What is reverse recruitment?
You hire the recruiter, not the employer. For pharma roles in Germany, a recruitment insider runs a managed search for you: I search for roles that are a strong match, share each one with my read on it, and once you green-light a role I write the CV and cover letter for it from scratch. You send the application yourself, from your own account, so every contact with an employer comes from you. Campaigns run 4 weeks (TARGETED), 8 weeks (MANAGED) or 3.5 months (DEDICATED); pricing on request after a free 20-minute call.
Why strong candidates hire their own recruiter
The pharmaceutical job market in Germany has become a minefield. Recruiters reject strong candidates in seconds because a CV or LinkedIn profile does not show their real value. Hiring managers make shortlist decisions just as fast. And many of the interesting roles, particularly at senior level, are rarely posted publicly.
Companies pay recruiters thousands of euros to deploy sourcing techniques, market intelligence and insider knowledge on their behalf. Reverse recruitment puts exactly the same toolkit on your side of the table: this time, you are the client.
How it works
- Briefing, a detailed intake session covering your career history, targets and non-negotiables.
- Positioning, your CV, LinkedIn profile and application materials rebuilt for the roles you are targeting.
- Campaign, I search for roles that are a strong match, share each one with you, and after your green light build the application from scratch. You send it.
- Support, regular updates, interview preparation and strategic advice throughout.
Three programmes
| Programme | Who it is for | Campaign | Safety net |
|---|---|---|---|
| TARGETED | Specialists & managers, up to 5 years | 4 weeks, curated search, an application built for every role you green-light, fortnightly reports | Documents reworked at no charge if your CV does not read cleanly in standard applicant tracking systems or you are not satisfied after one full revision round |
| MANAGED | Senior managers & assoc. directors, 5–15 years | 8 weeks, premium CV and LinkedIn rebuild, an application built for every role you green-light, mock interview, weekly updates | Support extends once at no cost by one to three months (by seniority tier) if you have fewer than two first-round interviews by the end, provided you sent applications to the agreed roles and attended the agreed sessions |
| DEDICATED | Directors, VPs & C-suite | 3.5 months, executive positioning, a networking plan and message templates for reaching unadvertised roles yourself, salary and package negotiation coaching, 2 executive mock interviews | Support extends once at no cost by one to three months (by seniority tier) if you have not signed an offer after 3.5 months, provided you sent applications to the agreed roles and completed the agreed preparation; 6.5 months at most |
All programmes are quoted individually after the briefing call. Instalment or staged payment is available at MANAGED and DEDICATED level. As a small business under Section 19 of the German VAT Act (Kleinunternehmer), I charge no VAT. All prices are final prices.
What reverse recruitment is not
It is not career coaching with motivational platitudes, and it is not a CV mill that sends you a template and wishes you luck. It is also not a guarantee, nobody can honestly promise you a job. It is a managed job-search campaign run by a recruiter with pharmaceutical sector expertise, with concrete safety nets where the market does not cooperate.
It is also not an employment agency service. I do not contact employers for you, I do not present you to hiring managers, and no one pays me for your hire. Every application is sent by you.
Frequently asked questions
What is reverse recruitment?
Reverse recruitment flips the traditional job search: instead of the candidate applying and waiting, the candidate hires a recruiter to work exclusively for them. The recruiter sources suitable roles, presents each one with an assessment, and builds a tailored application for every role the candidate clears. The candidate sends it. No fee from employers, no go-between role, no negotiation with employers on the candidate's behalf.
How is this different from a headhunter?
A headhunter is paid by the employer and serves the employer's interests. In a reverse recruitment campaign you are the client: the same sourcing techniques and market intelligence, deployed for you and accountable to you for the length of the campaign, paid as a fixed fee for the work rather than for a result. I also recruit for pharma employers on separate mandates. If one of those roles fits you, I tell you it exists and you decide whether to apply through the employer's normal process, like any other candidate. You pay nothing for that, and I do not act as the go-between.
Why is pricing available on request rather than listed?
Campaign scope differs greatly by seniority, target roles and market situation. After a free 20-minute call you receive a fixed quote for your situation, no hourly surprises, and an honest recommendation if a smaller service (or none) would serve you better.
Do you guarantee a job or interviews?
No, and no honest provider can. What the programmes do offer are concrete safety nets. TARGETED: If your CV does not read cleanly in standard applicant tracking systems, or you are not satisfied with the core documents after one full revision round, I rework them at no further charge. MANAGED: If you have fewer than two first-round interviews by the end of the engagement, and you have approved and sent applications to the agreed roles and attended the agreed sessions, the support extends once at no cost by one to three months, depending on the seniority tier. DEDICATED: If you have not signed an offer by the end of the 3.5-month window, and you have approved and sent applications to the agreed roles and completed the agreed preparation, the support extends once at no cost by one to three months, depending on the seniority tier. No engagement runs beyond 6.5 months in total. The fee does not depend on interviews, offers or hires.
How confidential is a campaign?
Strictly confidential. Many clients are employed senior professionals in discreet transitions. No employer hears about your search from me: every application goes out from you, to companies you have chosen.
Which functions do you cover?
Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs, Pharmacovigilance, Quality, Market Access, Marketing, R&D, Data Science & AI, Engineering, Manufacturing and Commercial, for roles in Germany, including remote roles with German employers.
Can I use reverse recruitment for roles in Switzerland, Austria or elsewhere?
The search and shortlist run for roles in Germany. In Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland and most other European countries the rules for candidate-paid placement differ from Germany's, and in several of them it is prohibited, so I do not run the search there and I do not contact employers there. For those markets I offer the coaching route: documents written for that market, a target-company list, a search strategy you run yourself, my assessment of any role you bring me, and interview and negotiation preparation. The same applies to a US search.
Is this an employment agency or placement service?
No. It is career coaching and document preparation, paid as a fixed fee for the work. I do not bring you together with an employer, I do not present you to hiring managers, and no one pays me for your hire. Every application leaves from your own hands.