Company News & Updates

In 2020, executives and teams with hiring responsibilities have had to figure how to quickly evolve their skills to include an array of hiring tools to facilitate remote recruiting and staffing. With all of the video conferencing software available, virtual interviews, as opposed to meeting face to face, have become essential and much more common than ever before. As the person conducting the interview, here are some tips to make sure you’re giving your potential hires the best virtual interview experience possible :   Plan Ahead Before the interview takes place, be sure to test your technology, read the candidate’s resume and prepare some questions you’d like to ask, the same things you would do for an in person interview. The more prepared you are, the more confident you come off and for a potential hire, it’s important for them to see that confidence and see your preparedness as it relates to both the interview, the company, and your technological abilities.   Be Friendly  Creating a connection virtually can be difficult so be sure to be friendly, explain your role within the company, go over the structure of the virtual interview and make sure the potential hire feels comfortable as you get started. Make sure your questions are solid and be mindful of your tone. Small talk, which can be awkward in general, can feel even more awkward over a video call, so keeping it light but insightful is key and remember, you’re trying to create a connection with the potential hire, so keep that in mind.   Be Present  Similarly to how you want your potential hire to be free from distractions, the same should go for you. Shut off your phone notifications, close out of your email or office chat systems, and turn off any music or TV that may be running in the background. As you’re conducting the interview during your work day, it may be tempting to check your email or make a note on a project that pops into your head, but resist it. Being distracted can ruin the flow of the interview and make the potential hire nervous so be sure to keep your focus on the interview. If you plan on taking notes throughout the conversation, let the potential hire know this at the beginning of the interview so that they know you’re still listening and engaged if you begin to write things down, but don’t use this as an excuse to try and multitask.   Set the Stage  Set your computer up, turn on your camera, and take a look at what’s visible behind you. What setting in your space looks most professional and also the least distracting? Conducting an interview in your home is much different than an office setting, but be sure to dress and act the same as if you were meeting face to face. Being conscious of your background is important, as your setting tells the potential hire as much about you as their background does for them.   Be An Active Listener Multitasking has become a norm in many office environments. With the abundance of multi-person video and conference calls the past few months have seen, it’s easy to get distracted and answer with one syllable. This is not one of those times. While you may conduct multiple video interviews in a day, the potential hire does not, and this interview is very important for them. It’s imperative that you, as the potential hire, are giving them your full attention and truly listening to their answers and the information that they’re sharing with you. Their attention is fully directed towards you, so give them the same respect. Afterall, they may be your newest coworker!

For the 3RD Consecutive Year, CLINLAB STAFFING Appears on the Inc. 5000, Ranking No. 3704 With Three-Year Revenue Growth of 98 Percent! NEW YORK, August 12, 2020 – Inc. magazine today revealed that CLINLAB STAFFING is No. 3704 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. Not only have the companies on the 2020 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists as well. The 2020 Inc. 5000 achieved an incredible three-year average growth of over 500 percent, and a median rate of 165 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $209 billion in 2019, accounting for over 1 million jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are also being featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 18. “The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 come from nearly every realm of business,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. “From health and software to media and hospitality, the 2020 list proves that no matter the sector, incredible growth is based on the foundations of tenacity and opportunism.” The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held virtually from October 23 to 27, 2020. As always, speakers will include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.  More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Methodology The 2020 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2016 and 2019. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2016. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2019. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2016 is $100,000; the minimum for 2019 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

