We have read about it, watched our local and national media, and perhaps know someone who is affected by the global pandemic. Its been very hard to watch. It has dramatically changed our daily lives and taken us all by surprise.

The good news is we are plodding through the inconvenience and lacing up our boots to continue living our lives. We are adapting and innovating with both vigor and caution. It’s a new world.

The strategic plan you may have set for yourself in January no doubt looks different now. Moving forward we’ll all need to be flexible and adapt to the challenging environment we find ourselves in today. Life indeed has shuffled itself and a new deck is needed.

Navigating these waters is so hard right now. If you have ever been hit by a storm–whether in business or life in general–you know change is inevitable. So what can you do to stand out in times of inconvenience and hardship, especially now?

Here are a few suggestive tips to optimize your output in the midst of a very challenging time:

1. Health and family come first. – The hair on the back of your neck stands up when family health and safety are affected. Absolutely! We are likely working remotely and/or practicing the new normal of social distancing. If you find yourself working from your kitchen table while homeschooling 3 kids, you are not alone. Having an office separate from the busy living quarters is ideal. While the home office environment is challenging, it’s the best thing you can offer your family in order to keep each other healthy. Consider informing your boss, specifically, what works best for you (e.g., extra bandwidth, X Chair available on www.amazon.com; dual monitors, etc.), and how you can be more productive to better accommodate your professional needs.

2. Stay connected. Right now your normal work environment has definitely changed. Its rare to hear if someone hasn’t been affected. I predict we’ll see remote work extended and become more accepted, even after things get back to normal. A 2010 report in the Journal Health and Social Behavior argues that human contact is also vital to your physical health. As we find it harder and harder to have human interactions in person, consider leveraging the video conferencing technology that is already so prevalent in the workplace—even if to just say hello face-to-face and check in with a colleague.

3. Add an hour each week to “think.” These are unique times where you have the opportunity to slow down and think. Contemplate, analyze, and plan ahead. How often are you able to do that? Yep, almost never! Being alone allows some uninterrupted moments to really think about life, business ideas, and department responsibilities.

4. Check in and offer to help. Avoid simply emailing and texting your boss. Call or video chat to let him/her know you are ready to contribute in an evolving environment. Even if nothing emerges immediately, knowing you are on the sidelines willing to help is a great advantage for you!

Hang in there. We will ride out this new normal and soon get back to living and enjoying life’s freedoms. Stay well, be safe.

You’ve heard it before I’m sure while watching sports: “Momentum is changing, the team is clicking on all cylinders…” It is an expected slogan when one team gets that all-important edge over the opponent.

And in every career, there is a similar wave of momentum when circumstances in your job, and personal life, are striving forward. And it just might be the time to consider a pivot. The momentum is in your favor.

In a full employment economy, you are the one “controlling the ball” when considering a career/job change. It isn’t always a quick or easy decision, but it is one you can control. There are many factors to consider when thinking about a new role or new company. But, when momentum is on your side, it can be an easier decision.

In my coaching calls, I recommend it is always good to explore your options when in a position of strength. Here are a few to ponder:

1. Network and keep in touch with people. – A simple text or short email checking in on someone can reap benefits. ASK about them and ways you might offer to help. You would be surprised how many will respond. And yes, they remember the next time they see a message from you. Chances are a quick response will return your way, or even information on a possible job opening with a new employer.
2. Stay current with industry trends. – Stay connected with industry trends, mergers, acquisitions. When we get busy, we ignore the larger picture. Stay informed. Read the journals, articles and press releases online. Beginning each office day, I read First Word Pharma (http://www.fwreports.com/firstword-pharma/) Its free to sign-up and comes to your inbox every morning. Well worth a 10-15 minute read each day.
3. Stay open to something new. – It is a great time to be employed in the pharma/biotech/medical device industries. The market for new and innovative products is at an all-time high. Resist complacency, seek challenge, and consider a new job opportunity. You never know what unique position awaits unless you open the door to consideration. Discuss your thoughts with your recruiter, and even close friends. They often have some inside tips to share that may help you sort out some unanswered questions, and perhaps make a move to carry that momentum to the next level.

