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Dr.Shruti Bhat, Leader Pharmaceutical R&D and Expert in hiTech formulation development for over 35 different therapeutic class of drugs moeities, brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data.

 “It’s been a week since my interview and I haven’t heard anything...”

“I had a great informational interview but that was the last I heard…”

“I had a phone conversation with a good contact in the company…”

“I have almost 100 people I’ve networked with in my job search so far…”

“I met someone, at (an event) that said they knew someone, but haven’t heard back…” 

“…should I follow up?”these are the most common questions I’m asked regularly. And my response is always the same: YES!!! 

“But I don’t want to annoy them, or come across as a stalker.” …is a common reply.

In my experience, I’ve found that candidates think they are being annoying long before the recipient of their follow ups ever do. Professional, timely, pleasant follow up is key to setting yourself apart from other candidates they are pursuing. 

Why should you follow up, and how do you do it effectively? Here are some ideas… 

Most people don’t follow up, it’s a chance to set yourself apart. Even after a formal job interview, generally less than 25% of people send a Thank You note of any kind. Other meetings, phone calls, email contacts generally get little to no follow up from most people. Doing something different from the norm, in a professional and upbeat way, will virtually always create a positive impression. You have far more to lose by not doing it, than the infinitesimal risk of losing an opportunity by doing it. Especially if someone else does follow up, and you don’t, you will lose by comparison. 

It’s another chance to cement a relationship. Whether it’s a casual networking contact, or a formal interview, the chances of gaining more consideration from them is very much dependent on building a relationship. If you only make an initial contact and they never hear from you again, it creates no reason on their part to invest any more thinking in helping or working with you. Building a relationship requires contact and effort in following up. 

It’s another chance to mention something you may have forgotten before. Although you don’t want to launch into an in-depth explanation of something else in your background in a follow up… a succinctly worded phrase or sentence adding value to your earlier discussion can help in improving their impression of you. It’s another chance to provide additional or new relevant information.

Keep it brief! Too often, if someone does follow up, they either ramble on too long on the phone, or write too long in an email or letter. After the first minute of engaging in some way, patience begins to run out and there is either no chance of making a positive impact after that, or you are actually increasing the risk of annoying them. Even an extremely short “Just wanted to thank you again for your time” will have a more positive impact than 5 or 10 minutes of going further into in-depth information. That’s true in a phone call or written communication. It’s best to carefully plan exactly what you want to convey and say it as briefly as possible to make the best impression. 

Be professional! Regardless of how friendly your meeting or prior discussion may have gone, never assume too casual a relationship. Even though a hiring manager wants to like you to hire you, or a professional networking contact enjoys talking to you, in order to take additional steps with you they need to feel confident that you will always be professional with others they introduce you to as well. The referral process, and the hiring process is still essentially a business transaction. Don’t take it too lightly. 

Switch it up! Effective, and consistent follow up doesn’t mean a steady stream of phone calls every other day. That does become annoying. However, you can have some form of contact with them regularly to keep you fresh in their mind and build a further relationship with them in the process. Within a day of any of the scenarios listed at the top of this piece… Thank them. You might send them a Thank You card in the mail, or email a brief note, leave them a voicemail, or call and thank them for their time. Then, in a week or two, connect again, but in another form, and in two to 4 weeks again in yet another form. Keep the process going, but you end up actually talking to them directly only every couple of months. 

If they are hearing from you regularly, but in various and unobtrusive forms, you are building a relationship, not haranguing them. Building that professional relationship has everything to do with their perception of your persistence, your follow through, your professionalism, and their interest in you. 

Should you follow up??? Yes! Definitely! Absolutely! …but do it right! 

Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Http://www.drshrutibhat.com
Expert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.
YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10
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Dr.Shruti Bhat, Leader Pharmaceutical R&D and Expert in hiTech formulation development for over 35 different therapeutic class of drugs moeities, brings to you some highlights from current pharma and clinical research news, views and data.

This article captures situations that can derail a job interview, along with advice on how job seekers can get back on track.  

So you arrive at a big job interview confident and prepared. It starts off strong. Conversation flows smoothly. You're saying all the right things...Suddenly, the hiring manager asks you a question you didn't anticipate.  

The "deer in the headlights" look washes over your face. You flounder for an answer that fails to impress the hiring manager. Your confidence takes a hit, and the interview, along with any chance of getting the job, quickly head south.  

