People special: social media gets job hunters noticed

Speaking to Outsourcing-Pharma at this year’s DIA Euromeeting, head hunters and employment managers said that knowing the right people is almost as crucial as having the right skill set for the job.

But recruitment consultant for clinical trial employment specialists MZD, Bianca Sackmann, told us that getting into the right networks is difficult, because a lot have been long established.

Manu Chhokra, once head hunter and now director of operations at CTC Clinical Trial Consulting, told us: “I think the latest development is that social networking is a very prominent feature, a way to get noticed in the market. Having a good linked-in profile is key.”​

Business manager of the clinical division for UK-based recruitment firm Clinical Professionals Ed Bezer agreed that networking through sites like Linked-In is crucial.

However, Bezer said networking with new contacts alone is not enough to win the job – referrals from colleagues is also key.

Chhokra added: “Your peers knowing you are good at your job is important for networking via social media because referrals are a good way head hunters can come across an individual’s profile.”​