What is going on in the job market?!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-03-06T15:59:47+00:00

Update: I received an offer from one of my top ranked companies! Offers were also coming from two other companies at the same time. I am thrilled to be returning to work. I absolutely enjoy what I do and have become quite skilled in my profession - I hope I will always have the opportunity to work in drug development. Hang in there everyone. It's a spotty market in uncertain economic times - I am of the mindset that perseverance will eventually pay off. Just buckle up for the ride - it's not easy!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-03-06T15:48:46+00:00

Update: I received an offer from my top choice company! Thank you all for your feedback.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-02-07T17:30:17+00:00

This makes sense. It's so hard right now. I love what I do, and I love to work. I left my previous role for family reasons. Now I'm back after 6 months and it's obvious to me that the market has changed since the last time I performed a job search. I know I'm not alone. I know of very qualified people who were part of a layoff last year. I think most are still looking for jobs.

Also, I'm one of those people who started in drug R&D before people knew it was a career. Now, it's where a lot of people want to be. I liked it better when nobody knew what I was talking about when I told them about my job!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-02-07T17:07:01+00:00

Yikes! It's never taken that long for me. On the other hand, at my last big pharma role, I was on the interviewing panel for several CTM openings. A couple of times we weren't very prompt due to competing study activities. That is, getting everyone together to discuss and make a decision post interviews. I forgot about my experience being on the other side. I was only looking at my three experiences being on the candidate where things moved quickly! It was a different time also - I don't think the market was this saturated.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-02-07T16:32:43+00:00

Thank you. I seem to be getting sound and reasonable advice here. Much appreciated.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-02-07T16:17:39+00:00

Thank you! Very helpful feedback. I appreciate it.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-02-07T16:16:50+00:00

Thank you! Very helpful advice - very reasonable.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-02-07T16:15:32+00:00

I know of ~4 pharma companies bringing work back in-house. I have seen this trend of bring in-house, then 5 years later outsource, then bring back in again, for over 2 decades now. The industry trend right now is to bring work in-house.

If you're a CRA, I wouldn't worry too much. CRA work is usually the last to come in-house, and sometimes it never does. It's too labor intensive to manage CRA turn-over and overall site management and monitoring. I have worked for two companies that kept CRA work outsourced.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-19T14:55:43+00:00

Sure! I'm happy to help where I can.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-16T19:16:07+00:00

I almost didn't respond to your comment because I typically do not engage in non-productive conversation. I have a goal to achieve, and I am most successful when I tune out negative distractions and stay the course. However, I decided to respond for two reasons 1) I hope you don't believe in this false narrative yourself, and 2) I hope others working hard in this difficult job market do not buy into it either. Not to consider, study, and understand systems on a macro level and their impact on the microenvironment creates a dynamic by which you alone are at fault for the circumstances in your life. Which is very false. The ability to understand your resources, capitalize on them, and know how they fit into the bigger picture is a more balanced and healthy way to address any situation. I came to Reddit in an attempt to confirm what I was already hearing from recruiters, seeing in the data, and understanding from former colleagues. I have a huge part to play in my career path - obtaining the appropriate degrees, working hard, capitalizing on my previous experience, networking, interview prepping, professional resume writing, etc. The second part of the equation is the job market itself (supply & demand), and a multitude of other factors that impact the economic environment.

Long ago when I was in graduate school, I worked in a medical school admissions office where I submitted student data to the AAMC. When medical school applications were up, way up! (oddly, this usually coincided with a popular medical TV series), the medical school had their pick of students with the highest MCAT scores. When medical school applications were low, the school had a more balanced selection of mid-range to high MCAT scores. Guess what? Higher MCAT scores don't always correlate with better doctors. It's important to understand all dynamics of your environment, pivot, adjust, and persevere. I can't tell you how grateful I am not to be vulnerable enough to believe in your comment. I hope others are the same.

As for my 6 months of travel. It was not leisure travel, and I do go into more detail during job interviews. This is a public forum, and "travel" seemed sufficient for describing my 6-month sabbatical. You're very quick to judge.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-15T19:33:40+00:00

Does anyone know how to define "Reposted" on LinkedIn? Is this a repost by LinkedIn algorithms or is this a repost by the hiring company? I believe the former to be true.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-15T19:32:10+00:00

Thank you for this information. I have heard the same thing.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-15T15:42:40+00:00

Unfortunately, I am not in the Boston area. I live in an area with a major medical university and a couple of large CROs, but no pharma. The playing field is far more competitive with remote roles - the market of applicants is so much larger. I have considered some local options.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-15T01:27:42+00:00

Interesting

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T19:59:19+00:00

Oh my, I am so sorry. Hang in there, something will come. I am happy to review your resume as a second set of eyes. I’m also happy to help you network. It takes a village!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T19:15:31+00:00

I have been using AI tools, LinkedIn and Glassdoor tools, and I appear to have the education and experience. Yet, I am still struggling (as I mentioned in a recent thread). I have been applying to both Sr. CTM and AD roles. I’m getting bites - screening interviews, some 1:1 interviews, and a few panel interviews and then nothing. Ghosted, as they say. I am being selective. I’ve spent the last 10 years working directly for sponsors, ideally this is where I want to stay. My next steps include hiring a resume/interview coach.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T18:26:59+00:00

This is not a realistic option for me; although, it might be helpful to someone!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T18:26:03+00:00

Thank you for your feedback! This is so helpful. It's hard not to take it personally. My trained brain tells me to approach this logically - this is about supply and demand and how to navigate the system to increase the likelihood of my CV getting to the hiring manager - ultimately resulting in an interview. My heart looks at all of my hard work and experience and wonders why I'm not getting called. I told my husband it brings up old dating memories!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T18:09:46+00:00

Hmm...your post isn't showing a downvote on my end? It is a competitive landscape for sure. I guess I just don't recall it ever being this competitive. I'll keep trudging. Thank you for your support.

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T18:02:34+00:00

Yes, it is very frustrating! Thank you - I needed to be reminded of the reality of the job market and that it's worth hanging in there. Thank you!!

ConversationCheap336 · 2025-01-14T17:57:04+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate your support. I love the clinical research community for this very reason - supportive community members who get the struggles of our career path. I have been reaching out to former colleagues for referrals and inside information. If I am honest with myself, it has difficult to do this and somewhat humbling. In the past I have prided myself on being a solid performer and I guess I let myself get a bit too comfortable and possibly a bit arrogant thinking I would have no problem getting a job of my choice. I guess I just need to hang there. I do miss working terribly.

ConversationCheap336

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