Most Common Mistakes When Looking for Your Next Pharmaceutical Job Online

• Only using big names websites: The big name online job boards like Monster are not always the best choice for those who are looking a specialized pharmaceutical job. It is far better to use a website that is specific to the pharmaceutical industry, such as Pharmiweb or CK Clinical.
• Being unprofessional when emailing:
  • Avoid having a weird or crazy email address, keep it professional.
  • Be careful about the content of your email messages.
  • Use short paragraphs.
  • Have an effective subject line – it should contain enough information to catch the recipient’s attention.
  • Add a signature at the bottom of your email.
  • Avoid sending your message to a lot of recipients at the same time – make sure you tailor it each time.
• Don’t fire off your CV to everyone: To one is a fan of receiving anonymous emails, especially HR managers or recruitment agencies within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Not being on Linkedin: LinkedIn is one of the best tools you can use to help you find that dream pharmaceutical job. LinkedIn is a business networking site which was launched in May 2003 with only 300 users. Since then it has seen unprecedented growth with 50,000,000 users in October 2009, and 1,400 new users each day. It is essentially your chance to showcase your strengths, thus encouraging not only the right people, but also the right opportunities to come to you. For tips to help you create a great Linkedin profile, please click here.
• Failing to have an electronic version of your CV.
• Remove incriminating pictures of you on social networking sites: After all, pharmaceutical recruiters and employers are more than likely to ‘Google’ you at some stage.
• Monitor your Twitter account or blog: Avoid writing anything here that makes you look lazy or dishonest.
• Applying for the sake of applying:  You’re bound to get rejected if you apply for a pharmaceutical job you’re not really interested in.

Found this advice helpful? Please see below for further job hunting resources from CK Clinical:

• 10 Ways to Banish Interview Nerves
• 15 Ways to Stay Motivated During Your Job Search
• 11 Ways to Make a Good First Impression on Your First Day
• 25 Interview Mistakes
• Clinical Research Job Interview Questions
• Competency-based Interview Tips
• Coping with Redundancy
• CV Writing Tips
• Data Management Interview Questions
• Dress to Impress at Your Interview
• How to Handle a Bad Interviewer
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Interview Preparation
• Interview Tips
• Linkedin Profile Tips
• Online Job Hunting Mistakes
• Questions You Should Ask Your Interviewer
• Regulatory Affairs Interview Questions
• RSS Feeds and Job Hunting
• Social Media Job Hunting Tips
• Telephone Interview Tips
• The Best CV Buzzwords
• Using Recruitment Agencies