From Lost to Thriving: My 4-Step Framework for Breaking Into Pharma & Biotech
- Sian Kneller
- Sep 25
- 2 min read
Breaking into pharma or biotech from academia, med comms, or consulting can feel like trying to crack a secret code. You know you’ve got valuable skills: deep scientific expertise, analytical thinking, strong communication, but translating that into a role that resonates with industry hiring managers? That’s the tricky part.
That’s exactly where I come in. My coaching process is designed to help you pivot smoothly into industry by:
Identifying the pharma/biotech functions that align with your strengths and interests
Positioning your skills in a way that makes sense to recruiters and hiring managers
Building confidence for interviews and networking conversations
And finally, making sure you hit the ground running once you’ve landed the role
Most of the people I work with are either unsure what options even exist within pharma/biotech, or they’re aware of a couple of functions but don’t know which one is the best fit for them. That’s why my framework works so well, it takes you from “uncertain and exploring” to “targeted and thriving.”
Here’s the process I use:
Step 1: Discovering Your Fit
We start with exploration. I guide you through brainstorming based on:
Your personality
What you love doing
Your interests
Your qualifications & experience
Using something similar to the Ikigai framework (what you’re good at, what you enjoy, what the world needs, and what pays the bills), we narrow it down to 2–3 pharma/biotech functions that make the most sense for you.
Step 2: Positioning Yourself
Once we’ve identified your target roles, we make sure your profile screams fit for those roles. That usually means:
Translating your skills into pharma/biotech language
Updating your CV
Optimizing your LinkedIn to match hiring managers’ expectations
If you’re interested in multiple roles (e.g., Medical Affairs and Market Access), we might create tailored versions of your CV, but I try to keep it streamlined.
Step 3: Interview Readiness
Next, we prep for interviews so you walk in with confidence:
Crafting your elevator pitch
Tackling common questions
Using the right terminology/lexicon to sound like an insider
Step 4: Thriving Once You’re In
Landing the role isn’t the finish line — it’s just the start. I coach clients on setting themselves up for success in their new position and avoiding common rookie mistakes that people make when transitioning into pharma/biotech.
Not everyone comes in at Step 1. Some people are already crystal clear on their target function and just need market-specific support (e.g., breaking into the Swiss market). But the majority of my clients need help at the “figuring out” stage, and that’s exactly where my process shines.
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