January brings fresh biotech hiring budgets, energized hiring managers, and real momentum after a tough 2025. If you've been waiting for the right time to level up your biotech career, this is it.

In this episode, you'll discover:

1. Why January is the best month to apply for biotech jobs after a slow December
2. How the December Networking Challenge helped members grow their LinkedIn reach and profile visibility
3. The Application Challenge launches January 6th with five days of live teaching to build daily job search habits
4. An annual career planning session on January 12th to map your 2026 goals
5. A presentation skills workshop that can accelerate both job offers and promotions
6. A 10-week AI course to help you work smarter and meet employer expectations in 2026
7. The Fire Horse approach to bringing bold, unstoppable energy to your career goals

Whether you're job searching, seeking a promotion, or building new professional skills, this episode gives you the roadmap and momentum to make 2026 your breakthrough year.

Join our Biotech Career Coach Skool community and start the year with structure, support, and a community that gets it.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 Biotech hiring outlook for January 2026 and market momentum

00:30 Office updates and the community move to Skool platform

01:00 Seven Day Interview Accelerator and weekly Q&A with office hours

02:00 December networking challenge results and evergreen access

03:00 December interview challenges versus networking opportunities

04:00 January Application Challenge launch with five days of teaching

05:00 Annual planning session and presentation skills workshop details

06:00 Ten week AI course for automation and employer expectations

07:00 Fire Horse energy and setting bold intentions for career progress

Networking in biotech doesn’t have to feel awkward or transactional. In this episode, Carina shares how giving first is the simplest way to build authentic biotech networking on LinkedIn that actually leads to stronger relationships and better opportunities.

If you’re an introvert, early-career professional, or making a career change, this is your practical roadmap to connect with confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “give first” makes networking feel easier (and work better)
• How to add value even if you’re early in your career or switching fields
• What to say when you feel you’ve got nothing to offer
• The biggest outreach mistakes that make messages feel transactional
• Simple LinkedIn actions that build visibility and trust over time
• Insights from the Biotech Career Coach community’s December networking challenge (and what drove major reach growth)

Want support, templates, and challenges to stay consistent?

✅ Join the Biotech Career Coach Skool community to connect with peers, access templates, and take part in challenges to grow your LinkedIn presence and your biotech network.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 December networking challenge and results from the community

00:30 Why introverts struggle with networking and common fears

01:00 The psychology of giving first and why people enjoy helping others

02:00 Reciprocity as a natural instinct and how to nurture contacts

03:00 Building reputation by engaging meaningfully on the platform

04:00 You have more value than you think as an early professional

05:00 Strategic introductions and becoming a connector

06:00 Using PubMed and Google alerts to share relevant content

07:00 The power of genuine enthusiasm and gratitude

08:00 Networking is a long game that pays off over years

09:00 Tracking metrics and seeing platform reach grow

10:00 Common pitfalls to avoid when networking

Biotech networking doesn’t have to feel random. In this video, I’ll walk you through a 28-day biotech networking challenge you can actually stick to.

Perfect for biotech job seekers who want a clear, daily plan to grow their biotech career network in December and beyond.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

-Why December is secretly a powerful month for biotech networking

-How to track your LinkedIn analytics so you know what’s really working

-A simple system to map out target companies, teams, and hiring managers

-How to send authentic, personalised connection requests that don’t feel salesy

-Easy ways to nurture existing connections without being pushy or awkward

-How to create and share quick LinkedIn content that expands your reach

-Strategies to comment on posts so you stand out (without sounding generic)

-Exactly how to ask for coffee chats that open doors in biotech

-How to keep each step under 30 minutes a day so you can stay consistent

-Turning this 28-day challenge into a repeatable, year-round networking habit

This 28-day biotech networking challenge is the same one we’re running inside my Biotech Career Coach Skool community. You can join in with us or follow along solo – it’s designed so your “Day 1” can start whenever you’re ready.

By the end of the challenge, you’ll have:

-A stronger biotech network

-More visibility to recruiters and hiring managers

-Clearer data on what’s working in your job search

-Real momentum heading into interview season

👉 Ready to start your biotech networking challenge?

