Secrets of a CRA Recruiter

Many candidates find it extremely difficult to ask someone to be a reference. I find one of the primary reasons is that the candidate doesn’t want to bother past supervisors. After all, providing a reference can be time-consuming.  As a supervisor myself, I can honestly say it would never be a burden for me to serve as a reference for one of my top performers. So is the worry of bothering a past s...

We receive the question of ‘how to become a Sr CRA so frequently, we recently recorded a roundtable providing tangible advice on how to progress into the role. But due to the frequency of the question, I felt it would be important to ask one of my own:   Do junior-level candidates understand the good, bad, and ugly of being a Sr CRA?  Maybe…maybe not. As I coach junior-level candidates and aspirin...

I was recently conducting a coaching session when someone asked what skills or experiences she needed to advance into a Senior CRA role.   It seems like a simple question but the answer can be quite complex. Should you focus on gaining foundational experience? And if so, what clinical research foundational experience is most important? Does your job tenure matter? Should you have a bachelor’s, mas...

Does the job interview always have to be serious? Yes…and no. Of course, there are components of every job interview that should be serious. However, I feel that being too serious in an interview is a flawed approach and a missed opportunity.  Why?  Research shows that when used properly, the use of humor facilitates personal attachment and builds connections. Sophie Scott presented an awesome TED...

The job search can be a challenge. How do you, as a jobseeker overcome a career setback in a way that makes you stronger? Our special guest John Nocero would state it is time to ‘Becky Up’. Becky Lynch (John’s Shero) has been quoted as saying: You can be going through hardships sometimes, and you’re struggling, and then you’re wondering if you’re ever gonna make it.  My mentor would call this stru...

Jobseekers should know that there are similarities in how you handle counteroffers and oddball interview questions. Oddball interview questions are unconventional and typically the answers are quite difficult.  So what is the purpose of oddball interview questions? And how can you handle them gracefully?  Likewise, counteroffers can be a challenge. The intentions behind a counteroffer aren’t alway...

Have you ever heard the term ‘doppelganger’? Doppelgangers are persons who are considered a double of another individual. Today I want to speak about CRA Doppelgangers and what it means to jobseekers.  Why?  Because our industry is rocking! There are currently over 113 thousand active studies listed on clinicaltrials.gov with 21,692 in the “Not Yet Recruiting” category. Even a conservative math ex...

While leadership is considered a soft skill, effective leaders will use a combination of hard and soft skills to excel in their roles. So how do you learn how to motivate and inspire team members? What personality traits do you need to sharpen to become a more successful leader? What hard skills are necessary to be accepted in a leadership role? In today’s podcast, we join forces with Maria-Alexan...

As we struggle to help identify a clear career pathway for those who want to become clinical research associates, I often wonder about the unsung heroes in our industry. I also wonder why these unsung heroes don’t get as much visibility as CRAs because their jobs are so incredibly important!  The first role that comes to mind is that of a Study Coordinator. I feel the role of a clinical research c...

Yes…and no. But before we dig into the truth about job tenure, let’s discuss what it is. Job tenure is the length of time someone has worked for one company. Many identify tenure as long or short.  And while there are several factors to consider when looking at job tenure, you should know that overall, as long as you are progressing in a way that is helping you to achieve long-term career goals, t...

The ACRP has done a wonderful job putting together a core competency framework for Clinical Study Monitoring. One particular domain covers communication and teamwork. This competency area covers relationships and communication with clinical study team members and investigative site staff.  The ACRP’s specific expectations within this competency include the ability to: communicate effectively to re...

In part 3 of our 3-part series, we discuss how CRAs can increase productivity using various methods. For example, what technology can you introduce to make yourself more efficient and organized? And how should you tailor your organization and time management methodologies to fit your personality, style, and work/life situation?  Join us as two of our favorite CRAs, Tuypeakus McKay and Chiquita Cau...

