Four Trends Calling for New Skills in the Life Sciences Sector This Year
Feb 06, 2022

Considering a career in life sciences, but don’t think you’ve got the qualifications? Good news! There might be more opportunities than you realize.

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Life sciences is a rapidly changing field at the best of times, and the past two years, in particular, have seen a huge shift in working practices. That means a host of new opportunities are opening up - and not all of them require pure life sciences skills. Here are some of the changes that the sector is going through, and what they mean for less traditional candidates and skill sets.

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1. COVID-19 and the rise of virtual trials


Clinical trials are a mainstay of many life sciences organizations. But the pandemic made it very difficult - often impossible - for trials to take place in person. Instead, they were decentralized, run online and managed in a completely different way. More than two-thirds of European life sciences firms plan to conduct decentralized/virtual trials within the next three years. Virtual trials reduce costs, increase speed and improve ease of patient recruitment; they are probably here to stay! 


But this industry-wide move to decentralization requires a new set of skills and a different approach to communication. Leading life sciences recruiters here at Kelly have noted an increase in demand for digitally savvy candidates.


So what does that look like? Well, people with experience in app development, UX design, wearable technology, e-consent forms and digital project management are all going to be valuable additions to their teams. Companies will be looking for a blend of life sciences and mainstream technological candidates. If you have experience or education in these areas, there’s a clear opportunity to switch into this thriving industry now.

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2. Collaboration is taking off like never before


From working groups and task forces to acquisitions and mergers, almost half of late-stage pipeline assets developed in 2021 were the product of collaborations and partnerships. The pandemic highlighted the value of collaborative relationships, but also shone a light on some new challenges. 


It’s never been easier to collaborate with colleagues around the world; you can just hop on a call with teammates from the USA, India and France to develop new ideas and solutions. But to make the most of these opportunities, effective communication must be prioritized. That means clear messaging, setting expectations, motivating teammates to reach targets and keeping track of complex systems online.


Life sciences businesses are going to need more and more individuals with project management, leadership and communication skills, which can all be gained through experience in other industries.

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3. AI and Big Data continue to shine


A long-term trend towards using artificial intelligence and big data analytics has also been pushed forward by the pandemic, as the remote/digital processes required can be carried out largely online and help to ensure efficiency. In fact, employing AI in healthcare (in Europe) could save more than 400,000 lives, €200 billion and nearly 2 billion hours of HCP/clinician time a year. 

With applications in drug development, R&D and regulatory/compliance, investment in AI is growing. While it could revolutionize the way that businesses design work, the skills required are often not available via a traditional life sciences education. Many organizations are going to be looking out for strong candidates from outside the industry who can bring much-needed data science skills to the table.

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4. Greater regulatory flexibility


New, more flexible regulatory guidelines to encourage the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccinations are just the start. The European Medicines Agency and others like them are hoping to put what they have learned from this into practice in order to work more efficiently after the pandemic. 


That means that in-house knowledge about regulations and compliance is going to be essential to life sciences businesses over the coming years. With flexibility comes uncertainty, so candidates that can understand, explain and ensure adherence to the rules and regulations will be absolutely key for taking advantage of the new opportunities this trend presents.

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What does this mean for candidates?


The pandemic has inspired a newfound awareness of, and respect for, life sciences careers. It’s a booming sector where companies compete for skilled candidates. 

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If you do have life sciences skills, you can enhance your application to potential employers by showcasing examples of softer skills, instead of hiding them away in favor of more science-focussed attributes. 

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But if you have limited, outdated or even no experience working in life sciences, there are still opportunities waiting for you. Many life sciences candidates will have qualifications and degrees that require very intensive studying, and/or will have worked in very focussed, specialized roles. This means that softer skills, such as comms, design and project management are not always part of their repertoire. 


Even if you have never considered a career in life sciences before, you might be surprised to find yourself in demand at top firms.

Change. How to turn your fear into fuel for a rocket move and wake up in a different reality.