Join the Biotech Career Coach Skool community and jump into the challenge any time.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 Why biotech networking beats job applications during the chilly December hiring season

00:30 Join the evergreen biotech networking challenge in our community

01:00 Track your LinkedIn for biotech analytics to measure networking impact

02:30 Build strategic biotech networking connections at target companies

03:30 Personalize LinkedIn for biotech connection requests with authentic messaging

05:00 Nurture your biotech networking relationships without being pushy

06:00 Expand your LinkedIn for biotech reach by creating shareable content

07:00 Master thoughtful engagement for biotech networking on LinkedIn

08:30 Turn biotech networking into coffee chats with proven ask templates

09:00 Build sustainable biotech networking habits in under 30 minutes daily

Does your biotech resume pass the six-second test? That's all the time most recruiters spend deciding who gets rejected and who deserves more attention.

In this episode, we show you how to build a resume first page that survives the scan and wins interviews in today's biotech job market.

Carina breaks down exactly what needs to go at the very top of your resume so a busy recruiter can see you meet the bar in just a few seconds. Drawing on real applicant tracking system data and years of biotech recruiting experience, you’ll learn how to design a sharp, focused top section that works in the real world.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Use the job title and language from the job description to create a clear one-line headline
• Handle education, location, and work authorization without wasting valuable space
• Build a tight highlight reel that acts like a movie trailer for your career, not a generic skills dump
• Choose and place the right keywords so you work with, not against, applicant tracking systems
• Avoid long paragraphs and formatting choices that backfire during recruiter scans

Whether you’re a scientist, operations professional, or business hire moving into biotech, this episode will help you avoid outdated advice and turn the top of your resume into a powerful hook instead of a missed opportunity.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 The six-second recruiter test and the biotech resume

01:00 Why traditional advice fails modern biotech resume scans

02:30 How recruiters actually run a resume scan in applicant tracking systems

03:30 Above the fold and why the top of a biotech resume matters

04:15 Where degree and work authorization live on a biotech resume

05:00 Writing a sharp, tailored biotech resume headline

05:45 Using job description language in a way that passes the resume scan

06:30 Turning experience into a professional highlights reel on your biotech resume

07:30 Why long skills lists hurt you during a quick resume scan

08:00 Passing the six-second resume scan and getting to the shortlist

AI can completely change how you write resumes, cover letters, and networking messages for biotech roles, but only if you use it properly.

In this episode, I show biotech professionals exactly how to use AI to improve applications and outreach without creating generic AI slop.

If you're spending more than 30 minutes tailoring each resume, you're wasting time. And no, you will not be blasting out the same AI-generated resume to every job. In this episode, you'll learn to use AI as a strategic tool to help you think more clearly, present your experience better, and align with what companies are actually looking for.

This episode covers the key takeaways from my full workshop, including:

• Going from job posting to a tailored resume and cover letter in about 10 minutes
• Picking the right AI models for different tasks (ChatGPT 5.1 vs Claude Sonnet)
• Understanding what AI agents are and how they differ from simple prompts
• Creating a strong base resume, then tailoring it to specific biotech job descriptions
• Keeping your own voice while still matching the language companies use
• Writing cover letters that connect your experience to a company's mission
• Crafting networking and outreach messages that actually get replies
• Avoiding AI hallucinations and generic wording that weaken your application
• Using more than one model to double-check facts and phrasing before you send

This system is designed for biotech professionals who want to apply smarter, get better results, and stop spending hours on each application.

Want to see the full workshop with live demos? Watch the YouTube version where I build resumes from scratch, show every click, and demonstrate the entire workflow in real time.

💬 Want all the prompts, templates, and AI agents?

Join the Biotech Career Coach Skool community, where you can:

• Download the resume, cover letter and outreach templates
• Copy the exact AI setups I use
• Get feedback on your applications and job search strategy

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

Is a hidden LinkedIn setting making you look disorganized to recruiters?

In this episode, I show you the LinkedIn setting that quietly pulls messy CV text into your profile in the LinkedIn Recruiter view, and makes you look less professional than you really are.

