Placement Services
Your decision to change careers can affect every aspect of your life. At Cross Country Associates, our recruiters will spend time getting to know you, your expectations and your goals. Confidentiality is as important to us as it is to you. We pride ourselves in discreetly connecting candidates with the leading companies throughout the Pharmaceutical Supplier / Healthcare Industry.

Placement Fees
The employer pays all fees. There is NEVER A FEE to the candidate.

Confidentiality
We treat your resume confidentially and will not forward it to anyone without contacting you first to discuss the opportunity.

Return to Menu

Submit Your Resume
Getting started with us is as simple as submitting your resume.

Resume Tips
Your resume is the first impression you will make with a potential employer. Make it count! It should include the following information:

Contact information. Include phone, mail and email contact information. Make sure your voicemail message at work as well as at home is professional. Also, if you are using a personal email address during your job search keep it simple and above all, professional.

Career objective. To list or not to list … that is the question. However, a clearly stated career objective can help increase your chances in finding your ideal career match.

Summary statement. Your summary should be brief.

1. Include your title and years of experience.
2. List pertinent skills.
3. Discuss your character traits or work style.

Professional experience. List each position held in reverse chronological order, dating back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions within the same company, list them all to show advancement and growth. The content of each position description should describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Other components. Include education, professional training, affiliations/appointments, licenses, therapeutic areas you’ve worked in, technical skills and languages.

Personal information. Do not include personal information such as marital status.

Accomplishments Employers Look For:

• Increased revenues
• Cost savings
• Increased efficiencies
• Increased sales
• New products/new lines
• Improved record keeping
• Increased productivity
• Effective budgeting

Return to Menu

Interviewing
Before you interview for a position, learn as much about the position and the employer as possible. If you found the position through a recruiter, he or she should be able to provide you with information about the position. Additionally, researching a potential employer via their Web Site is strongly advised.

Questions To Ask
Based on your research, make a list of questions to ask the employer.

Questions You May Be Asked
Your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority's personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask:

• Tell me about yourself.
  Review your past positions, education and other strengths. Always remain professional. Never let your guard down.
• Why are you interested in this position?
  Relate how you feel your qualifications match the job requirements. Also, express your desire to work for the employer.
• What are the most significant accomplishments in your career?
  Identify recent accomplishments that relate to the position.
• Describe a situation in which your work was [criticized].
  Focus on how you resolved the situation and became a better person because of the experience.
• What do you know about our [organization]?
• How would you describe your personality?
• How do you perform under pressure?
• What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?
• What did you like least about your last position?
• Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) company?
• What is your ideal working environment?
• How would your co-workers describe you?
• What do you think of your boss?
• Have you ever fired anyone?
• What was the situation and how did you handle it?
• What are your goals in your career?
• Where do you see yourself in two years?
• Why should we hire you?
• What kind of salary are you looking for?
• What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?

Interviewing Do's and Don'ts

Do's

• Arrive 15 minutes early. Tardiness is never excusable.
• Clarify questions. Answer the interviewer's questions as specifically as possible. Relate your skills and background to the position requirements throughout the interview.
• Give your qualifications. Focus on accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job.
• Be professional. Smile, make eye contact, and maintain good posture.
• Anticipate tough questions. Prepare to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths.
• Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one.
• Ask questions. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation.
• Listen. Concentrate not only on the interviewer's words, but also on the tone of voice and body language. Once you understand how the interviewer thinks, pattern your answers accordingly and you will be able to establish a better rapport.

Don'ts

• Don't answer vague questions. Ask the interviewer to clarify fuzzy questions.
• Don't interrupt the interviewer. If you don't listen, the interviewer won't either.
• Don't be disrespectful. Don't smoke, chew gum or place anything on the interviewer's desk.
• Don't be overly familiar, even if the interviewer is.
• Don't wear heavy perfume or cologne. The interviewer may not share your tastes.
• Don't ramble. Overlong answers may make you sound apologetic or indecisive
• Don't lie. Answer questions truthfully.
• Don't express bitterness. Avoid derogatory remarks about present or former employers.

Closing the Interview
Job candidates often second-guess themselves after interviews. By asking good questions and closing strongly, you can reduce post-interview doubts. If you feel that the interview went well and you want to take the next step, express your interest to the interviewer.

Follow-up
After your interview, follow-up is critical. A "thank you" letter should be written no later than 24 hours after the interview. It is not only acceptable, but strongly recommended to send your "thank you" electronically to ensure prompt receipt. If you have interviewed with more than one person, be sure to send your "thank you" to each interviewer individually. You may want to include your strengths and how they match the qualifications required for the position. If you are working with a recruiter, make sure you follow-up with him/her to discuss your interview and your next steps. It is important that you keep the recruiter up-to-date as the employer will usually call him/her for feedback from your interview.

Return to Menu

Resigning Gracefully
Congratulations! You got the job! Now you are faced with the delicate challenge of resigning from your current employer without burning bridges.

Out of respect for your current employer and in an effort to leave your current company on good terms, it is best to give your written notice and then arrange to meet with your manager to explain your decision. Be firm about your decision and limit your discussion to your resignation. Express appreciation for the opportunities that your former employer has given you.

Return to Menu

The Counter Offer
While counter-offers may be tempting and even flattering, there can be pitfalls that you need to be aware of. Ask yourself these questions:

• Will your loyalty always be in question?
• If there are future cutbacks, will you be the first to go because of concerns about your loyalty?
• If you accept the counter-offer for more money, are you just giving your employer the time they need to locate and select your replacement?
• Will your career track remain blocked if you accept it?
• Will your responsibilities be expanded?
• Will you have to report to a person you don't respect?
• Will you receive next year's raise or bonus early?
• Is the counter-offer a ploy to avoid a short-term inconvenience by your employer?
• What are your realistic chances for promotions now that you have considered leaving?

Counter Offer Statistics
Surveys of employees that accept counter-offers have shown that 50-80 percent voluntarily leave their employer within six months of accepting the counter-offer because of broken promises. Most of the balance of employees that accept counter-offers involuntarily leave their current employers within twelve months of accepting the counter-offer (terminated, fired, laid off, etc.). Counter-offers may be attractive, but they may also greatly decrease your chances of achieving your career potential.

Return to Menu

Protecting Your Privacy
Posting your resume on a public job board can be hazardous. You never know who will see it. Our web site is not a public job board. It's a secure database accessible only to Cross Country Associates' Consultants who understand the importance of privacy when making a career move.

We safeguard your confidentiality throughout the placement process. The only way we can attract the best talent is to ensure our candidates' confidentiality.

Are you ready to contact us now?

Return to Menu

Cross Country Associates
Philadelphia, PA / Osprey, FL
Phone Toll Free: (866) 336-3601
Email: resumes@crosscountry-usa.com