Industry Job Search Checklist

The Job Search Checklist

1. Select Your Locations

   Biotech and Pharma hubs are not evenly distributed. Before you apply, pick one to three regions where you would genuinely be comfortable living for the next several years.

   Boston/Cambridge, the Bay Area, San Diego, and the DMV corridor are common landing spots. Factor in your picks' proximity to a research-intensive job market, cost of living, and whether that location supports your life outside the lab.

2. Target Your Search

   'Industry' is a broad term. First, get specific about your target sector, whether that is biotech, pharma, consulting, science policy, regulatory affairs, medical writing, venture capital, and your desired function within it (think bench scientist, medical science liaison, project manager, or analyst).

   Then, build a list of 15-25 target organizations per your locations and research pertinent details about each, such as their hiring pipeline, recent funding rounds, or FDA milestones, as well as their organizational structure.

   Bookmark each organization's career pages, follow them on LinkedIn, and set up a simple tracking sheet to log your applications and networking outreach to each.

3. Network Strategically

   Your PI's, collaborators, journal club connections, and conference contacts are an underused resource. Identify alumni from your program or NIH institute who have made the transition you aree considering and reach out for informational conversations.

   You would also be wise to identify hiring managers and team leads at your target companies. Treat coffee chats, whether virtual or in-person, as a chance to find genuine points of connection and not just to an opportunity to ask for a job.

4. Fine-Tune Your Brand

   Translating your CV experiences into a compelling resume is often the hardest task for job-seeking scientists. So, you should have your resume reviewed by OITE or someone who understands non-academic fields.

   Perfect your 'tell me about yourself' pitch and your answers to common interview questions like 'why industry' or 'why this company'. Make sure your resume, LinkedIn, and any other personal-marketing materials tell a consistent story.

   In short, you are building a library of your personal accomplishments and quantifying the value you add to projects, not just sharing what techniques you know.

5. Prepare to Interview

   Learn the interview format for your target function. Case interviews, technical deep-dives, and behavioral rounds all require different prep. Practice articulating your science to non-specialists, and prepare thoughtful, specific questions to show you have done homework on each specific company beyond a cursory search.

6. Know Your Worth

   Benchmark salaries for your target role and selected locations before you negotiate anything. Knowing your aspirational number and your walk-away number is helpful.

   When asked about salary expectations, resist giving a single figure and offer a range instead to preserve your negotiating leverage.