case study

Recruiting Elite Early Talent for a Biopharmaceutical Leader’s Competitive MBA Program  

A top biopharmaceutical company partners with Atrium to recruit for its highly selective eight-week MBA internship program, which has an acceptance rate of less than 1%. This collaboration highlights Atrium’s expertise in sourcing early-career talent in a competitive field, ensuring the best candidates are placed in critical industry roles.

the challenge

A leading biopharmaceutical company required an embedded recruiting partner to source candidates for its immersive eight-week MBA internship program. With an acceptance rate of less than 1%, this program is highly selective, representing a significant opportunity for MBA candidates aiming to begin their careers in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The sourcing and selection process is akin to executive recruitment – significant investments are made to identify this talent and personally engage with them over a period of many months to recruit the brightest minds to the organization.  Each applicant undergoes a rigorous evaluation process and participates in many interviews with the organization’s C-level executives, ensuring that only the most exceptional candidates who embody the company’s standards of excellence, receive offers.

Case Study: Enhancing Early Talent Recruitment for a Global Biopharma Leader

Industry: Biopharma

Service(s) Offered: Early Talent Administration

The internship experience culminates in a prestigious capstone presentation, where interns have the opportunity to showcase their project deliverables and insights directly to executive leaders, as well as highlight the depth of their experience and the value they’ve added during their tenure.

Upon completion of their MBA, successful completion of the internship opens doors to full-time positions, often at the senior manager level, reflecting the program’s commitment to cultivating leadership talent — making the intern selection process a strategic imperative to infusing the company’s pipeline with the most outstanding talent. Recognizing the need for unparalleled expertise in early talent acquisition, the company turned to Atrium, reinforcing our role as a trusted partner in navigating the complexities of recruitment in this highly competitive landscape.

the solution

Atrium embedded a dedicated recruiter, supported by leadership with strong early talent management experience, to manage the end-to-end process of sourcing and recruiting top-tier MBA candidates for our client, leveraging targeted recruitment strategies and strategic alliances with premier business schools. Our team has proactively engaged with these institutions through tailored events, including intimate coffee talks and interactive corporate presentations, fostering strong relationships and establishing a robust pipeline of exceptional talent. This proactive, hands-on approach has consistently met the annual demand for eight to ten highly qualified MBA interns.

These interns are immersed in cutting-edge projects across various departments, gaining invaluable, real-world experience that positions them for success in the biopharmaceutical industry. Functional Areas include:

– Data Strategy

– Finance

– Marketing

– Patient Services

– Commercial Operations

– New Product Planning

– Pricing & Analytics

– HEOR

the results

Since November 2020, the MBA internship program has seen significant success. Of the 41 interns who have participated to date, more than half accepted full-time offers, with an impressive 17 of them still employed with the company today. This 51% conversion rate of interns to full-time employees is particularly notable, given the high offer declination rates typically seen in MBA programs across the industry.

This success can be attributed to Atrium’s concierge approach to operating the program, which includes strategic, consultative advisement and active participation in live events such as diversity conferences ROMBA and Consortium. This program continues to be a pivotal way for the company to connect with early talent and nurture the next generation of industry leaders.

“The team at Atrium has been an awesome champion for all things [Company Name].”

Commercial operations hiring manager

“Thank you for all of the support across the MBA program over the last few cycles! You did an amazing job screening candidates and finding top-notch students for the DSS team.”

“Thanks SO MUCH for your amazing partnership and contributions to the MBA Associate Program.”

company stakeholder

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