1.      You're caught off-guard by an inappropriate or illegal question.

By law, employers aren't allowed to ask job seekers certain questions, such as "Are you married?" or "Do you have kids?" But some hiring managers do so anyway, and these questions can throw a candidate for a loop. 

Interview Magic, a best selling book on interview successes, recommends a three-step process for answering touchy questions...  

2. You need to address the dreaded "sticky wicket." 

Many job candidates have a "sticky wicket" in their employment histories, such as a layoff, job-hopping or even termination with cause... 

3. You give a ho-hum answer. 

No matter how much you prepare for an interview, a hiring manager is bound to ask a perfectly legal question that you never anticipated. If your mind goes blank and ... 

"Answers to unexpected questions will come to you. Sometimes you just have to relax."  

4. You ramble.

When job candidates don't know how to answer a question, they'll often ramble until they zero in on the answer. The risk with this strategy is that a tangent may never lead to the bull's eye... 

5. You lack an important skill. 

An average of eight job seekers compete for every open position, and Employers can afford to be picky. Chances are you don't possess all the criteria the hiring manager seeks in a candidate. This means ... 

6. You lose steam.

Job interviews can be physically and emotionally taxing. They can last all day and involve intense conversations with multiple decision-makers inside an organization, sometimes in ... 

7. You experience a wardrobe malfunction. 

A run in your stockings. Trouser socks that sag around your ankles. Food in your teeth. A fly that ... 

8. Your cell phone rings. 

You're nervous. You have a million things on your mind. In the process of reviewing facts and figures about your employer and answers to potential interview questions, you forget to shut off your cell phone. True to Murphy's Law, the darn thing ... 

More at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/05/personal-development-for-pharmaceutical.html 

Disclaimer- The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. 

Http://www.drshrutibhat.com
Expert at leading Pharmaceutical R&D.
Translates innovative concepts to PROFITS.
YouTube Channel : Http://www.youtube.com/user/ShrutiBhat10

Do you have questions for the author? 
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The average job seeker takes about four months to land a job after searching for openings. During an economic downturn, finding a job becomes even more difficult and so discouragement is a common emotion. While the practical aspects of looking for a job present plenty of challenges, the emotional component cannot be ignored.

For some, the emotions of shock, grief, anger, anxiety, and depression that often accompany job loss can impair a solid action plan. Maybe you don’t even have a plan of action. Or, you are diligently getting your resume out to the world without the results you desire. Everyone feels discouraged at times but you can’t be effective in your job search if you launch into interviews with unchecked emotions popping up.

What can you do to transform discouragement into hope that you will land another job? First, don’t panic. Place post-it notes with the word “Breathe” on them. Engage in activities that will help you move through difficult emotions. Fear and hope make poor roommates because one dispels the other.

You must fight discouragement. Avoid beginning and ending your day with negative television and radio news reports about the economy. News of this sort can only result in negative thinking and feelings. Begin your day early by first making a deposit into your emotional bank account. Write a list of five things you are grateful for each morning. 

If you are starting to give in to discouragement, it is time to tune in for self-care. Prepare a list of 10 self-care items that will help renew your mind, body, and spirit. You may find it difficult to do so, but it is completely worth your time. The items on your list do not even have to cost money. Participate in 2-3 of these self-care activities every day. If you are burned out, experiencing stress or other physical health symptoms, and feelings of discouragement, this situation absolutely requires that you give yourself permission to take an overdue restorative time-out. It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity!

Many people work very hard while also attending to the needs of their family, but find it nearly impossible to be especially kind and tender to their selves. In an emergency, you have to put on your own oxygen mask first, and being out of work in an economic downturn qualifies as just such an emergency.

Address discouragement and other emotions by taking the time you need – not by doing what others think you should do. Talk to someone you trust who will help you to get rid of negative feelings. When you are ready, launch into the tangible, practical components of job search.

Take stock of your expectations. Unmet expectations can lead to disappointment and discouragement. You may be very good at the work you have done in the past but your future does not live in your past. Industry changes create opportunities for new job growth. Do you need to take what I refer to as the ’transitional bridge job’ or two part time jobs to pay the bills while you think about seriously re-inventing yourself ?

Do you want to return to a former, similar, or new job title? Research professional association websites in the industry you want to explore. Perform information interviews to help expand or narrow options. New job growth is there. You will bring greater enthusiasm and success to your job hunting when you identify what you want to do. What does your heart desire for employment?

