The MedTech talent landscape has undergone a significant "reset" in the two years since Elena Kyria, founder and CEO of Elemed, last joined the podcast. Driven by factors like the rise of AI, economic volatility, and post-pandemic shifts, the dynamic has swung from a "war for talent" (many jobs, few candidates) to a market flooded with applicants, often overwhelming internal recruitment teams. This shift, exacerbated by simple application processes like LinkedIn's Easy Apply, makes it challenging for good candidates to cut through the noise and for companies to manage high application volumes.

To thrive in this new environment, MedTech professionals, particularly those in Quality Assurance (QA) and Regulatory Affairs (RA), must expand their focus beyond technical competence. Elena stresses the growing importance of transverse skills (the essential human skills like communication, negotiation, and leadership) and, critically, AI literacy. With the pressure on companies to "do more with less," AI is creating an environment where smaller, highly productive teams are favored. This doesn't mean roles will disappear, but professionals must embrace technology to eliminate tedious tasks and focus on high-value, strategic work.

Navigating the job market now requires a more intentional and proactive approach, especially to access the hidden job market where the best unadvertised roles reside. Tactics include direct networking with hiring managers and active professional branding. Furthermore, the global regulatory environment's fragmentation—especially between the US (FDA) and EU (MDR/IVDR)—is impacting how companies build their teams, favoring remote work and strategic location choices that factor in the local talent pool and employment laws.

Key Timestamps

1:50 - The MedTech Talent Shift: From "War for Talent" to a "Reset"
4:45 - The impact of high volume and "easy apply" on candidate experience
6:15 - Immediate disqualification criteria and "gaming" the application system
7:35 - Strategies for accessing the hidden job market (networking and strategy)
9:20 - The controversial impact of AI on QA/RA roles and the need for efficiency
11:30 - Future-proofing your career: Why leaders and junior professionals must embrace AI
13:55 - Understanding transverse skills (soft skills) and business acumen
15:40 - The QA/RA role in the age of AI: Focusing on the 30% of high-value expertise
17:00 - Tactics for achieving AI literacy: Small wins, experimentation, and habit stacking
19:45 - Why the "hidden job market" exists (confidentiality, exclusivity, and pipeline)
21:30 - Positioning yourself externally: The power of active contribution on LinkedIn
23:45 - The importance of speaking at industry events (e.g., RAPS) to build credibility
24:55 - Strategic advice for founders building remote, global teams
26:15 - The impact of US vs. EU regulatory fragmentation on talent selection

Quotes

“It's not going to be enough to just be good at your job. You're going to need to have a little bit more understanding of how to position yourself, how to brand yourself, how building skills outside of just your technical competency [is important].” - Elena Kyria

“This is a massive opportunity... to step up and get started... you can use the technology but then you're focused on strategy, relationships, [and] the human side of it versus the people that are still very manual.” - Elena Kyria

Takeaways

Prioritize AI Literacy: MedTech professionals must proactively experiment with AI tools (like note-takers and regulatory intelligence systems) to automate up to 70% of tedious tasks. Waiting for...

#437: MedTech Talent Reset: AI, Skills, and the Hidden Job Market

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