On career navigation: Embracing lateral moves for future success in pharma
An NPC panel examines why companies must prioritize career progression to retain top talent (Issue #321, 1,040 words, 5 minutes)
Good morning, and welcome to the NPC Healthbiz Weekly e-newsletter from the National Pharmaceutical Congress and Chronicle Companies.
The definitions and measurements of career success have grown more complex, especially within the dynamic and competitive landscape of the pharmaceutical industry. At the 18th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress, the concluding panel discussion addressed various dimensions of this subject. The panel highlighted the importance of lateral career moves, secondment opportunities, and comprehensive organizational support as critical factors in pursuing career success.
Kevin Hewitt, Sales & Marketing Director at Sun Pharma, emphasized that success is subjective. He encourages professionals to consider lateral moves as strategic opportunities for growth. Drawing an analogy to the movie Dune, Hewitt illustrated how a seemingly indirect path can provide invaluable experience and protect against unforeseen pitfalls. “By the time you get to where you want to be, you want to have all the tools in your tool belt to do the job properly,” he said. “It may not be the exact job you’ll be doing, but having those experiences and the ability to connect with your teams will give you the foundation to succeed.” He also stressed that individuals should be proactive in their career development and that it is in companies' best interest to retain talent by providing guidance and opportunities for employees to move laterally.
According to Sandra Heller, Astellas Pharma General Manager, secondment opportunities should be viewed as a way to foster career growth. She said that from an employee’s perspective, secondments provide networking opportunities and exposure to different management styles. From an employer’s viewpoint, secondments serve as a talent management tool, allowing companies to assess employee adaptability and retain talent during business fluctuations. “Secondments are a tool we should consider as employers,” she said. “And as employees, you should initiate conversations or even present business cases to show how this could be a win-win opportunity for both parties,” Heller added that secondments are an excellent strategy for organizations to help retain top talent and energize their teams with fresh perspectives.
How can organizations support their employees’ career success? Janine Pajot, Human Resources Vice President at Bayer Canada, said human resources plays a vital role in facilitating career progression, mainly through mentorship programs and creating clear pathways for growth within organizations. She stressed the importance of fostering an environment where individuals feel empowered to take ownership of their career paths. She also highlighted the importance of companies offering formal and informal support systems to guide employees through their career journeys. “If we’re not doing it, there’s probably someone else that is,” Pajot said, emphasizing the competitive nature of the industry and the need to retain top talent by actively nurturing their development.
THIS WEEK 03/04/25
Health Canada granted marketing authorization with conditions for Biogen Canada’s tofersen injection (Qalsody) to treat adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have a mutation in the superoxide dismutase 1 gene. The approval recognizes the plasma neurofilament light chain as a biomarker of neurodegeneration and is based on the totality of evidence, including its mechanism of action, biomarker, and clinical data.
UCB Canada’s bimekizumab (Bimzelx) received positive reimbursement recommendations from Canada’s Drug Agency and the Institut National d'Excellence en Santé et en Services Sociaux for the treatment of adults with active psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
MediBeacon Inc. announced that the Chinese National Medical Products Administration approved the MediBeacon TGFR Monitor and TGFR Sensor for assessing kidney function in patients with normal or impaired renal function. The transdermal GFR technology uses relmapirazin injection (Lumitrace), a non-radioactive, non-iodinated fluorescent GFR tracer agent, to measure kidney function by tracking the clearance rate of the fluorescent agent. Lumitrace remains under review in China and is expected to receive approval in late 2025.
The U.S. FDA approved Sanofi’s insulin-aspart-szjj (Merilog) as a biosimilar to NovoLog (insulin aspart) for improving glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus.
NOW LISTEN UP: HERE’S TOM SLOWE OF BREADCRUMB ANALYTICS
In season 13 of the NPC Podcast, Tom Slowe, CEO of Breadcrumb Analytics, gives insights into using AI to sort and sift through statistics, the importance of context with data, and why AI should only supplement human work. Hear him in conversation with podcast hosts Mitch Shannon, Jim Shea, and Mark McElwain.
HEALTHBIZ REWIND
This feature of NPC Healthbiz Weekly looks back at some of the most insightful moments from previous NPC Podcast episodes. You can listen to the podcast here.
Raj Dam
Assistant Director - Partnerships and External Relations
University of Toronto Scarborough
Season 12, Episode 03
Listen to this episode here
(This episode was recorded in April 2024)
From an employer's perspective, what advantages do co-op students bring to their organizations?
I’m speaking not just as a professional who works with industry talent but also as someone who has personally hired college students. We have four to five co-op students working in our department at any given time, meaning we’ve hired at least 15 to 20 over the years. Based on that experience, I can confidently say that college students bring several advantages to a team.
First, they offer fresh perspectives. They understand new software, social trends, and cultural insights, which makes them valuable for keeping organizations relevant and innovative. We often consult them when working on communications to ensure we're aligned with current trends.
Second, co-op students are a great asset for experimental or innovation-driven projects. They bring fresh energy and focus when you need dedicated short-term effort for a creative or pilot initiative.
Additionally, organizations can leverage federal funding, such as the Student Work Placement Program, to offset hiring costs. Many universities also connect employers with funding partners to make hiring students more accessible.
Another benefit is their role in fostering collaboration with universities. Co-op students often serve as a bridge to faculty research, academic initiatives, and institutional resources.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, they create a talent pipeline. Students who intern with a company gain firsthand experience with its culture and operations, making them strong future hires. In today’s competitive job market, that’s an invaluable advantage.
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