Navigating Your Biopharma Career: A Masterclass with Recruiter Kristiaan Rawlings

RealPharma: Conversations with Pharma Pathfinders

Summary

In this episode, Kristiaan Rawlings discusses the 2024-2025 Commercial Market Update and Salary Guide produced by EPM Scientific. The life sciences sector remains resilient due to aging populations, scientific advances, and robust investment. Hiring practices and compensation are influenced by these factors across the Americas, Europe, and APAC regions. The hiring focus has shifted from life-threatening diseases to more common health issues, such as dermatology and respiratory diseases. The most in-demand roles include marketing, commercial operations (salesforce effectiveness, commercial analytics, and training), and sales. Market access roles have seen less demand. Despite the availability of talent, salaries have remained high or even increased. In this conversation, Kristiaan Rawlings discusses the current trends in the life sciences job market, specifically in the commercial operations field. He explains the increase in demand for talent, the impact of title deflation, and the rise in salaries. He also highlights the regional differences in job opportunities, with a shift towards the East Coast of the United States. Additionally, he touches on the importance of executive presence and the return of in-person networking events. Overall, the conversation provides valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the life sciences job market.

Chapters

00:00 High Demand for Marketing Roles

04:26 Focus on Core Areas with Existing Blockbuster Products

05:53 Sought-After Skills for Commercial Operations and Product Launches

13:54 Challenges with LinkedIn Applications and Fake Job Postings

24:25 Selective Market Based on Therapy Area and Experience

24:51 The Three Pillars of Focus: Salesforce Effectiveness, Commercial Analytics, and Training

25:21 High Demand for Talent in Incentive Compensation, Analytics, and Competitive Intelligence

26:17 Sales Roles in High Demand During Product Launches

26:46 Quiet Market in the Field of Market Access

27:14 Salaries Holding Strong or Increasing Despite High Supply of Talent

32:30 Geography Becoming Less of a Factor in Salary and Opportunity

41:08 High Demand for Medical Affairs and Health Economics

44:01 The Importance of Executive Presence and Networking for Career Success

Resources

• Kristiaan Rawlings - LinkedIn

• 2024/2025 EPM Commercial Update and Salary Guide