Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development

This book is so multifaceted. It describes very clearly how the various divisions and departments of biopharma fit together. You learn the requirements for each career. You learn about suggested personal traits, comparative salaries, job security, do's and don'ts, pros and cons of each type of position, and how to switch careers within biopharma. You read lists of personal attributes which would contraindicate a particular career choice. You read about a typical day-in-the-life of various positions.... I've read or perused six Biopharma career books, and this is the best one I've found by far! I can't imagine how it could be any more comprehensive, helpful, and easy-to-read!

Having worked in biopharma marketing and business development management for over 30 years, I am often asked by young professionals working in biotech R & D what positions they might pursue successfully on the business and marketing side of the business. I feel comfortable sharing what the roles, rewards and expectations are for business and marketing functions but don't have the background of actually moving from R & D myself to understand their current positions and the questions they should be asking. In the future, I will now recommend Toby Freedman's book to help them find the position that best fits their background, skills and temperment. I was especially impressed with the extremely valuable information about career ladders inside functions in all divisions as well as great insights where those with "Research bench" experience can move successfully. This book is not just for newly graduated life scientists but for those desiring a transition after years in a function. I was amazed with the breadth and depth of the myriad career paths covered and quality and accuracy of those positions I hadn't expected the author would have understood as well as research.

Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development by Toby Freedman, Ph.D. (http://www.careersbiotech.com) is an invaluable tool for anyone pursuing a new career or currently working in biopharma. Applying for a job is a job in itself. When starting this process, it is difficult to remember everything that needs to be researched and considered for this important life decision. Executive support Web sites like TheLadders.com offer helpful pieces of information, but in this book Dr. Freedman seems to have included everything the job-seeker needs. The writing style is direct and personal, allowing for quick and enjoyable reading. By the end of Chapter 3, the reader can have a personalized list of to-do items that will increase confidence, and set a realistic expectation of the job seeking experience. Chapter 5 covers the Informational Interview concept. It is a key step in networking that I first learned after paying a career consultant $3,000 after I left clinical practice. Networking is how many people gain entry into biopharma. Part 1 of this book prepares the reader to start networking effectively. Part II of the book is chaptered by career area over the life cycle of the biopharma product. The reader will gain a clear understanding of each step and how they depend on each other. Chapters are full of definitions and detailed explanations of each role, as well as educational and experience requirements for candidates. Each chapter creates a day-in-the-life-of-this-job picture with pros and cons of the job. Section titles such as "Are You a Good Candidate for Regulatory Affairs?" help readers match position requirements with their personal traits. There is even a list of personal characteristics in each chapter to help rule out a position. I read the career chapters out of order, starting with the career paths I had always intended to explore. Within the first few paragraphs of each chapter, I was able to decide if this position could work for me. Some of the positions that have always sounded like a fit for me by their name were not even close after gaining the full picture. Relative salaries and potential career path / job security coverage is realistic and helpful. There is equal weight of discussion across positions from Basic Research roles to CEO and from Discovery stage to Commercial Operations. It even includes Law, Recruiting, and Consulting roles, and advice for non-scientists. Dr. Freedman interviewed more than 200 people working in biopharma to write this book. In a few hours, readers can leverage this extensive experience for their career planning. Paul Martinetti, MD President Network of Researchers, Doctors, and Scientists Nords.com

I recently lost my job as a scientist at R & D department. I kept looking for the same type of job but it's so difficult to find a research position nowaday. But sincce I've read this book, I figured out that I can do so many different things other than the work I had been doing. I opened myself up, applied to different positions, and got many offers. I'm busy with considering which offer I should take now. Thanks to the author who did a great job for a really meaningful book: Career Opportunities ...

Well written, nicely structured. Great book to have if you are coming from academia or research and exploring various career opportunities within Life Science.