The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was less in the pharmaceutical industry while it was noticeable in the medical equipment industry
The pharmaceutical industry was less impacted by the pandemic, and recruitment tended to stay the same. Because treatments were postponed and consumption opportunities decreased in the medical equipment industry from the restrictions on entering hospitals and the influence of securing several hospital beds, decreasing sales were evident. In the fields of diagnosis, the gap between fields that showed a temporary upsurge from the outbreak of COVID-19 and fields that were less impacted were prominent.
This was also the year when the methods of expanding product sales in the healthcare industry had to significantly change. The early retirement system was implemented by major Japanese pharmaceutical companies, the number of MR decreased, product deployment shifted to more indirect digital marketing, which increased demand for digital marketing professionals on the company side, and business companies in the health-tech field enhanced recruitment efforts with rising share values.
The health-tech field will evolve in 2021
The trend for an increase in the need for R&D and CRO positions involved in product development in the pharmaceutical industry will continue. On the other hand, on the commercial side, which encourages consumption, this will be a year of accelerating the response to a new normal. As the evolution will significantly progress for new methods of indirectly conducting product PR activities that appeal to doctors, this will be a year where the health-tech field profoundly evolves.
Demand increased for talent to build new systems that include digitization
The trend is for an increase in the demand for building new systems and greater efficiency by businesses toward digitization in the healthcare industry and for related fields and positions. One of the reasons for the increase is the rising need to build a new system at a fast pace because the restrictions at clinical sites are expected to continue in the future, and traditional customs no longer apply. The need is rising for digital marketing to share information with the world, commercial excellence to streamline the company structure, and new business planning to launch new businesses.
Companies’ active information disclosure lowered the hurdle for applicants
While concerns about changing jobs grew from the impact of COVID-19, securing top talent is now more difficult. Companies succeeding under these circumstances lowered the barrier for applications by actively disclosing company circumstances and implementing efforts to avoid letting top-level talents slip away. Although recruiting where companies contract with an external database service for direct approaches to job seekers increased from the previous year, the direct approach where the company is not indicating the intention to change jobs is perceived as reluctance; therefore, an approach from a casual interview has been increasingly important.
Financially stable major companies tend to be popular
The way to set out corporate message is the key to successful recruitment
Because aggressive job changing is perceived as risky, communicating the ability to be aggressive while remaining defensive has become important. Job seekers have voiced opinions of caring more about the stability of companies compared to the previous year, and there is a tendency for major manufacturers to gain popularity and increase the number of talent recruited. On the other hand, while recruitment needs by venture companies are strong, how the sound foundation, business and new challenges can be set out simultaneously is the key to successful recruitment. It will also be important to monitor the change in business deployment and prepare for recruiting top talent who applied for the early retirement packages.
The trend in the number of job orders and YoY comparison
(Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical, and Life Sciences)
Life Sciences Division
Sales Team Manager
Yuuki Umezawa
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How to succeed with mid-career recruitment with COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 (English)
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