What it’s like to recruit in Life Sciences

Tell us a little bit more about your role at Quanta

I work as a Delivery Executive, so I focus solely on the candidate. I’ll work in tandem with the Business Winning team at Quanta and I source relevant candidates for our clients. A lot of the time I have to be proactive and speak to both existing candidates and new candidates. As I’ve been here for three years now, I have become more productive within my role as a lot of the job revolves around having a strong network and a pipeline of candidates.

The role can be quite varied as I work across the life sciences team, however, I don’t focus on any particular location or job title. This means that each role that I source for can be different, meaning I get to communicate with a range of candidates each and every day. As well as sourcing individuals, I also take part in candidate care just to ensure that they are happy or have any questions for me.

How has the industry changed for you over the past two years?

As I said before this is my third year in the industry and the life science sector is now busier than I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen a huge increase in demand and there has been an influx of projects that have appeared due to the pandemic. Additionally. The UK hasn’t historically been a massive hub for pharmaceutical facilities, however, that is certainly changing, and we are seeing a lot of new pharma establishments popping up all over the country. I have also found that I am now working more closely with clients from the US and Denmark which is a trend that has emerged recently.

One of the biggest changes is the desire and demand for remote working. When I first joined the recruitment industry, it was rare that a candidate requested or considered a remote/hybrid working schedule. Now the majority of candidates are expecting a remote working option and clients are much more open to the idea. This also ties into the interviewing process which is almost exclusively via video calls now. Remote interviewing helps with the recruitment operation as it tends to save time and resources, streamlining the overall process.

Are they any common challenges that you face in life science recruitment?

I think our biggest challenge over the last two years has been adapting to a post-Brexit Britain. As the UK would often recruit skilled candidates, for life science jobs, from areas all over Europe, the UK’s exit from the EU has made this considerably more difficult. However, the recruitment industry is all about adapting to rapid changes, and that’s something that our team has done brilliantly.

What do you love most about recruiting in the life science sector?

The great thing about recruiting in this market is that there is always a need, and there will always be demand. This is such an important industry and the fact that I get to be a part of it and recruit candidates who could make a difference in millions of people’s lives is amazing.

I’ve also found that everyone that I’ve met in the industry is so open and actively willing to share information with you. That essentially means that I get to meet friendly people every day and also learn something new every time I work, which is something that I love.

What does the future hold for the life science industry?

The pandemic has taught us that the sky is the limit for what we can produce as a global population. The life science industry is always going to thrive and is going to continue to expand from this point on. I am extremely excited to be involved in the recruitment process for such an important part of our lives, and I’m looking forward to what the future holds.

Take the next step in your recruitment career with Quanta

With more than 25 years of experience, a myriad of awards and a strong presence in three established international sectors , it’s safe to say that Quanta is a great place to grow your career and achieve your professional goals.

We have award-winning training delivered by our in-house coaching team and external industry-leading trainers, who are there to help our employees structure their career plans so they can progress within their roles.

If you’re interested in joining our team, you can learn more about life at Quanta or explore our latest jobs.