Trying to get a job in a niche industry can be daunting – particularly for former students that have just graduated from the comfortable bubble of Uni or college.
Here are six things that you can do when trying to find work to improve your odds of landing that interview you need to get you in the door:
Don’t Cast a Wide Net – Be precise in your search. Save yourself (and recruiters) time by only applying for jobs that are a clear fit for you given your skills and experiences. If you’re specifically looking for jobs in clinical research, only apply for jobs in this field.
Polish Your C.V. – At least twice. Your C.V. is the most important piece of your application. So just when you think your C.V. is ready, double check it again.
Tailor Your C.V. to Each Job – Tweak and adjust your C.V. to the requirements of the job in order to maximize your chances of getting through the initial screening.
Do Your Homework – Employers expect you to have already researched the details of the job, the people and the company before applying. Get on Linkedin and find out info about the culture and any awards etc that the company have won or been nominated for.
Do thorough research about the job and industry you are applying for. Showing interviewers that you have a knowledge about the organisation will do your chances no harm at all. Also, a suprising number of applicants tend to find it difficult when it comes to answering questions about why they want to work with this organisation.
Do the Little Things – Say Thank You. Send a simple thank you note after the interview process to show your appreciation.
Be Patient – Follow the 7 day rule when following up to get a status update after either applying or interviewing for a position. If you’re unsuccessfu, it is always a good idea to gather some feedback about what you did well, or not to help improve your performance and approach for the future.
At the Interview
If you’re fortunate enough to be offered an interview, make sure that when you attend you are dressed smartly and appropriately and arrive on time (early is even better). This will help you to feel confident for the interview. When asked a question, try to take your time and answer honestly – this will help you to build a rapport with the interviewer.
Max Resourcing are clinical recruitment specialists in finding and placing professionals and senior management within the clinical, Pharmaceutical and healthcare industries – throughout Europe.