If you are consistently busting your hump yet few people notice, it is easy to be unmotivated to work hard. Well, maybe not.

In the workplace, it’s all about accomplishing much with few resources. It’s part of working the fast-paced, ever-changing world of corporate pharma we live and breathe.

Long hours, project deadlines, follow up, late evenings on the laptop—all contribute to time away from family and friends. You can be under-appreciated especially if you are wired to thrive on encouragement, and for the boss to say, “well done!”

Psychologically, it normally takes one comment from a supervisor or co-worker acknowledging your diligence and hard work to keep your engine running. But wait. Be patient. People are observing. The boss may not actually speak into your translation of appreciation and encouragement, but I’ll bet the work you are doing is in fact getting noticed.

Here are some suggestions for getting noticed in the workplace, and at the same time ramping up your productivity:

1. Find uninterrupted time – Consider an early start to the day. Beat the crowd in the morning before meetings begin and people pop in your office. Likely you will accomplish 30-40% of your daily work in the first few hours.

2. Start small – Focus on shorter projects that can be knocked out soonest. Project scope varies but as you feel empowered with mental energy, stick with it to completion and check it off the list.

3. Don’t overload the calendar – Success is a process. It takes time and consistency. Don’t be a hero taking on additional work. Do what you do well.

4. Seek a mentor – Model others who are successful. Seek out someone who knows your strengths and weaknesses. Check in periodically and ask for feedback.

5. Be consistent. Resist distraction – Be mindful of the potential distractions in your daily work that can lead to time and energy wasted. Interruptions, social media looks, or trips to the coffee bar can add up.

6. Celebrate benchmarks and milestones – Reward yourself when projects and presentations are completed. You need satisfaction knowing you have accomplished goals or met expectations. Once you experience the old adage ’15 minutes of fame’, its off to the next challenge, and more accomplishments ahead!

How many articles have you read over the years on careers and tips on “making the best of your career”?   Too many. We get numb over constant bombardment. Maybe this article is just another one on the pile, but maybe not. How can you make the best of your current role, yet look ahead at improving to the next opportunity? Keep reading…

Whether you have worked for one company since college or grad school, or changed companies often, the work environment is basically the same. You need to be aware of your options, evaluate them, and make the best decision.

Over this past year during coaching calls, these recommendations have stood out and returned results. Here are some thoughts, and they work:

• Evaluate all department opportunities within your group. If you feel “stuck in neutral” at your current position, explore the next opportunity with a focus of learning something new and stretching yourself. We all go through stages of disappointment, discouragement, rejection, and missing out on that key promotion. When it happens, we have the tendency to be upset and flee. Instead consider staying the course. Remember, attitude is everything!
• Find out your timetable for the next promotion. This is key. Normally your supervisor needs to hear from you as to why moving to the next level is deserved and justified. Often times we don’t plant the seed early enough. Make your desire for advancement known. It’s a bold, and even uncomfortable move for some people, but it shows initiative and commitment.
• Make sure bonus percentage and salary increase are in line with your performance.                            Many supervisors routinely ask their direct reports to self-evaluate. This is ideal, and to your advantage. Be honest in the evaluation and highlight accomplishments as well as skills you want to improve. Detail study/project documents to help support your facts are necessary. When you meet to discuss with management, be ready with additional information highlighting past projects and campaigns. In that meeting, you are selling yourself.
• Stay connected on social media sites more inclined towards business, (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).                 When convenient, pick up the phone, have a conversation with people you trust, and/or want to get to know. People need people You will glean new information and it will be good to know. Make the time to network.

And finally, in golf there is a saying, “commit to the shot”. When golfers do this, the outcome is always better. If you are focused, and have gathered your info, go ahead and follow through. Seldom do impulses work long term. Gather your facts, commit to the shot!

Make it Count!

Steve Kane, PharmaOne Search

The economy is on the rise. Companies are spending extra time locating specific candidate skills for job openings. It can be challenging to locate top notch talent. If you are trying to locate new candidates for your open positions, here are a few key things to consider.

Finding the right talent to fill a specific position is time-consuming, tedious and difficult. And candidates are busy, getting approached from all sides for opportunities.