When you are ready, set a structured job search schedule, say between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm daily. No matter what, though, it’s important to keep your work/life balance in the daily mix. Your future work is ahead of you and you must move forward to reach your goals.

Also at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/01/overcoming-discouragement-from-fired-to.html
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Statistics indicate there are at least six unemployed Americans for every job opening; and this figure does not take into account the employed-but-searching for new job candidates who are also competing for these jobs.

So, what is the difference between job seekers who achieve success and those that keep toiling away day after day, week after week, and month after month without landing a job? It is whether you approach your job search as a Hunter or a Farmer.

When compared to Farmers, Hunters are 87% more likely to find a job in this economy with key differences being in their qualitative approach to pursuing opportunities and their prioritization of using a professional network. So who are the Hunters and who are the Farmers - and which one are you?

Hunters are extremely focused and very selective; they stalk few opportunities and only ones they consider just right for them; and most important they effectively leverage their professional networks to work for them.

Hunters expand and leverage their professional network every day of the week to find opportunities and consider time spend networking exponentially more important to their job search than depending on job sites.

Hunters use online social media and profiles, with references and testimonials, as tools to enable their networks and develop a brand and Subject matter Expertise in their field.

Hunters manage their contacts personally and independently, outside of company systems.

Hunters are more selective and apply for fewer opportunities and only those opportunities considered fulfilling or critical to their career roadmap, and they are twice as likely to follow up interviews – and even after being rejected.

Hunters will tailor their resumes and cover letters for each position to stand out in a crowd, and they will focus on showing not only why they are qualified, but more so why they are the most qualified candidate for that job, and why they want to work specifically for that company and not its competitors.

Hunters cultivate, grow and contribute to their professional networks on an ongoing basis, and they place as much if not more emphasis on helping others rather than only looking to only themselves.

Hunters are more than twice as likely to consult mentors on their job search, and they are likely to seek out and pay for a resume and professional advice and attend paid seminars and networking events, rather than basing their job search exclusively around free advice, services, job fairs and no-fee events.

Farmers are seed-sowers; they cover a lot of ground, exploring numerous opportunities and place more value on broad, rather than qualitative searches.

 

Farmers are more conscious about key-word searches and not whether this is a job they will qualify for and enjoy.

Farmers use job boards to find opportunities and consider jobs sites more important than networking.

Farmers may use online profiles, but primarily to market themselves

Farmers keep address books or contact lists on company servers, making the data vulnerable to loss

Farmers post and pray; apply for many jobs, even those perceived as low matches

Farmers are more likely to use the same all-purpose resume and cover letter for each applied-for position.

Farmers only use their professional networks as needed.

Farmers rarely consult others on their job search or pay for a professional resume or valuable career advice.

Now that you know the facts you choose whether you want to be a farmer or HUNTER.

Also at http://www.pharm-education.com/2010/01/are-you-hunter-of-farmer.html
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“People will not remember what you said or what you did; people will remember how you made them feel.

 My intention is to meet five people at this function who I really connect with and that two of them eventually become clients.” My friend was impressed while somewhat doubtful of my declaration. My actual success that night was that I met ten people with whom I connected, but I didn’t find the opening to give all of them my business card. It’s not that I’m shy - by nature I’m quite the extrovert. But I have a stigma about networking – I don’t want to be viewed as someone who only introduces herself in order to plug her services and hand out business cards. It’s a limiting stigma, one that would best be left at home with the bad breath, but I want to connect with people on a level that we both feel acknowledged, respected and heard. It’s when we have those connections with people that our networks become stronger. But my concerns are valid and I know I’m not the only fresh-breathed stigma-minded networker out there. 

Networking is not limited to selling oneself – in fact that outlook is its demise. There is depth to networking that goes beyond meeting people. It’s about connecting, building relationships and listening to the pulse of individuals who make up your network. It’s about listening and the art of inquiry. It’s about asking questions, providing answers and being engaged such that the person you’re talking to experiences being heard, respected and acknowledged. There is power in providing that experience for others. The golden rule of Networking- “People will not remember what you said or what you did; people will remember how you made them feel.”  

The old adage, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is still the tall and solid wise oak of networking. Although that saying has been spun differently over the years and in different industries, it continues to be a networking motivator. Networking affects growth in careers, businesses, campaigns and whatever other groups and efforts that goes beyond the individual’s forward progress. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a network to move us forward.


