Sibyl Shalo
|
Remember that popular Fabergé shampoo commercial that ran in the early 80s? In it, a flaxen-haired model explains that the product was so great,
she told two friends about it. In turn, they told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on. That's what came to mind
when I read Bob Hennessy's article about candidate care. He explains that companies should take great pains to treat job
candidates.
well, whether or not they decide to hire them, because if one has a bad experience during the interview process, they'll tell
some friends, who'll tell some friends, and so on. And that's good advice because, beyond the argument for common courtesy
and good manners—which seems to be less and less fashionable these days—there's a real benefit to making sure people leave
interviews with a good impression. The likelihood, even if they don't get the job, is that the candidate's value as an ambassador
(of sorts) far outperforms even the most sophisticated PR and corporate branding campaigns. Hennessy says candidate care is
important enough to be given top priority in pharma's boardrooms, and shouldn't be restricted to the confines of human resources
departments.
That's just one of the ideas populating this new supplement, dedicated to addressing some of the issues facing pharma companies
as they try to recruit, train, and develop tomorrow's industry leaders. And when you consider that the average Big Pharma
company employs tens of thousands of people of varying cultures, working in various professions, in multiple countries, on
different compensation structures, and within an environment that is increasingly hostile toward them all, finding the right
people to guide pharma's workforce is no routine headhunt. The editorial contributors of this issue cover several ways companies
might gain some advantage in the tough competition for attracting, keeping, and nurturing talent.
In her candid "tell-all," veteran recruiter Denise DeMan Williams admits that her profession has some work to do before declaring
itself client-focused, and suggests some changes to help the process. On a Q&A with expert biotech recruiter Stephen Israel
reveals what life after Big Pharma might look like for commercial—not scientific—experts, who are among the most sought-after
professionals by biotech companies. Training and executive-level education play an important role in helping employees hone
their skills and achieve the growth necessary to keep them moving up the professional ladder. That's why, according to Michelle
Reece and Barbara Lockee collaborations with executive MBA programs and other higher education institutions are becoming popular
with companies seeking to promote their sales and marketing people. Expert translator Jorge Arteaga offers communications
tips for training international teams a challenge for companies running global operations. Consultants Bill Roiter and Dan
Williams offer a new definition of "MVP". They suggest that pharma's most valuable performers are those employees who can
lead global teams to success, and argue that MVPs should be treated differently—better, in fact—than their less multi-culturally
adept counterparts, lest they be poached by competitors.
And that should be the goal of any staffing strategy: To get the right people in the door, and keep them satisfied once they
get there. That requires a keen awareness of what company employees need to develop skills, hone talents, and continue up
the corporate ladder, whether they spend their days in the field or the boardroom.
Sibyl Shalo is Pharmaceutical Executive's senior editor and can be reached atsshalo@advanstar.com
.
PharmExec Blog
Follow Us
RSS
Bookstore
