The core skills required to succeed in the world of pharmaceuticals

Working in pharmaceuticals gives people the opportunity to make a real difference by pushing boundaries, making discoveries and effecting change. And, given the ever-evolving nature of the industry and constant high demand for new and improved medicines – particularly in the wake of the pandemic – it’s unsurprising that the sector is recruiting so quickly.

There is a huge variety of roles to fill, such as clinical research, biometrics, laboratory work and regulations. An employee within pharmaceuticals could be involved in anything from the development or dispensing of drugs to analysing data about research experiments that could have a lifechanging impact on an entire population of patients.

Among organisations, there’s plenty of industry competition, so employers are always on the hunt for the industry’s brightest stars. But, what exactly do they look for?

Of course, in the world of science, the majority of jobs require specific qualifications but it’s not all about the letters after someone’s name. To succeed in a fast-paced, demanding environment, pharmaceutical workers need a wide range of core skills.

Key requirements include excellent interpersonal skills and the willingness to work independently, as well as part of a team. They should also be organised, methodical and possess good maths and IT skills. The ability to effectively manage projects is also vital, including identifying tasks, managing budgets and allocating resources. Pharmaceutical employees should be confident communicators, have strong presentation skills and the ability to explain information to the public in an easily digestible way.

Over the last 12 months, the eyes of the world have been firmly on the pharmaceuticals sector as it has rapidly developed vaccines with the power to give us back our freedom. With brands on the hunt for new talent to help them meet commercial demands and more people keen to join such a dynamic industry, the future looks very bright.

Whether you’re a pharmaceutical organisation looking to grow your team or someone on the look-out for an exciting new opportunity, ACHIEVA can help.