We all know the appropriate actions for successful networking: meet people in person, make eye-contact, have a firm handshake, ask questions and follow through with statements of interest, ask for contact info and follow up with a thank you communication and request for further contact with that person or a reference for a future contact with another they recommend, etc., etc. In short, stay in communication and be consistent with your leadership brand.

What I encourage is to practice the art of connection as a part of their brand. You need to connect with people to instigate a meaningful relationship. Connecting is not only a catalyst to strong networking relationships; it’s also an expression of who you are for yourself, that person and the community or communities you represent. In other words, how you connect with people will make the biggest impact on building a relationship. The people you meet will always remember how you made them feel, not necessarily what you do or what witty comments you made during your conversation with them.

How do you connect with someone and make a lasting impression? It’s actually easy and with a bit of practice quite fun. In fact, when you begin to feel comfortable with a more intimate form of connection with people, you’ll discover a new level of enthusiasm when entering a networking opportunity.

Below are a few coaching tips on how to connect, build lasting relationships and brand yourself as a leader who people remember as someone who made them feel acknowledged, respected and heard:

Listen, listen, listen – If you are aware of the monologue in your head, you are not present to the dialogue in front of you. For example, if you are practicing your elevator speech while you are talking with someone, you will miss plenty of opportunities to authentically connect with this person because you will not hear what they are saying.

Ask questions and inquire into their interests and activities - There is power in asking a great question that came from having listened. Often you will find that by listening closely and being present, you’ll find yourself becoming curious about what this person is talking about; what they do; and who they are. Curiosity begets questions begets inquiry begets connection begets stronger networks.

Find a natural opening to share about yourself - When you are listening and coming from a place of being connected you will find many natural openings for sharing about yourself. For example, if you’re talking to someone who builds greenhouses for a living and you are a webinar facilitator a natural opening would be to say, “Hey I have an idea. We could create something great by teaming your knowledge on how to build a green house by developing a webinar that people pay to listen to online.” This opens up a new conversation, complements their skills and demonstrates that you were listening and connecting ideas on how to move this person and your relationship with them forward.

Be sincerely interested in what YOU ARE saying - Be excited about whom you are and what you are up to - confidence is a great branding tool. If you have a tendency to downplay what you do, who you are and how you present yourself, the people listening to you may not be inspired to listen or connect. This isn’t license to be arrogant, demonstrative or patronizing, it’s an opportunity to enthusiastically share with someone about what you have to offer as a person and as a network relationship. The more authentically, humbly and confidently you share the more drawn to you they will be.

Follow-up quickly with someone you connected with and especially mention the part of the connection that struck you most - If the person said something that interested you about themselves or what they do, mention that in your follow up communication. For example, “Shirley, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you at the Executives of Prominence Awards evening and was quite impressed with the book you are writing. I would love the opportunity to have lunch with you soon and learn more about what inspired you to write about that topic.

Network with intentionality, become known as someone who listens, acknowledges and connects with people - people seek out those who are leaders. Be an intentional leader; humble, engaged, interested and in demonstrated inquiry with the people with whom you are connecting.


Building relationships is about listening, talking and communicating. It’s an important part of your brand and who you are for not only the people with whom you network, but with everyone in your communities. The real key to all of this? When you’re intimately connected with yourself, you’re connected to everybody.

References-

(a)     http://www.careerleadershipcoaching.com/ and start developing an authentic relationship with all your networks.

(b)    http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2009/11/breaking-networking-stigmas.html

(c)     http://www.pharm-education.com/2009/12/how-to-network-to-improve-your-net.html 

Disclaimer : The above information has been cited from literature in public domain. This is for research purpose/ dissemination of knowledge only.
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Interruptions ?  This article has been inspired by an overzealous talk show host I saw on television. Even though he had a knowledgeable and interesting subject, who was presumably willing to speak, the host kept up a non-stop commentary, not allowing the guest to get a word in edgewise. He constantly interrupted his interviewee — a definite No -NO. 

Interruptions at Your Desk- 

·         How should you handle an interruption when you are sitting at your desk working and someone knocks and interrupts you at an awkward time?

You can tell the person you are in the middle of something but can give him your undivided attention for two minutes. You might add that if he would like to schedule a meeting (open your date book) at 1 p.m. instead, that would be so much better. Jerome Shore from The Coaching Clinic calls this Extreme Time Management. Don't let anybody interfere. "I'd like to handle that now but what I'm doing must be done this morning. How about after lunch?"

Always give people an option, rather than a no. Even an unfavourable option is better than a no. When you have booked the appointment or given him his two minutes, walk him out of your office and close the door quietly to prevent further interruptions.

