Recent graduates worried that AI has killed the entry-level pharma marketing job can relax - mostly. Industry recruiters say networking, transferable skills and hands-on training programs matter more than ever as AI screening tools change how candidates get noticed, and agency leaders insist fresh talent remains essential to the industry's future.
No doubt, AI is altering how companies hire and how new marketers work. But an interview series with hiring leaders at agencies including Woven Health Collective, Havens Health Network and Calcium + Company reveals a more nuanced picture: AI filters resume submissions at many companies, but there is still demand for young professionals.
Networking beats AI screening
For candidates without a direct pharma pipeline, networking remains the most effective way to bypass crowded application pipelines. Loren Gassaway, manager of talent attraction at Woven Health Collective, encourages applicants to reach out to people within an organization through LinkedIn after they apply.
"Just be brave," Gassaway said. "If you want to get into this industry, just be brave and do it."
Clinton King-Elmes, owner and managing partner of Ensemble Talent Group, called networking one of the biggest things young professionals can do to position themselves early in their careers. For people new to the field, he suggested using industry trackers like the Agency 100 list to research companies that interest them, then contacting current employees directly.
Soft skills carry early-career candidates
Recruiters are looking beyond resumes for transferable skills, according to Gassaway. For entry-level client services roles, that can be strong communication skills, professionalism and experience interacting regularly with people from any industry.
"What have they done over the years? Have they worked in any capacity where they have constant interactions with people?" Gassaway asked.
Shazzia Khan, global chief marketing officer of Havas Health Network, remembers a strong candidate from a Starbucks that sat outside the agency's office. She described the typical morning rush with its "angry customers and an ongoing stream of orders," and explained how the employee maintained composure.
"Somebody like that type of profile, she didn't study marketing, she didn't have the healthcare background, none of that," Khan said. "But it was that client service skill and the ability to juggle multiple tasks in a very stressful environment."
Internships and internal mentorship mitigate AI barriers
Agencies have structured programs to develop new talent. Woven Health Collective works with university partners to bring PhD students in for short-term internships, and each year runs a fellowship that gives one PhD student twelve months at the agency. Some fellows have stayed on permanently afterward.
Calcium & Company's Pharm Fellows internship program selects most of its young workforce from a competitive field. Judy Capano, managing partner and CEO, said internships function like "multi-week interviews" that give both sides clarity on a candidate's potential. Her agency also runs internal training and mentoring through its CAL-U and TAP programs for keeping young hires growing.
"Young talent is the lifeblood of our industry," Capano said.
Beating AI applicant filters
AI is different in yet another way. Capano described how imperfect AI screening filters can complicate the entry-level job market. Candidates can counter that risk by tailoring their resumes to each position and identifying foundational skills that translate between roles, rather than submitting the same materials everywhere. For jobs especially interesting to them, Gassaway recommends spending time writing a cover letter to direct the application outside the filtering process.
Woven is training employees to use AI for everyday workflows while defining limits around sensitive information.
"There's very much a human element to it," Gassaway said. "I don't know that AI is going to replace anyone here at Woven, and I hope that it doesn't." For a deeper look at how AI is changing the wider marketing profession and what training exists for managers, marketing professionals can review [AI for marketing managers](https://completeaitraining.com/learningpath/ai-for-marketing-managers/) or [AI for marketing](https://completeaitraining.com/tag/marketing/), which includes more tailored guidance.
King-Elmes from Ensemble Talent Group tracks his biggest industry concern: if fewer entry-level roles exist because AI automation linearizes their work, the industry may lose its experienced workforce when older specialists retire. "If we don't source the next generation, there will be a point where a lot of talented marketers start aging out and we will end up with a qualification gap," Tagen said.
Why this matters for a marketing career
For job-seekers and early-career marketers, the practical takeaway is clear: treat every application as a focused networking exercise, not a passive electronic submission. If you build out access, ensure your skills highlight communication skills that, whichever turn of industry automation, remain valuable - and be willing to get through a couple of interviews to find a company with a stretch training program built to advance you.
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