Top Hiring Tips for Contract Research Organisation Vacancies
1. An Understanding of the Importance of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
GCP is the international ethical, scientific and practical standard to which all clinical research is conducted. When working for a Contract Research Organisation, GCP is a legal requirement.
When complying with GCPs practices, you can be sure that the rights, safety and wellbeing of trial participants are protected, and that your research data is reliable to use.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research suggest, as a minimum, that people working in CROs complete the Introduction to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) course, either online or face-to-face. This can then be followed by additional specialist courses and regular refresher training.
2. The Ability to Multi-Task
When working as part of a Contract Research Organisation, your key responsibilities will be spread across all facets of a clinical trial, including:
- Designing trial materials
- Supplying centres with specific product quantities
- Writing drug trial methodologies and procedures
- Identifying and briefing trial investigators
- Monitoring and recording progress throughout the trial
As you can see, there are many skills that Contract Research Organisations look for when hiring. Being able to multi-task is essential to the job to ensure that the trial is done efficiently whilst maintaining a speedy - yet high-quality - turnaround for a client.
3. Relevant Work Experience and Education
If you'd like to start your career being involved in initiating or designing trials, then it is essential to have relevant and specific work experience within this field.
Despite this, it is important to note that a small number of companies may hire graduates lacking in experience if they have exceptional personal skills, but it is not recommended to rely on this throughout the hiring process.
After all, every company is different and most Contract Research Organisations will look for someone with solid, dependable experience.
University degrees may include: nursing, life sciences or medical sciences.
Work experience may include: academic or pharmaceutical research, clinical data work, clinical laboratory work, medical sales, nursing, care work or pharmacy experience.
4. A Flexible and Adaptable Approach
If you're working in a Contract Research Organisation, you may be required to travel a lot. You could potentially be surveying and monitoring up to ten sites a month as a Clinical Research Associate!
Because of this, if a candidate shows a reluctance to carry out a high number of site visits and travel frequently, you may not appear as the best fit for the role.