If you have carefully curated your LinkedIn profile for job searching, you might be shocked to learn that recruiters often see a completely different version inside LinkedIn Recruiter. In this quick walkthrough, I show you exactly what is happening and how to switch it off.

In this episode you will learn:

• How your public LinkedIn profile can look clean while your recruiter view is a wall of text
• What the “Enhanced by resume” label means in LinkedIn’s hiring tools
• How old CVs from “Easy Apply” can secretly overwrite your carefully edited experience section
• Why this makes you look disorganised and less clear than you really are
• Where to find the “Share resume data with hirers” setting in LinkedIn
• How to turn off resume data sharing and remove old CVs from your profile settings
• Why it is smart to review your LinkedIn data and AI settings regularly

If you would like another pair of eyes on how recruiters see your profile, you can share it in my community, and I can check it from the LinkedIn Recruiter side.

If you found this helpful, subscribe for more smart LinkedIn and job search tips, and stay tuned for my next episode on using AI intelligently in your job search.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 The hidden LinkedIn setting affecting biotech professionals

00:30 Creating organized LinkedIn profiles for biotech career searches

01:00 Real biotech profile example showing LinkedIn setting issues

01:30 How recruiters see your LinkedIn profile differently

02:00 LinkedIn setting enhanced by resume adding unwanted content

02:30 Duplicated roles from LinkedIn setting causing first impression problems

03:00 Where to find your LinkedIn settings and privacy controls

03:30 LinkedIn data privacy settings and AI training for biotech professionals

04:00 The LinkedIn setting for job seeking preferences and resume sharing

04:30 How to turn off the LinkedIn setting sharing your resume data

05:00 Real biotech student example with four shared resumes

05:30 Wrapping up the LinkedIn setting PSA

06:00 Free biotech career community offer and next week's AI episode

Most biotech professionals dread networking because it feels like cold calling, pushy, or inauthentic. If you've ever avoided reaching out because you didn't want to seem transactional or you felt stuck not knowing how to start a conversation, this episode is for you. Carina breaks down a strategic, human-centered approach to networking that leverages your natural curiosity as a scientist and turns it into your biggest career asset. You'll learn how to reconnect with former colleagues, build targeted networks within companies you want to work for, lead coffee chats that feel comfortable and genuine, and maintain momentum without burning out. Whether you're an introvert who freezes at networking events or someone who's been asking for jobs instead of building relationships, this episode will shift your mindset and give you scripts, strategies, and actionable steps to build a network that works for you long before you need it. Plus, Carina shares insider tips on volunteering, referrals, and how to follow up without feeling awkward. Ready to make networking less scary and way more effective? Join our free Biotech Career Coach Skool community for all the scripts, templates, and peer support to put these strategies into action.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 Why biotech networking feels like cold calling and how to reframe it

01:00 Networking for biotech professionals is a long game strategy

03:00 Stop asking for jobs through networking and build relationships instead

04:30 Leverage your curiosity as your biotech networking superpower

05:30 LinkedIn networking strategy for reconnecting with former colleagues

07:30 The virtual coffee networking offer that opens doors

08:30 How to grow your biotech network through warm introductions

09:00 Company targeted LinkedIn networking for biotech job seekers

11:00 The LinkedIn networking script for reaching out to biotech professionals

13:00 Turning networking coffee chats into job referrals

14:00 Biotech networking through volunteering for introverts

15:30 Networking coffee chats and the 80/20 rule for success

16:30 LinkedIn networking questions to prepare before your coffee chat

18:00 Following up on LinkedIn networking without being pushy

18:30 Daily networking habits that build your biotech career network

Your LinkedIn headline is one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on your profile, but most biotechnology professionals are wasting it. In this episode, Biotech Career Coach Carina Clingman reviews real LinkedIn biotech professional headlines to show you exactly what works and what doesn't. You'll see why leading with job titles or acronyms like "VP at Company X" or "Ex-FDA" falls flat, while headlines that lead with outcomes and value propositions get clicks. Carina breaks down examples in real time, rating them from one to five and explaining what makes headlines like "Helping Molecules Become Medicines" instantly compelling. Whether you're a scientist looking to stand out to recruiters, a founder or executive building your thought leadership, or anyone wanting to make their profile more clickable, this episode gives you the framework to audit and upgrade your own headline. Learn how to use the limited preview space in LinkedIn feeds strategically, why mission-driven language scores higher than corporate jargon, and how to turn credentials into click-worthy statements. Join our Free Biotech Career Coach Skool community for personalized feedback on your headline and connect with peers who are leveling up their LinkedIn presence.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 Why your LinkedIn headline matters for biotech professionals