·         If you eat lunch at your desk, expect to be interrupted. You are, after all, at your desk. To eat in peace, close your door or leave your desk.

·         You may be required to field inquiries for your boss who has asked not to be interrupted. If someone superior to you wants to bypass you and see your boss in person, you can call your boss on a secured intercom and say: "Emma, I know you asked not to be interrupted, but Richard really needs to talk you for a few minutes. Shall I schedule time or can you see him now?" Using this method, you are off the hook: Emma will make the decision, and Richard knows that Emma is really busy. 

Interruptions in Meetings- 

·         If it's acceptable in your company culture to interrupt someone who is speaking during meetings and presentations, be prepared to handle the situation if you are the one doing the speaking ! When I am the speaker, I have my thoughts on a one-pager in point form. If there are any questions or digressions, I can be back on track in a second. 

Interruptions on the Telephone- 

·         If you are conducting a telephone interview, definitely don't interrupt the interviewee.

·         My pet peeve is people who do not pay attention to the person they are speaking with on the phone. When I used to call my sister in the States, she would talk to me while giving orders to her children — right into my ear, with me paying the long distance charges. After so many irritations, I had a game plan. When I called and she started interrupting herself with child-rearing, I said immediately that I would call her back at a more convenient time and hung up. Our conversations came to have far fewer child-rearing interruptions. Yes, people can be taught.  

When Interrupting is Beneficial- 

If you are at a party where a discussion had become very heated, try diffusing the situation by interrupting it. For example: "I'm sorry to interrupt, Perry, but I need you in the kitchen for a moment. I'm just not tall enough to reach the pan I need”. That situation aside, interrupting is not considered to be courteous. The next time you are about to interrupt, ask yourself: how would I feel if I was in his shoes? His time and thoughts are as important to him as yours are to you.  

Also at http://www.pharm-education.com/2009/12/time-management-tips.html

Disclaimer : The above information has been cited from literature in public domain. This is for research purpose/ dissemination of knowledge only.
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In this age of blogging and branding, one needs to be aware of common errors that one could make. Following are few examples of mistakes people tend to make frequently with regards to search engine optimization. Below are few points, which if avoided, can help gain better results and profitability in the long run -

1) Optimizing the wrong keywords
a) Selecting keywords that bring untargeted traffic
b) Choosing highly competitive keywords

2) Overstuffing meta keywords tag
3) Keyword repetition
4) Creating multiple similar doorway pages
5) Use of hidden text
6) Creating graphical webpages
7) Page Cloaking
8) Too many page submissions per day
9) Using submission tools that are automated
10) Dedicating too much time for search engine ranking

To know more about this subject, please visit –

http://www.pharm-education.com/2009/11/seo-mistakes-to-avoid-during-blogging.html 

Dr.Shruti Bhat
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In this age of web portfolios and digital job searching, website is a lifeline marketing tool. So how do we make our site informative and also attractive?

To improve visitors to your site, the golden rule is that information presented has to be validated, lucid and simple to follow. To make the site attractive, we need to follow some website-fashion principles. Today's technology permits non-IT professionals to design website using the self help menu.

To know more about some important website design tips for your web portal, please visit-

http://www.pharm-education.com/2009/10/tips-to-improve-your-web-portal-design.html
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Here is another great article from my reading- We all know Albert Einstein was a genius in mathematics and physics. But did you know he had a hard time finding a job when he got out of university? Why?

Albert really wanted to teach when he graduated from the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich. However, he couldn’t get past square one to get a teaching position. Nobody would hire him because they didn’t see him as a great teacher. And he’d never taught before.The same problem exists in today’s job market. People are getting hired today because they have experience doing the same thing for someone else. For that reason, Einstein never did become a teacher (at least until very later in life). So, you be the judge. Is the best predictor of success the fact that you’ve done the job before? Obviously not, but that’s the way most hiring is done today.So what is the test predictor of success? Some would say it is all about passion. Let’s examine that using Einstein as an example...Einstein passion was mathematics and physics, but he really loved his violin. He loved the mathematical nature of a violin. He was determined to master it. And he did get pretty good at it… good enough to have a private audience with Queen Elizabeth. He was indeed a good violinist, but he was a much better physicist. Why is someone as smart as Einstein not able to master the violin to the level he could pick up physics?

For details please visit http://www.pharm-education.com/2009/10/can-you-imagine-albert-einstein.html
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