after round of massive layoffs in the last several years. Tens of thousands job cuts from big companies like Merck ($MRK), AstraZeneca ($AZN) and Pfizer ($PFE), just to name a few, have left many rank-and-file biopharma workers hunting for new positions within the industry.
AAPS is hosting a three-day career fair at this year's show. It will feature pharmaceutical and biotech companies, manufacturers and government agencies interested in hiring industry professionals. The fair includes a résumé/CV review and interview coaching as well as a host of workshops on career development. Below are some of the highlights for biopharma job seekers.
Monday, October 24
“I Would Consider any Reasonable Offer!” How to Successfully Interview for a Biotech or Pharmaceutical Role: When it comes to job hunting, half the battle is getting your foot in the door. But how do you prepare to impress your potential employer in an interview? This session, moderated by Megan Driscoll of PharmaLogis, will explore tactics for acing your interviews and landing a job offer.
Tuesday, October 25
Social Media, Networking and Career Success: Social media like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have become invaluable sources for networking and, as a result, job hunting. Find out how to leverage these sites in order to land your dream job in this session moderated by Clifford Mintz of BioCrowd.com.
Emerging Job Opportunities in Life Sciences: There are no details provided for this session, but we've previously reported that the industry is looking for biologists (rather than chemists), regulatory and clinical professionals. Expect more detais on in-demand positions to emerge from this discussion.
Wednesday, October 26
Job Search Strategies in Tough Economic Times: Competition for jobs is fierce, and job hunters must have excellent search tools in order to take the first step in the hunt for a new position. This session, moderated by AAPS's Apryl Stokes, will help job hunters plot solid strategies for their searches.