Life Science Marketing Radio

Darcy Bevalacqua is a career coach and executive recruiter for senior marketing executives over 50. Nevertheless, this episode has good advice for anyone looking to change jobs and even companies that are competing for talent.

Challenges for companies

I asked Darcy about the state of the job market. Companies are having a hard time attracting talent right now. She verified what I have seen a lot on LinkedIn and that is that companies have a hard time “getting candidates through the pipeline in any reasonable period of time. And so many times they lose great candidates because they take too long to make a decision about who they wanna hire.”

The second challenge is compensation. Companies are giving small raises but job switchers are getting 15% raises. Expectations for flexibility and other factors have changes during the pandemic.

Meet the new boss...

Even with those large raises however, more than a third of people who switched jobs last year are looking to move again. Darcy explained that if you don’t understand what motivates you and what you are looking for you can trade bosses and still end up hating the job because it isn’t any different that what you had before.

One thing you, as a job seeker, need to do is really start to think through what is it that I really want in a job?

What is making me unhappy now? Is it the scope of the job? Is it the culture? Is it the lack of flexibility? Is it not enough collaboration or teamwork? Not enough creativity? You need to really look inside and figure out what are your important skills and what motivates you to keep happy in a job.

And once you know those things and you set your career path, it's much easier to look for those in the new opportunity.

In the current environment, she notes that balance is more important than ever and given all that’s going on in the world, people want to work where they feel they are making a difference and making the world a better place.

Getting yourself through the pipeline

As marketers, I hope you’ll all appreciate this. You need to be able to sell your unique skills and do whatever it takes to find that ideal job. Darcy gave an example of a candidate that was not hired but was the 2nd choice. She felt she could really help the company. Darcy encouraged her to talk to the CEO and offer to help as a consultant to demonstrate what she could do. She ended up being hired as the VP of Marketing and got a (ka-ching!) $100,000 raise.

If you’re an older worker, you undoubtedly have skills. But you might have to think about how you frame those to be relevant in today’s market. This is where some coaching could definitely help.

What about imposter syndrome? I personally believe that most people who have it, shouldn’t worry and some of those that don’t probably should. In any case, Darcy laid out some ideas about how to overcome it and focus on what you know you are good at. You should also trust that anyone who invited you to an interview hasn’t made some awful mistake or been somehow fooled by you.

Finally it’s important to keep up a positive routine. It’s easy to start feeling down when the job search is a string of no’s followed by a yes. Volunteering, exercise and a regular get-together with friends are all good options. You’ve got this.

Darcy on LinkedIn

Chat with Chris about content for demand generation.

Note: For this episode, I asked ChatGPT to write a summary based on the transcript of our conversation. I enjoy doing these interviews and consider myself a decent writer. However, it takes a lot of time each week to write a summary that I find minimally satisfying and acceptable. You deserve better and I can put my efforts to better use elsewhere or upgrading the whole experience here. I did lightly edit this to make it sound as if I could have written it. This is my second attempt following some feedback from a respected colleague (you know who you are). I’m beginning to see how my own style differs from ChatGPT, even if what it produces is perfectly readable, but somewhat less memorable. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Miranda Lipton is a talented freelance writer, photographer, and multimedia storyteller. In this episode we talked about earned media from a freelancer's perspective, focusing on how companies can collaborate with freelancers to get their stories published in widely read publications. Our discussion centered around Miranda's recent success in securing a feature in Fast Company about cultivated meat from fish. Our conversation should be enlightening for both freelancers and the companies that work with them.

Miranda's Journey into Freelance Writing

Miranda journey into freelance writing began in high school, and continued at the local town newspaper, a path that eventually led her to major in journalism at Ohio State University. Her desire to explore different facets of storytelling, including writing and photography, drove her to the freelance world.

The Genesis of the Lab-Grown Fish Story

Miranda's fascination with food sustainability and innovation in the past few years led her to investigate the idea lab-grown fish. The idea for the article emerged from a deep dive into the world of lab-grown meat, a concept that had been around for nearly a decade. Miranda recognized a gap in coverage, particularly in the realm of lab-grown fish, which was an emerging and innovative field. This, combined with her passion for food sustainability, created the perfect recipe (ChatGPT made a pun!) for a compelling story. She did her research and interviewed folks at relevant companies, eventually leading to the publication of her story in Fast Company.

The Art of Pitching to Publications

I was curious about the pitch process. How did she get an articled idea accepted at Fast Company? She utilizes a consistent pitch outline, typically comprising two to three paragraphs that encapsulate the essence of the story. Miranda stressed the importance of familiarity with the publication's focus. In her case, she had been an avid reader of Fast Company for years, allowing her to confidently identify the magazine as an ideal platform for her lab-grown fish story. .

Navigating Interviews with Companies

While pitching to publications can be challenging, arranging interviews is more straightforward. Companies are generally eager to discuss their work. Her process involves reaching out to individuals at relevant companies, often beginning with CEOs or co-founders identified through LinkedIn. Of course, it’s important to gather a diverse range of perspectives to provide a well-rounded view of the subject.

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Feedback and Challenges

I asked her if she had gotten any feedback. While direct feedback from readers is not common, she occasionally receives emails from individuals who have read her articles. The overarching response to her articles on topics like lab-grown and 3D-printed food often revolves around skepticism and the novelty of the subjects. Many readers express interest in these innovations as well as uncertainty about trying them. The unfamiliarity of concepts such as 3D-printed food explains their hesitation. She thinks that as research in these fields progresses, more people will embrace these innovations. I have similar feelings of hesitation. I did an episode several years ago on the SDBN podcast.

Guidance for Companies Seeking Media Coverage

For companies without extensive PR resources, it is still possible to secure media coverage. Miranda recommended using platforms like Muck Rack to connect with journalists directly. The key is to reach out to journalists who cover topics relevant to the company's work. Tailored and timely pitches can catch a journalist's attention and pave the wa...