As the COVID-19 Pandemic has changed office life, companies are making significant adjustments to daily operations to accommodate social distancing, which includes how they conduct the interview process. With all of the video conferencing software available virtual interviews, as opposed to meeting face to face have become essential and much more common than ever before. Preparing for a virtual interview can be nerve-wracking, so we’ve put together the following tips to help set you up for success. Dress for Success  Even if you’re only visible from the waist up, prepare for this interview as if you were going into an office for a face to face meeting. Putting your best professional foot forward is important, even virtually. Making sure you project that professionalism is tough through a screen, so your attire is a good place to start and yes, that includes pants. Test your Tech  Technology is key in times like these. Not only are you being interviewed on your skills in relation to the job you’ve applied for, but in a way, you’re also being tested on your technological skills and ability to be proactive and problem solve. Ask for the technology and details for the virtual interview in advance, and then test your set up to make sure everything runs smoothly. Does your camera work? Is your audio clear? How strong is your internet connection? These are all things that can be done before the interview to alleviate stress day of and avoid the embarrassment of a technological problem during the interview. Be Aware of What’s Visible in the Background  As tempting as it may be to sit on the couch and be comfortable or show off your gallery wall you’ve worked so hard on, don’t. Set your computer up, turn on your camera, and take a look at what’s visible behind you. What setting in your space looks most professional and also the least distracting? Make sure your space is clean and tidy, messy backgrounds make it hard to convince a potential employer that you’re organized and detail oriented, and also make sure you’re the focal point. Lighting is key, so if possible, pick a space with a lot of natural light. Remove Distractions This one may be tough, but it’s doable. Interviewing from home means there are distractions galore. The TV, ringing phones,  your pets, your roommates or children, construction happening outside, the list goes on and on. Do what you can to eliminate the easiest distractions, and prepare for the possibility that you’re still interrupted. You can’t plan for every potential distraction, but even a little preparation helps. If you have kids or are caring for an elderly family member, feel free to be proactive and let your potential employers know at the start of the interview. Practice The best part of a virtual interview is the ability to do it within the comfort of your own space. This gives you the opportunity to practice in the same environment as the interview. Go over the questions you may have, the answers to questions they may ask, your body language, and anything else you don’t want to forget or feel you’d like to practice. Avoid memorizing answers, you don’t want to sound scripted, but use Post-It Notes to write down reminders and talking points, and stick them to the computer screen or the wall within your line of sight so you don’t have to fidget or look down at a piece of paper during the interview. Adjust the camera angle to make sure you’re looking straight on, not up or down, and that it’s comfortable so that you can sit straight up. Follow Up  Just as you treated the process before the virtual interview the same as you would if it were in person, do the same for post interview. This includes following up with the people you interviewed within 24 hours of the interview. Pro tip: When working with a recruiter, be sure to ask them how best to follow up with a company – this will save you time and effort up front! That said, do send an email thanking them for taking the time to speak with you, and use this as an opportunity to ask a question you thought of after and wish you had asked, or elaborating on a point you felt was important. Keep your message tone professional and messages should short and to the point.

