When it’s time to advance your pharmaceutical career, you must ensure that the next position you consider is the right move. While that seems simple on the surface, assessing the viability and potential of a job opportunity can be surprisingly challenging. Fortunately, by examining specific points, it’s easier to figure out whether a role is worth pursuing. Here are three things to mull over to see if a pharmaceutical position suits you.

How to See if You’re a Sound Fit for a Pharmaceutical Position

1. What You Want from Your Career

First and foremost, you need to determine what you want from your career before determining if a pharmaceutical position is right for you. Often, this question is bigger than simply what type of role you want. Also, consider how you envision work fitting into your life, including what you aren’t willing to sacrifice for your job.

Spend time reflecting on how your career could unfold. Consider the salary you hope to reach, the number of hours you envision working, the level of responsibility you want, and whether you’d like to remain in your current city. That helps you learn what you need from your career overall, making it easier to see if a position fits.

Then, factor in everything else you need to live a happy life. For example, what benefits or paid leave alleviate stresses or allows you to spend more time with family and friends? Do you need a particular company culture to feel supported and welcome at work? How do your values align with a prospective employer’s values? By asking those questions, you’ll know what you need to find in a job, which can make assessing an opportunity simpler.

2. Your Skills and Experience

Assessing your skills and experience level is crucial for determining whether an open role fits. Ultimately, you need the right technical capabilities to handle your tasks and soft skills to navigate the workplace or aspects of the position with ease.

Spend time creating a list of your skills, and compare them to the job description. That allows you to figure out if you’re a reasonable fit now or not.

Next, identify any requested skills you don’t have and consider whether those are potential dealbreakers in the eyes of employers. Often, by comparing the job duties to the must-haves list, you can figure out if missing a skill initially is problematic. You can also ask yourself if you’re willing to learn any missing skills, either on your own or through employer-provided training.

3. Growth Potential

If a job opening is a fit after examining the points above, it’s time to consider growth potential. Ideally, you want to find a role that will help you continue down your career path over time. See if the company offers professional development opportunities and is known for promoting from within. You can also factor in the experience you’ll gain while doing the associated duties, even if formal training isn’t part of the mix.

By doing the assessments above, you can usually figure out if a pharmaceutical position is right for you. If you’d like to learn more or want to partner with a recruiter to find your next pharma job, Alpha Consulting wants to hear from you. Contact us today.