Targeting the Middle Organizations

Early in my job search, I made the same mistake a lot of biostatisticians make—I aimed only for the biggest names in the industry. I was applying to every open role at Pfizer, Merck, J&J… and hearing crickets.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t qualified. It was that I was buried in a pile of 2,000 other applications.

Then I made a shift: I started targeting mid-sized organizations—those with about 20 to 500 employees. And that’s when interviews started coming in.

Why Mid-Sized Companies Are a Goldmine

Here’s what most people miss: mid-sized companies account for a massive portion of the U.S. workforce—and many are hiring biostatisticians without shouting it from the rooftops.

They tend to:

• Hire quieter (jobs may not even be on big boards).

• Move faster (leaner teams = quicker decisions).

• Offer more exposure (you’re not one of 40 people on the biostats team).

In fact, in several of my consulting conversations, hiring managers at mid-sized companies told me they wanted more candidates like us—but weren’t seeing them because everyone was laser-focused on the giants.

How to Find These Companies

This isn’t about applying randomly—it’s about strategic targeting.

Here’s how I find high-potential mid-sized employers in biostatistics:

• Use LinkedIn’s Company Search: Filter by company size (11–50, 51–200, 201–500) and industry (pharma, health tech, clinical research).

• Watch for Active Growth: Look for companies posting about new trials, product launches, or funding rounds.

• Think Beyond Pharma: Mid-sized orgs in healthcare analytics, medtech, and digital health also need biostatisticians—often urgently.

Why This Strategy Works

You’re not just avoiding competition. You’re positioning yourself where you’re most needed. In a mid-sized company, one good biostatistician can make or break a project. That’s why hiring managers at these orgs tend to be more responsive—and more willing to move fast.

The best thing is, you’ll learn so much in mid-sized organizations that you’ll be an ideal candidate for the industry giants when you apply for your next role.

💡 Action Step: Build a Mid-Sized Company Target List Go on LinkedIn and do a company search using filters:

• Location: (or Remote, if applicable)

• Industry: Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Clinical Research, Health Tech

• Company size: 11–500 employees

Build a list of 10–15 mid-sized companies that look interesting. Follow them, check for activity, and add them to your job search workflow. These companies are where smart, strategic candidates get interviews before jobs are even posted.