While most of America is locked down at home, in almost every case, pharmaceutical, medical device and equipment, and biotechnology companies (including operations, research and development, manufacture, and supply chain) organizations are considered essential workers and are facing this global challenge head on. Even with diminished staff and resources, the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry continues to work toward the development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapies for respiratory infection. The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) has taken action to streamline discovery, while many diagnostic tools and drug targets are starting to find their way into the greater conversation about how to handle SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 disease itself. FDA Activity More Regulatory Relief: The FDA will provide regulatory relief during the outbreak. Foreign Inspections: In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the FDA is postponing most foreign inspections. Authorization of Emergency Use: On the basis of this determination, the FDA Secretary declared that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of personal respiratory protective devices during the COVID-19 outbreak. While regulatory issues are being managed, some companies are starting to make progress on diagnostic tools. Testing has been a significant challenge for the US and is essential for identifying people who have been infected and for understanding the true scope of the outbreak. A few companies are making strides in this space. Abbott: The FDA approved Abbott’s molecular test for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The company indicates it is immediately shipping 150,000 Abbott RealTime SARS-CoV-2 EUA tests to current customers in the U.S. Biomerica has begun shipping samples of this COVID-19 test to multiple Ministries of Health and government agencies that have requested the product through the company’s distributors in the Middle East, throughout Europe, and other countries In the end, what will help get the global population back to life as we knew it will be healing and preventive measures. Here, companies are attempting to find therapies to treat the illness and eventually prevent infection. Failed clinical studies In adults with severe COVID-19 hospitalized in Wuhan, China, treatment using a combination of antiviral drugs – lopinavir–ritonavir (HIV/AIDS therapies) – provided no benefit. Vaccine candidates Two Phase I safety clinical trials on vaccine candidates were initiated: mRNA-1273: The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) collaborated with Moderna to develop an RNA vaccine matching a spike of the coronavirus surface. Ad5-nCoV: A Phase I safety trial of a recombinant adenovirus vaccine candidate manufactured by CanSino Biologics Inc. (Tianjin, China), called Ad5-nCoV, began recruiting 108 healthy adults in Wuhan, China in March. Several other vaccine candidates were being fast-tracked to begin first-in-human studies, as of March 2020. Post-exposure prevention Based on experience with antimicrobials, pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with antiviral drugs may be effective procedures to minimize infection which causes COVID-19.  PEP using the antibiotic, rifampicin, is recommended by WHO for people at high risk of infection before or after exposure to pandemic influenza. Some experts speculate that antiviral drugs administered shortly after the onset of COVID-19 infection symptoms may reduce illness and lower the risk of infecting other people by reducing viral shedding in respiratory secretions. Repurposing approved drugs During the COVID-19 outbreak, drug repurposing (or “repositioning”) is the clinical research process of rapidly screening and defining the safety and efficacy of existing drugs already approved for other diseases to be used for people with COVID-19. Clinical trials using repurposed, generally safe, existing drugs for hospitalized COVID-19 patients may take less time and have lower overall costs to obtain endpoints proving safety (absence of serious side effects) and post-infection efficacy, and can rapidly access existing drug supply chains for manufacturing and worldwide distribution. Phase III trials Favipiravir: In people with COVID-19, favipiravir (marketed as Avigan and approved for use in Japan in 2014 for several viral diseases) was found to be safe and had preliminary efficacy in an early-stage trial in Shenzhen, China. Remdesivir: the Gilead Sciences antivirus drug candidate is in multiple clinical trials, with preliminary results expected in May 2020 ASC-09 + ritonavir (oral tablet): ASC-09 (product of the Chinese firm, Ascletis Pharma Inc.), a HIV-1 protease inhibitor in combination with ritonavir, was initiated in a Phase III trial in China during February 2020 to assess efficacy against COVID-19. Tocilizumab: a monoclonal antibody with activity against the interleukin-6...

Our office-based colleagues have been directed to work from home since mid-March, while the ClinLab Staffing service remains fully operational and ready to meet rapidly changing life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical temporary, contract and full-time staffing needs. Have questions? Call us (508)907.6222 Our team is ready, 24/7 to meet the staffing needs for everything from highly specialized positions to day-to-day roles with integrity, ClinLab is here and ready to exceed expectations.

Each year we vote to award the “Rising Star Award” to a top performer who has really grown and excelled in their position.  The winner of this award has always been someone that management sees a lot of future potential in and many of the past winners remain top performers today.  Some of the attributes that exemplify what it means to be a “Rising Star” are a Positive Attitude, Leadership Skills, Teamwork, Hard-Work and Dedication. This year we are proud to present this award to Rory Siy, an account manager in our North Carolina Division.  Rory joined ClinLab Staffing as an entry level scientific recruiter in 2017, shortly after graduating from Boston College. He rapidly progressed to an account manager role taking over for his predecessor and led the North Carolina division to their most successful year ever! We are thrilled to have him as part of our hard working team and excited to see his career soar! I was very happy to hear that Rory was the recipient of the Rising Star Award this year. Earning this award goes to show that he is well respected by his colleagues.Having grown the North Carolina division to where it is now is quite the accomplishment! I am very proud that he has kept his head down, pushed through, and has built a team around him with the same mindset. I am very excited to see what is in store for the NC team in 2020! – Sean Reilly, 2018 Rising Star Award Recipient. Congratulations Rory on your Rising Star Achievement!