As you come to the end of your bachelor's degree, you'll be thinking about your first steps in a career in sciences. Your ambitions will be steering you to research specific roles and career paths, but step number one needs to be attaining hands-on experience. If you do not have hands-on laboratory experience now, there are plenty of ways to get your foot in the door. 

Our clients search for graduates with a bachelor's degree and focus on skills outside of what you learn at college. For instance, communication and presentation skills are critical components of a successful career in science. The ability to reason clearly and to communicate complex ideas amongst your peers will hold you in good stead when applying for your first role. 

Biotechnology is a collaborative field where scientists must work together and navigate conflicting opinions. Being a versatile team player who can listen, understand and execute ideas is an excellent skill to hone. If you can present how you have stepped up in a team and when you have had to listen to others during an interview, you will stand out from amongst the crowd. 

Speaking of versatility, the industry itself is constantly evolving. Practices in 10 years will be different from today; there will be new ways of doing things where professionals will need to be comfortable with change. Adapting to new protocols, tools and information will need to be in your mind. 

The focus on soft skills has never been more true as we send our graduates to interview. Skills such as conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, time management, and working well under pressure are critical in the workplace and will help employees fully utilize their hard skills. For instance, self-motivation is challenging to measure but is a skill employers are keen to look for. A self-motivated employee needs less oversight and management, allowing them to take the initiative and ownership of their work, set achievable goals, and take steps accordingly. 

If you would like to discuss how to break into the sciences field or discuss careers across BioTech, please call Harba today, and we would be delighted to share our expertise. 

Alternatively, you may wish to apply to one of our roles here.