10 ways not to approach pharmaceutical job agencies

Here’s my top ten.

Don’t address yourself as Mr or Mrs ‘surname’. Always use your Christian name. Although you may think an approach for a job is a formal affair, the recruitment consultant on the other end of the phone is tasked with getting to know you. They really do want to know ‘you’ rather than a stiff and manufactured character you have created for job interviews.

Don’t use block capitals on your CV or letter of application. It simply isn’t readable. Try it in both mixed case and all upper case and compare it and you will see what I mean.

Don’t tell them you’re registered with every pharmaceutical job agency. …even if you are. If they are going to find you a job, they will have to work hard and invest time in you. They are less likely to do this if they think you are also registered with uncle Tom Cobbly and all.

Don’t send in a CV with Spelling errors. It’s a sure way to communicate a poor work ethic and will get you off to a bad start before you even speak with anyone.

Don’t ignore messages on your voicemail. Once they leave a message, they know you’ve got it…the ‘oh I didn’t receive it’ just won’t wash. If you want to be taken seriously, always return calls to agencies looking for jobs for you as soon as possible.

Don’t turn up late for interview. It may seem obvious, but if it’s me and your 5 minutes late, you might as well turn right around and go home. The rule of an interview is that you see tips of icebergs…of your candidate is late for their interview, what will they be like for work generally!

Don’t turn up in looking informal. Not only is an interview a formal occasion, you are trying to impress someone. In the case of an agency, they need to imagine you in front of their client and you’re not helping them turning up in jeans just because you thought it was only the agency. Treat it as if your career depends upon it…because it does!

Don’t use bad language. It still amazes me how intelligent people can use bad language on a first meeting or first phone call when they have called in, to try and make an impression, to get a job! There is, again, the question of formality, but also if you have had no contact with your interviewer before, this type of language may be well out of their comfort zone.

Don’t drink before an interview. Half a pint at lunchtime may seem a harmless way to calm the nerves. The problem with alcohol is that half a pint ‘smells’ the same as 6 pints. It’s a sure way to finish before you begin.

Don’t expect a ridiculous pay rise. Different types of pharmaceutical jobs will have different norms and expectations here, however, there will be norms an expectations for whatever job your are applying for. If you ask a rise way above this, it will look like you’ve not done your research, that you are greedy. Above all, to a recruitment consultant it can be irritating and it simply won’t get you a job. A great candidate who is going to ask for 40% more than is available is a waste of a consultants time.

If you are applying for pharmaceutical jobs and find your success rate is not as you would wish, ask for feedback for each job you have applied for. The above are all genuine examples but even if the reasons aren’t quite so lacking in terms of basic common sense, the chances are there are lessons you can learn form each attempt you make…so long as you are prepared to listen!

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Good luck