Working with a Recruiter

If this is your first time as a job seeker working with a recruiter or “headhunter,” you may have questions about the candidate-recruiter relationship. Here are a few things you should know about working with a biotech and pharmaceutical recruiter:

Our clients pay all of our fees. There is no cost to the candidate.
For the majority of our searches, our biotech and pharmaceutical clients will pay for the candidate's relocation expenses.
Always take a recruiter's call. Even if you are currently happy in your position it is a good idea to establish a relationship with a recruiter before you need to make important career changes.
When asked for help with a recruiter's search, be sure to suggest leads of possible candidates, either from your company or externally at your pharmaceutical or biotech competitors. Not only are you helping the recruiter with this information but also you are helping some other person's career advancement. You can be assured your name will be kept confidential.
It is extremely important that you have an honest and open relationship with your recruiter. Be sure to reveal all about yourself, about other executive recruiters you are working with, and whether you are interviewing at other pharmas and biotechs as well as at the recruiter's client.
Update the recruiter as soon as anything new happens. Promotion? Raise? Parent suddenly ill and requiring your attention? Discuss these issues immediately with the recruiter.
Disclose your total compensation to the recruiter, including your base, annual bonus, stock and options. An executive recruiter will not be able to forward your resume to his client without this information. Your private information will not be revealed to anyone other than the client. Also remember clients have the right to ask for a recent copy of your W-2.
Provide timely feedback after every interview (phone or onsite) Lack of a quick response, or making the recruiter track you down, is a sign you are not interested in the position.
Don't start the application process unless you are serious and be sure to make yourself available for interviews. If you are “too busy” to answer calls or interview than you are not serious and are wasting everyone's time.
Our pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients often ask our scientist candidates to present a seminar or roundtable discussion of about an hour. Since it often takes considerable time to put together a slide show presentation, start your preparations early in the interview process.
Have your references available. It depends on the search as to when they might be necessary, but it is good to have them handy.
Never sign an offer letter from a company and then change your mind before showing up for the start date. This could be career suicide.
Once you have accepted the new position that the executive recruiter introduced you to, keep in touch with the recruiter. The relationship doesn't end when you sign an offer letter. You are part of the recruiter's “family” now and the recruiter cares how you are doing at the new company and about your career.

If you would like Clark Executive Search to help advance your career, please submit your information today.

: Founded in 1997, Clark Executive Search is a retained executive search firm recruiting senior talent
for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

site map | contact us