How a pharma recruitment firm sources its niche candidates.

LinkedIn is the best tool we have. We have to be faster than in-house recruiters – we now have the edge.
Gail Kniveton Managing Director, Pop Science

Profile

Pop Science is a London-based recruitment agency specialising in finding candidates for its many science and pharmaceutical clients. The firm works with healthcare technology, clinical trial and traditional science organisations.

Their Goal

Finding people with very specialised skills:

From all-out scientific research and engineering roles to scuba diving internships, Pop Science needs the best candidates – and they need to get them before their competitors do. Pop Science operates in an industry that naturally requires employees to have very specialised skills and qualifications. Finding these prized people is exactly what they must do to beat the competition and stay one step ahead of in-house recruitment teams. As well as finding great people, Pop Science wants to build better brand awareness to businesses. Attracting the interest of innovative science and pharmaceutical organisations who are looking to recruit stand-out employees is key to long-term success.

Their solution

Recruitment revolution

  • Sourcing niche candidates: “Pop Science wanted to find more clients, find more candidates (but the RIGHT type of candidates) and help get our own brand out there,” says Gail. Knowing the power of LinkedIn, Pop Science immediately looked at using LinkedIn Talent Solutions, which gives streamlined access to highly-skilled candidates from the US, Europe and beyond.
  • Pop Science is looking long-term: Not just for short-term wins, LinkedIn Talent Solutions lets the brand invest in building a following of current and potential candidates. “It helps us build a ‘passive’ pipeline of talent.”
  • Getting to know the industry – and making sure the industry knows Pop Science. “Finding new clients is a challenge for any recruiter. Now we can find out more about potential new business than we ever could before.”
  • Brand, brand, brand. Pop Science is a big hit with scientists looking for new jobs, and LinkedIn lets the firm build an audience and build its brand. “We like to get our name out there and engage with our audience. It truly does help us find people!”

For Pop Science, the age-old challenges for recruiters still apply: finding the right clients and finding the right candidates. Using LinkedIn Talent Solutions helps them find a better way of addressing both.

 

Their success

LinkedIn Talent Solutions helped change the way Pop Science works, making a difference from the get-go.

Attracting the best talent, fast. Without finding the right candidates with niche qualifications and experience, Pop Science would be on the back foot. LinkedIn Talent Solutions helps it hit the ground running by sourcing the kind of people clients want, on a global scale. As Managing Director of Pop Science, Gail likes to see great results, fast. “LinkedIn is a library of fantastic global candidates. You can pipeline great people much faster than in-house recruiters”. Pop Science’s recruiters now have the intelligence and reach to move quicker than competitors. Getting to the right candidate before anyone else is what makes LinkedIn Talent Solutions so impressive.

A project management powerhouse Much more than what you’d expect, LinkedIn Talent Solutions lets recruiters go even further by managing whole projects, candidate pipelines, recording and organising notes, and creating automated search alerts. It’s incredibly powerful and a great way to amplify organisation.

Build a following. Pop Science posts regular industry updates and useful information, leading to more than 1,500 followers. Throwing its net far and wide can lead to new candidates, new clients and new business opportunities.

“I get more free time!” LinkedIn Talent Solutions takes a lot of the legwork out of finding the perfect candidate, meaning Gail can spend more time on the important things – currently spending quality time with her new puppy, and, of course, building a successful recruitment business.

 

  • 1. Treat everyone as an individual.

    1. Treat everyone as an individual.

    When approaching candidates, write to them as people, not just another line on a spreadsheet. Don’t send out a load of template mails, and avoid a generic approach.

  • 2.Take time to build a following.

    2.Take time to build a following.

    Followers are helpful as they create a pool of candidates who, although they may not be looking for a job, could be tempted now or in the future. LinkedIn has taken the groundwork out of sourcing clients, leaving more time to look at alternative brand-building measures. Social media is a top tool for amplified recruitment success. People follow companies for industry info, so ensure you’re posting regularly. “We post regular updates about the industry, group job updates and even jokes about jobs!” 

  • 3. Research is key.

    3. Research is key.

    When looking for prospective clients, LinkedIn is a great place to start. “There is in-depth client info available – better than industry-specific info,” explains Gail. “For example, Japanese companies have really strong brand presences on LinkedIn.