Fork in the Road: What To Do When Your Biopharma Career Goes Off Track
Part of our Leadership Transitions Series, exploring how leaders finish strong, stay connected, and shape what comes next.
"I didn't leave biopharma. Biopharma left me."
When belief in the mission remains but the career path doesn't, what do you do? It's a question more biopharma professionals are asking than ever before.
I recently explored this in BioSpace, where I write regularly about the realities of leadership in biopharma. The piece examines a painful reality: 56% of employed biopharma professionals are considering jobs outside the industry. Among the unemployed, that number jumps to 81%. Will they actually leave? Maybe not. But the fact that so many are asking "Do I still belong here?" is the story.
The article offers a different way to think about staying—not as a binary yes-or-no, but as a portfolio you build, rebalance, and protect over time. Because belief in the mission doesn't protect you. But strategic choice might.
Here's the full article, originally published in BioSpace: 👉 Fork in the Road: What To Do When Your Biopharma Career Goes Off Track
Key Takeaways:
Why "Do I still belong here?" is the question defining this moment in biopharma
How to think about your career as a portfolio—core assets, growth bets, options, and runway
The difference between running from fear and running toward intention
Why specialization can feel like a trap when demand shifts
Reflection Questions for Readers:
Are you staying by strategy—or by default?
How balanced is your career portfolio right now?
What would it look like to take back authorship of what comes next?
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