00:30 How LinkedIn headlines appear in your profile feed preview

01:00 Rating LinkedIn headline examples for non-biotech professionals

02:00 Strong LinkedIn headline example with social proof and credibility

02:30 Why specificity and impact make LinkedIn headlines more effective

03:00 Mission-driven LinkedIn headlines that set biotechnology professionals apart

04:00 Common LinkedIn headline mistakes biotech professionals make with acronyms

05:00 Reframing negative language into positive outcomes for LinkedIn headlines

06:00 Creating compelling LinkedIn headlines for biotechnology professionals

07:00 Turning credentials into positive LinkedIn headline statements

08:00 LinkedIn headlines that showcase outcomes over job titles for biotech professionals

09:00 Getting LinkedIn headline feedback from the Free Biotech Career Coach Skool community

Overthinking shows up as research without drafts, resumes that never get sent, and weeks of “planning” with nothing shipped. In this episode, I map out concrete ways to move from thinking to doing without burning out.

We walk through fear types (failure, rejection, judgment, and even success) and simple reframes that keep you moving. You’ll learn how to turn rejection into useful data, set one clear priority each day, and use time blocks and short deadlines so work actually leaves your laptop. We also cover how to pace growth so a bigger role feels sustainable, not scary, and how to build lightweight systems and feedback loops so you improve with every rep.

If you’re applying, aiming for promotion, or restarting after a stall, you’ll leave with a clear way to pick an action, ship it within 24 hours, and review what happened. No pep talks, just steps. Join our Free Biotech Career Coach Skool community for accountability, feedback, and tools to put this into practice.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 What overthinking looks like in real life (and what it costs)

01:00 The overthinking tax with concrete job-search and BD examples

03:00 Spotting the pattern: hedging, silence, and drafts that never ship

06:30 Naming the fear: failure, rejection, judgment, success

08:30 Treat rejection as signal: raise sample size and iterate

10:30 Shrink the audience: optimize for three people who actually matter

12:00 Make success sustainable: pace growth and ask for support

18:30 Perfectionism in practice: time blocks, tight deadlines, accountability

23:00 Missing reps: daily actions, lightweight systems, faster feedback

26:00 The five-step exit loop: name it, detach, pick one, ship, review

When an interviewer asks about a layoff, a resume gap, or a short stint that didn’t work out, the goal isn’t to defend the past. It’s to show judgment, growth, and readiness for what’s next. In this episode, we walk through a simple narrative framework you can adapt to any uncomfortable situation: set the context briefly, name the decision you made, highlight the skills and results you built during or after the experience, and connect it directly to the role in front of you. You’ll hear examples for gaps, restructurings, performance issues, and culture misalignments, plus quick scripts you can practice to sound clear and calm under pressure. We’ll also cover how to avoid oversharing, how to keep emotions in check without sounding robotic, and how to end with a forward-looking close that refocuses the conversation on your value to the team. If you’re job searching in biotech or planning a move in the next six months, this is a repeat-listen episode.

Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

Join our Skool Community

Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

Stay connected with us:

🌐 Website

📱 Facebook

📷 Instagram

💼 LinkedIn

00:00 Why awkward questions derail good interviews

01:12 The formula to create a narrative for tough situations

03:05 Handling layoffs and restructurings without sounding defensive

05:02 What to say about resume gaps (caregiving, health, re-skilling)

07:10 Turning short stints and job hops into a story of good judgment

09:06 Addressing performance issues and what changed

11:02 How to avoid oversharing and manage tone

12:15 Forward-looking closes that refocus on value

13:30 Quick practice scripts you can adapt today

15:10 Final checklist before your next interview