Even when you locate applicants that seems to be the right fit, you commonly endure the “no response” waiting period, or they may be interested in the jobs that aren’t best qualified fit for the position.

All of this adds up to potential waste of your time, when you have no time to waste!

PharmaOne Search is best working as a complement to your existing or lightly staffed internal recruiting team. PharmaOne Search has become one of the most respected recruiting firms in the pharmaceutical/biotech marketplace. We have established relationships with viable and marketable candidates that could help you. We have the “search and locate” skills to find what you are looking for in your job candidate search:

1. Years of experience to find the right candidate for any level of difficult searches.
2. Established connections with applicants that are already looking and ready to make a change!
3. Company credibility and a solid reputation for being a primary business partner with Talent Acquisition and hiring managers.
4. We save you time and frustration from searching on your own.
5. Our contingency and modified retainer search packages provide the least amount of financial risk to your company.

PharmaOne Search has a mission: to help clients find highly qualified people for critical job openings at the SVP, VP, senior director, middle management, and manager levels. We have succeeded year after year, and no search assignment is too complex or challenging for us to undertake.

We will always convey excellence.

We strive to provide superior value to clients by combining custom search capability with a high level of industry knowledge.

Our experience will work for you.

Contact PharmaOne Search: https://pharmaonesearch.com/contact/ or call/email me directly, Steve Kane, at 803.325.1655. steve.kane@pharmaonesearch.com

We have all heard the saying, “its not what you know, its who you know”. Very true whether in a conversation, networking event, or recommending someone for a job. They call it ‘name-dropping’ in social circles. Becoming a better networker is not a revolutionary concept, but it’s well worth the investment of your time and energy.

Even though you might have less experience qualifying for a job, having a network of personal contacts can greatly encourage and motivate in looking for a job change.

We are all familiar with asking, ‘who do you know?’ Honestly, it does have validity and does get you recognized. But don’t just rely on someone pushing you over the finish line. Make sure your skills qualify you for the job. There is no substitute for competency – clearly the most important ingredient and determinant for professional job success!

Unfortunately, in our society, it is often easy to take the path of least resistance which can come in the form of denial, rationalization, a distraction, or even laziness. A simple example might look like this: You avoid reaching out to past colleagues and assume they really can’t help identify opportunities or have useful advice. Whether due to embarrassment or pride, this is a common scenario. You convince yourself its not worth the time investing in a relationship and interaction with others to get the reward. You’re just too busy. Don’t accept this trap as an excuse.

Networking can take different forms. Consider becoming a member in a pharmaceutical industry organization. It’s easy and you can start slow by reaching out to people you know. Here is a few to consider:

1. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (phrma.org)
2. The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (aaps.org)
3. Intellus Worldwide – PMRG and PBIRG merged (intellus.org)
4. Pharmaceutical Management Science Association (pmsa.net)

So what’s the best way to maximize a networking plan to its fullest

1. Reach out often and stay connected.

Back in the mid 1980’s, AT&T generated a great awareness campaign and urged people – metaphorically – to “reach out and touch someone” with their phone service. It was a hit and got people connected long before cell phones were popular. Staying connected in the business world is an absolute requirement. Join one of the many industry organizations as mentioned above.

Sometimes it is better to text or email to make a quick intro, than to pick up the phone and call someone. My old school mindset says a conversation wins the day, but I also agree communicating information quickly is useful. Folks are busy. Texting and email has become a compliment to my network communication with clients, candidates, and key opinion leaders. It all comes down to keeping in touch and maximizing your exposure with others. I absolutely suggest you should habitually connect with others on LinkedIn as well. It is a process developing a network. Keep reaching out and communicate often.

2. Offer some real and useful advice, ask for it too.

When you connect, plan to give more information than you plan to receive. People always remember the person who goes beyond the norm to help someone.

3. Say hello and ask a favor.

Anyone can feel comfortable saying hello, but asking for a favor really determines if another person is willing to invest the time in you. Some common ‘favors’ include; write your request for a ‘Recommendation’ on LinkedIn; act as a reference for a potential new job; or accept a local lunch invitation to catch up and exchange ideas. All make a positive impact and who knows, maybe a future job offer.