Career Coach: Why Fall Is Prime Time for Your Biotech Job Hunt

Welcome to Career Coach, a column for job seekers and employees navigating the ins and outs of finding, landing and succeeding in jobs in the biotech industry. Each month, Carina Clingman, founder of The Collaboratory Career Hub and host of the “Biotech Career Coach” podcast, answers questions from the community. You can email her questions at hello@collaboratorycareerhub.com.

This month’s column is all about job seeking. We’ll explore the best times to apply for jobs in biotech, review what happens in an initial interview and discuss how far ahead of your Ph.D. defense you should apply for positions.

Q: I’ve heard that fall is a really good time to apply for jobs. Is that true? And what are the best times of year overall for job hunting in biotech?

CC: Fall is indeed a fantastic time to apply for jobs in biotech, and there’s a very good reason for that. Let me break down the hiring cycles I’ve observed over the years.

August is actually the worst month for job hunting, possibly even worse than December. Everyone’s on vacation! Hiring managers, decision-makers and even candidates are trying to squeeze in that last family trip before the fall rush begins. It’s nearly impossible to assemble an interview team or schedule calls during this time.

But right after Labor Day, there’s a sudden surge in hiring activity. Hiring managers seem to remember they have positions to fill before the end of the budget cycle. This urgency is driven by the fact that annual budget meetings usually happen around Thanksgiving. If a position hasn’t been filled by then, the board might determine it’s no longer relevant and cut it from next year’s budget. As a result, I’ve observed a wave of job openings in September and October.

Another excellent time for job hunting is from January to April. After the holiday season, there’s renewed energy in hiring efforts bolstered by the new budget. This strong period typically lasts into May. But as we approach summer, hiring tends to lose momentum. As a rule, the hiring cycle follows the school year to some extent.

If you’re employed and thinking about switching jobs or leveling up in your career, the best strategy is to prepare your application materials in December to hit the ground running in January. This allows you to take full advantage of the early hiring boom. But now is also a great time! That said, while these cycles exist, the biotech industry is dynamic, and opportunities can arise at any time.

Q: What’s the overarching goal of initial interviews with HR and recruiters? How should I approach these conversations?

CC: The primary goal of these initial interviews is to establish whether you meet the minimum requirements for the position. For any given role, we might interview 20 candidates so the hiring manager can interview approximately seven. We’re casting a wide net, talking to anyone who looks promising on paper and then narrowing it down for the manager.

That said, while we’re determining if your candidacy is strong enough to bring you forward to the next step of the process, there’s more to it than just ticking boxes on a checklist. We’re also trying to understand if you’d be the right fit for the organization. This fit can encompass a variety of considerations. Are you excited by the company’s disease or therapeutic area? Do you enjoy the type of team and organizational structure on offer? Where are your research passions?

Finally, we need to decide whether we can actually hire you. For example, if the role is fully on-site, we’re looking for candidates who are willing and able to be on-site. If you’re not, it’s a no-go, regardless of your technical skills. We’re also evaluating whether we can satisfy your compensation expectations and support your visa needs, as well as determining if our timelines align. 

These initial calls are typically brief—about 15 minutes. We know exactly what we’re looking for and what we need to ask. As a candidate, you need to be prepared to be concise in these calls. Have your key points ready and be able to articulate them efficiently, and expect to talk about more than just the technical qualifications.

Q: I’m finishing my Ph.D. soon. When is the best time to start thinking about applying for industry jobs? Can I begin six to eight months before I defend?

CC: This is a great question, and I’m glad you’re thinking ahead. However, the biotech industry operates quite differently from what you might expect, especially if you’re comparing it to your experience applying to graduate school.

When you applied to Ph.D. programs, you likely planned a year in advance, with the application and interview process spanning six to eight months. The biotech industry, in contrast, is much more reactive and driven by immediate research needs and funding milestones.

I’ve rarely worked on jobs where companies start hiring six to eight months in advance of their needs. We likely do know the total headcount forecast for the year at that time, but recruiting is very expensive, so we aim to open and fill roles as needed. The industry benchmark time-to-hire for entry-level scientific positions is six to eight weeks from when we open a new position to having an accepted offer, with the successful candidate starting work approximately two weeks after that. In other words, hiring managers expect to have their new teammate onboarded within about 10 weeks of starting the search.

Unfortunately, this means that starting to apply six to eight months out will likely be frustrating for both you and the hiring team. You might have great conversations and even find exciting opportunities, but most companies won’t want to wait that long to fill the need, and those positions are unlikely to still be available when you’re ready to start work. I advise starting to apply in earnest three to four months before your defense.

So, what should you do now, while you wait for your defense date to get closer? This is the perfect time to focus on networking, which will set you up for success when you’re ready to apply.

Here’s a concise plan for your pre-defense period:

1. Research companies and roles you’re interested in, and follow them on LinkedIn.
2. Optimize your LinkedIn profile for industry.
3. Connect with professionals in your target companies, and engage with their content.
4. Attend networking events, both virtual and in person.
5. Conduct informational interviews to learn about different roles and companies.
6. Prepare your industry resume and practice translating your academic experiences.
7. Stay informed about industry trends and news.

When you’re ready to apply, you’ll have a network of people at companies you’re interested in. This lets you get your resume directly to the right person, which will increase your chances of landing interviews and getting a job more quickly.