Navigating the Job Application Process and Beyond
Insider Tips to Excel in Today's Biotech and Healthcare Market
So, you've explored the landscape of the biotech and healthcare sector, pinpointed your career goals, and started using your network, as we discussed in Landing Your Dream Job in the Dynamic Sectors of Biotech and Healthcare. But the journey is just beginning. The big question now is: how can you stand out in the application process and beyond? In this newsletter, my guest Alessandro and I share valuable insights and tips, gathered from common pitfalls and successes in this field. Let's get started!
Tailor your resume for each position
One thing that Alessandro emphasized in our conversation is that each position in Biotech and Healthcare can be vastly different depending on the area of expertise (see previous article for more details), so your resume should be customized to catch the eyes of recruiters and hiring managers.
One tip I share with my clients is to use the language from the job posting in your resume. When you want to demonstrate you have the experience required for the job, use their own language.
Furthermore, make sure to add impact in addition to the actions you took. Consider the difference between these two examples:
owned the product strategy and roadmap
owned the product strategy and roadmap, increasing Monthly Active Users by 10x to 500k
It's not hard to see why a recruiter looking for a PM to grow their product is more likely to contact the second person.
Ace your case studies and presentations with lots of practice
Similar to other industries, biotech product management interviews often include a case study or presentation. There’s a lot of case interview material out there already, but one piece of advice we’d like to highlight is to prepare your own framework.
There are many frameworks available such as RICE (e.g., Reach Impact Confidence Effort Prioritization). Rather than memorizing them all, try to build a single framework for yourself. You can do so by incorporating aspects of other frameworks that strongly resonate with your thought process. From then on, practice a lot using this framework. That way, you’ll be very comfortable with it during high-pressure situations, and won’t be struggling to remember specific components on the fly. Your framework should help you focus on solving the actual case study, rather than trying to remember the specific steps in a framework.
Additionally, make sure your framework works well for the type of questions the interviewer is most likely to ask.
Alessandro has found that certain frameworks sometimes lend themselves better for consumer products, and less so for more niche biotech case studies. To demonstrate the breadth of potential case study questions in biotech, here are example cases that he has had to work through:
You are in charge of redesigning a TV controller to meet the requirements of a new market and demographic, what would you do?
You work for a biotech company that utilizes large quantities of synthetic DNA. How would you develop an ordering system to optimally purchase DNA from vendors?
The first question is a more traditional case study that you may encounter in any industry. The goal is to gauge your general problem-solving skills, and ability to identify personas, clearly define your market, and propose solutions that meet whatever business criteria were discussed with the interviewer. In the second example, the interview is looking for both your domain knowledge and your ability to think as a product manager. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of ordering DNA, it may take you longer to get started with the question.
Make frameworks your own, and practice with some industry-specific questions.
Empathize with users, excel in your career
This last tip is not only beneficial during the job interview process, but also while managing products on the job.
Start with understanding your users and customers, including their pain points, needs, and gaps.
From there, identify where you can maximize impact for the company and generate value for the users.
Once you start the job, begin by understanding the problem from the users’ perspective. Go out and talk to your users face-to-face, especially if most of your insights come from analytics.
As we navigate the complex world of biotech and healthcare, let's remember that the key to a successful application process lies in practice, customization, and user empathy. These tips are just a starting point. We encourage you to continue sharing, learning, and growing. Comment here, or reach out directly to me with your experiences, questions, or insights. Your journey is unique and I'm here to support you every step of the way. Let's continue to make strides in the world of biotech and healthcare together!