Whether you’ve been in the MedComms industry for years, or are looking for your first job, interviews can be daunting. Getting the right job boils down to the potential employer being convinced that you’re passionate about them and their work, that you would be an asset and to you being sure this is the right company and job for you. The interview process has to make these things happen and, in each of the steps below, you should have that end in sight.
Category Archives: Basics
The dos and don’ts of social media during a job hunt
More and more hiring managers will check out your social media profiles before they even invite you for an interview, so it’s essential to carry out an audit before you start applying for jobs. For obvious reasons, this is especially important in the communications industry. It’s vital that you ensure a potential employer won’t see anything off-putting. It’s also critical that you prove you can use social media to good effect. The following should help you do both!
Strategic communications planning and the role of the MedComms agency
Adrian Brown, a Training Consultant in Healthcare Communications, provides an overview of the role of the MedComms agency in supporting the strategic communications planning process in the pharmaceutical industry.
Recorded 5 April 2017 at a MedComms Networking event in Oxford. Produced by NetworkPharma.tv
Getting the most out of your recruiter – specialist advice
When you find a recruiter you gel with it can be the beginning of a life-long relationship, a trusted partner you can turn to for professional advice at any stage of your career. It’s worth remembering that a lot of jobs don’t get advertised and a professional, specialist recruiter can give you inside information on the med comms market that is hard to find anywhere else. Your recruiter may hold the ticket to your dream job, so here are some tips on getting the most out of that relationship.
I work in MedComms…
Here are some quotes that were published in the most recent (March 2017) issue of our annual careers guide, from individuals who are currently happily working in MedComms.
“I work in MedComms because after graduating I knew I wanted to stay close to the scientific field, but get as far away from the lab as possible! Medical writing was my solution. It has allowed me to further expand my scientific knowledge and keep up to date with new and exciting treatments, all while communicating them in a unique and creative way.”
Maha Ayub, Junior Medical Writer at Havas Lynx
“I work in MedComms because after finishing my PhD I realised that my future in science lays outside the lab. Working as a medical writer has allowed me to move away from the bench but, at the same time, I can be at the forefront of medical science and enjoy a great variety of projects across different therapy areas. I’ve read somewhere that “Medical writing is both a science and an art as it requires an understanding in medical science and an aptitude for writing”. I couldn’t agree more and I feel so fortunate to live it every day.”
Georgia Bakirtzi, Medical Writer at Fishawack Communications
Top CV Tips – specialist advice
Your CV is one of the most important documents you will ever write. It is a sales tool to get you an interview, so it is important to get it right. The right choice of words can genuinely make a difference as to whether you get that dream job or not. Stick to our tips below to ensure you show any potential employer just why they should hire you!
MedComms Careers Guide
This guide focuses on medical writing careers in medical communications, in particular in MedComms agencies. The MedComms industry provides consultancy services to pharmaceutical companies, and the role of the medical writer is to use science and language to deliver these services successfully, while working to the highest ethical standards and adhering to industry regulations and guidelines.
The aim of this guide is to give you the information you need to decide if you are suited to the role of medical writer, and to provide the insider knowledge you need to excel at interview.
This issue includes six personal profiles written by current medical writing specialists in leading MedComms agencies, describing their personal journeys in to MedComms and the day-to-day work they now do and an updated Directory of agency contacts.
The careers guide is freely available here and published by NetworkPharma Ltd. We update the guide every year and the latest edition was published in March 2017.