14 Aug, 2023
Rephrasing the famous song, “Love is in the air”, let’s talk about change is in the air – and everywhere. We grow. We change. Look at your childhood photos. Watch your kid, your nephew, your niece. The change is there, and it’s incredible. Nature is constantly changing. We wait for summer as the time to enjoy outdoor activities and gardening, for a quick visit to the beach, or simply take time to relax and spend time with family, friends and loved ones. We wait for winter (even if we never see snow falling) to decorate the house for the holidays, pack presents for the people we love and unpack our own. The colour of the leaves changes, the weather shifts, and flowers blossom in their time – the landscape is constantly transforming. The world around us is changing. We travel to other countries and learn new things, cultures and languages. We take on new hobbies. We get new skills. After a couple of minor kitchen accidents (sometimes), we can cook delicious dishes and get compliments from family and friends. We transform our bodies at the gym or simply by creating the habit of walking every day. We meet new people, we sometimes fall in love, we build families, we have kids. And if you step back for a second, you realise you might have met your other half by pure accident. But you took a leap of faith into the unknown. We embrace many types of unknown change, except for the one that can change how we live five days a week – to change jobs. “I am too old/too young to change”, “I’m used to this environment; It’s my comfort zone”, “Well, I don’t get any promotion, and what I do doesn’t change the world, but it’s stable”, “I am afraid to ask for more interesting projects. What if my manager fires me?”. We often don’t want to change because that step requires a vision, courage, external support, and a leap of faith into the unknown. Scary? Yes. But also promising. A step into the unknown? Yes. But it can open a new door. Do your inner values marry what you do? Yes, it is essential. There is nothing terrible about staying in your comfort zone. At some stage of your career, staying put can be an excellent decision. But if you feel that you need a change – talk to Kelly. We don’t mind going the extra mile and support your wish to embrace the change. The one which will give meaning to what you do, feel proud, motivated and fulfilled. Ready for changing? We’ll make sure your talent can truly shine.

Balance. Why it is essential to keep your eyes on your destination and not to listen to applause.

10 Aug, 2023
You’ve seen these guys before when a circus came to your city or maybe on TV. They walk on a wire at an impressive height, sometimes without insurance, sometimes with a long stick that probes the void right and left. They walk slowly, trying the wire with their toes first, making small steps, their eyes fixed on the small platform where they plan to land soon. They never watch down. They don’t listen to an audience that applauses or gasps in awe. They are concentrated on keeping their balance. To keep balance. Let’s come down from the wire above the arena or stage. Let’s look closer at balance, where it has its roots and the secrets of keeping it. Is it an art? Or is it a skill? Can you learn to keep balance? Or is it an innate skill that only gymnasts, figure skaters, circus artists and ballet dancers are born with? Want to know the secrets of a ballerina that must perform 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at a high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe? First, keeping balance is a skill people must learn for years. In ballet, sport, circus, real life, and… work life. A ballerina is taught to pick one point and to fix her eyes on it when she makes her 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe. She focuses on one thing that keeps her upright. She doesn’t look anywhere else. Gymnasts in some disciplines are constantly trained to feel the bar under their feet. They are prepared to land precisely on the bar after they jump, and the incredible contortions we admire in competitions. But let’s come back to the circus artists we have begun with. Often, they have a long stick in their hands to keep their balance. Is their secret hidden in the stick? And what is the secret? You don’t need to be a ballet dancer, a gymnast, or a circus artist to get the idea of balance. Here are your first two steps in your balance training: 1. Keep your main priorities in mind. And have a clear idea about what is very important for you and where you are ready to compromise. But don’t listen to external opinions that don’t align with your ideals. Forget about the audience’s applause – focus on you. 2. Use some help to stay upright and get to your goals. Imagine your life split on two ends of the helping stick, your job is on one end, and your private life is on another. How comfortable do you feel at your height now with the load on both ends? You need support. We at Kelly pay a lot of attention to balance. The balance between people’s private lives and their jobs. The balance between feeling appreciated and professional goals or between achieving extraordinary results and being inspired. Talk to Kelly today. We are not ballet coaches or sports trainers, but we know much about how important work/life balance is in our lives.

Inspiration. Why we all are artists and how to restore the sparkle

03 Aug, 2023
We often associate certain qualities with individuals who seem to possess a natural talent for creativity. We convince ourselves that painting, singing, or dancing are pursuits reserved for these "real" artists while we remain mere spectators. Creativity? Inspiration? No, it's not about me.
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