Did you realize that your email etiquette can cost you a position before the hiring manager or recruiter even looks at your resume? In today’s team roundtable, we provide bad email etiquette examples…and some of them may surprise you. We provide examples of candidate trips and falls during their qualification process, when they send thank-you notes, when accepting an offer, and when receiving a re...

In part 2 of our 3-part series, we continue our discussion on Time Management and Organizational Skills with two of our favorite CRAs, Tuypeakus McKay and Chiquita Caudle Sanders . In this episode, we share some organizational tips that CRAs at any level can benefit from.  We give ideas on how to squeeze in tasks while traveling and also describe some excellent tracking methodologies that will ens...

I have yet to speak to someone who admits they have weak time management skills. Everyone we interview thinks their ability to manage deliverables and calendars is stellar.  They are not.  Our data shows that the lack of organizational and time management skills is the number one reason why we release CRAs. I find this data interesting! Overall, this shows that while CRAs’ technical skills are imp...

All of us…me included…have been victimized. We have all been wronged. We have all been taken advantage of. Cards have been stacked against us in terms of illness, debt, or abandonment. Many of us have been abused, neglected, or otherwise mistreated. Earth is a tough place and sometimes folks will attribute adverse life circumstances in a way that fosters a negative attitude towards life. And if so...

In today’s podcast, we team up with a tenured CRA professional and trusted colleague, Mashaan Guy , to discuss an undesired side effect of the candidate fraudulence we are experiencing in this industry.  I am going to call this side effect unintentional discrimination. And to define the term, unintentional discrimination happens when unconscious biases or stereotypes held by companies or hiring en...

You have prepared for your interview by considering every possible question that may be asked. Although you are nervous, you feel ready. And then it happens, the silence is deafening…no one is talking. How do you handle the awkward pause ?  Are you supposed to talk? Is the interviewer going to say something? Jeez…what do you do? I call it ‘ The Art of the Awkward Pause ’ and it is purposeful and i...

Candidates are often confused with the difference between their digital footprint and personal brand. More often than not, candidates believe they are the same thing.  They are not the same.  Neither a digital footprint nor a personal brand happens overnight. This means every professional should be aware of these concepts. And if you are currently a job seeker, it is not only important to understa...

I just saw another article giving horrible job search advice. It is plentiful…and I have found that jobseekers often find it difficult to sort through good versus bad advice. But one thing is certain, following the wrong advice will cost you when it comes to landing your next position.   Today we have a very special podcast for our audience. I was honored to be invited to speak on the topic of Res...

The act of crafting a personal brand prior to starting a job search can actually shape your career trajectory.  This is important because identifying your career path will help you plan what types of work situations will best fit your current goals.   Meaning, that as you analyze your true passion, what you represent or want to represent, and how you want to make a difference in the industry, you...

I feel most of our clients undervalue the importance of job descriptions. Most hiring managers view them as an advertisement…and since it takes a lot of effort to craft one, why invest the time? Especially since there are no state or federal requirements to provide job descriptions for most positions.  While a clear and detailed employment post can help attract high-quality candidates, job descrip...

Job search anxiety is very common. There are typically three reasons why employers don’t respond to a candidate who applies for an open position:  The candidate isn’t qualified (or isn’t as qualified as others), The candidate is overqualified and doesn’t explain why they are applying, or  The candidate didn’t move quickly enough to be considered.   In a nutshell, a lack of response to your applica...

Today’s roundtable is about how to work with a recruiter. And while we speak about working with a recruiter to obtain a new position, we also discuss how to continue working with your recruiter to transition into your role (if a perm position) or as you work out your assignment (if contract).   A primary focus of this roundtable is how to work with a recruiter transparently. And more importantly,...

Many hiring managers feel employment verification and background checks are a waste of time and money. Alternatively, other clinical operations managers feel an employment check protects them from candidate fraudulence. Our firm feels performing a background check is necessary for certain roles. We also believe you should always verify a candidate's past employment... ...BUT , to properly lev...