Graduates may be demoralized, thinking they have a narrow set of skills when applying for jobs straight out of school, but it’s simply not true. Recognizing and feeling confident about your skills and communicating them to hiring managers can open opportunities during the hiring process.

College does a great job at sufficiently preparing you for a career in the industry. The scientific method can be universally applied here. Asking a question, doing the background research, developing a hypothesis and the framework to test it, analyzing and communicating the results. By demonstrating that you understand this way of approaching problems, you’re already well suited for various positions in the industry beyond traditional bench research.

Nevertheless, it is important to expand and prove your value proposition: the unique skills and expertise you can bring into the position or company you’re applying to.

Go beyond just having research experience and get experiences that make you more competitive. This experience could include participating in consulting or biotech-related student groups in graduate school, in project pitch competitions, or other ventures broadly associated with the industry. Here is where you can demonstrate your value as a team player. No single person can contribute all the necessary expertise to solve increasingly complex problems, so it’s vital that you can work in a team if you are looking to join the BioTech world.

Communication, for example, is a critical skill in any role. Learning how to write well is often overlooked, yet communicating clearly, succinctly, and efficiently through the written word can be extremely valuable across BioTech.

It’s also helpful to think about how your experience can grow and expand in the future when considering applying for a job. Communicating your long-term goals could go a long way toward proving to hiring managers that you are a good investment over a competing candidate.

If your experience in science is limited, do not be put off. Our clients also like to see general work experience, even if it is unrelated to science. An entry-level grad with no work experience has a much smaller chance of success than an entry-level grad who currently works at a fast-food restaurant, or in bartending, or in a warehouse. Here is where you can prove you want to work and value working in a wider team. Going beyond sitting and waiting for the “ideal job” will not get you as far.

If you’d like advice on applying for your next role in BioTech, please don’t hesitate to give us a call 317-505-0711.