Biotech Recruiter Advice: Reorganizations

Recently I was preparing a candidate for an interview. If you know me , you know that I don’t sugarcoat.  I started our call by discussing the reorganization the company went through last year.

She stopped me mid-sentence and said: “Wow, that makes me really nervous.“

I appreciated her honesty, but I was also surprised. Change is a constant in this industry--and seasoned professionals should know this.

So I got curious and asked: What about a re-org makes you nervous?

It came down to fear: fear of instability, fear of change, fear getting laid off.

The interesting thing about 2020 is that it highlighted for us how things can change in an instant. Every company I know of was asked--on the spot--to rethink how they did business. But it not only forced them to innovate, it also proved to them that they could. In turn, they began looking at their structures, systems, people and processes in a fresh light.

I told her: “ I’d be more concerned with a company that wasn’t adapting in some way and restructuring. A re-org shows the company is paying attention and evolving with all that’s going on in the world. For her as a candidate and for us as recruiters, we all need to adapt as well.”

I encourage you to focus on how you’ve adapted, and how you can grow and change. Biotech startups want to see this, recruiters want to see this, and it’ll help you stand out in the best way.