Life Sciences Recruitment Night 2026
Basel – Tuesday, 28 April at kHaus
Kasernenstrasse 8, 4058
17:45 – 21:00
Recruitment Shapes Innovation. Let’s Shape It Together.
Following the highly positive response to our first Life Sciences Recruitment Night in Basel, we’re continuing the conversation in 2026 — bringing together HR leaders, Talent Acquisition, hiring managers and experienced professionals to advance how recruitment supports innovation, trust and performance.
Building on Strong Foundations.
Our previous participants valued:
- Honest discussion about what works well — and where experiences can be strengthened
- A World Café format that gave equal voice to HR/TA, candidates and hiring managers
- The shared conclusion that small, consistent improvements in communication and transparency can significantly narrow the experience gap
Our first Life Sciences Recruitment Night built on findings from our Candidate Experience Survey, exploring how candidates experience today’s hiring processes — and the impact this has on employer brand, performance and mental health.
These next sessions will build on shared insights — and turn them into practical action.
What these evenings offer
- A 360° dialogue across HR/TA, business leaders and candidates
- Structured exchange built on real survey insights
- Practical improvements that strengthen trust and transparency
- Opportunity to co-shape future Recruitment Nights across Switzerland
What we are advancing in 2026
- Deepen the dialogue between HR and business
- Share examples of improvements already implemented
- Identify practical steps organisations can test immediately
- Strengthen collaboration across Basel, Zürich, Zug and Romandie
Who this is for
HR and Talent Acquisition leaders
Business and hiring leaders in Life Sciences
Recruitment specialists
Life Science professionals interested in strengthening the hiring experience
Why this matters
Switzerland is a global leader in Life Sciences innovation. By strengthening how we attract, engage and support talent, we reinforce the foundations that make that leadership possible.
This is not about perfection. It’s about progress. Be Part of the 2026 Conversation!
Places are intentionally limited to maintain meaningful dialogue and exchange.
To provide deeper context for the discussions, we compiled the survey findings and key themes into a whitepaper entitled: ‘Closing the Candidate Experience Gap in Life Science Hiring’.
Shape the Future of Life Sciences Recruitment! Co-create practices that build trust and deliver competitive advantage for you, your people and your business. Interested? Complete this short quiz and find out how you can be involved.
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Our next Life Sciences Recruitment Night is live for registration
Missed our last Recruitment Night? Join us on 28 April in Basel
In November, we brought together HR and business leaders alongside experienced professionals for the first Life Sciences Recruitment Night – and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Participants valued:
💬 Honest discussion about what works—and where trust breaks
☕️ A World Café format that gave equal voice to HR/TA, candidates and hiring managers
🤝 The shared conclusion: small, consistent improvements in communication and transparency can significantly narrow the experience gap
Now we’re continuing the conversation – and invite YOU to join us.
What to expect
This is a highly interactive, 360° working session to close the candidate experience gap so we can build trust, speed up hiring, and convert innovation into competitive advantage.
You’ll:
🔍 look at recruitment from every angle (candidates, HR/TA, business, hiring managers)
💬 clarify assumptions, surface real blockers, and share best practices
🤝 co-create better, faster, more human-centric ways to engage talent
🎥 Curious what sparked this?
Watch this short video with key findings from our Candidate Experience Survey (108 Life Sciences leaders):
👉https://tinyurl.com/RecruitmentNight
Join HR/Talent Acquisition, and business leaders on this unique opportunity. Together, we’ll unpack the full candidate survey findings, share best practices, and develop actionable solutions in an interactive World Café, followed by an panel discussion in which everyone is invited on stage.
Who should attend:
HR & TA Leaders • CHROs • Recruitment Partners • Business Leaders • Survey Participants • Industry Associations
You’ll leave with:
- Fresh insights for you and your organization
- Peer-validated solutions you can apply right away
- A network of forward-thinking HR and business leaders
Learnings from our First Life Sciences Recruitment Night
Life Sciences Recruitment Night: What We Learned and What We’ll Improve in 2026
In November, we brought together HR, Talent Acquisition and business leaders, as well as job-seeking life science professionals for the first Life Sciences Recruitment Night. The energy in the room was clear: recruitment is not “just a process”. It’s a strategic capability that shapes speed, trust, and innovation – with pressure shared by candidates, hiring managers and recruitment professionals.
What made this evening special
A 360° conversation across candidates, HR/TA, and business leaders
Honest discussion about what currently works and what breaks trust
Practical ideas that can be implemented without “big transformation projects”
Three insights that stood out
1) Communication is the trust multiplier
When timelines are unclear or updates disappear, trust erodes quickly even when the role is compelling.
2) Interview quality is a leadership skill
Great hiring isn’t about asking more questions. It’s about creating a dialogue, building trust, and making decisions that are both fast and fair.
3) Small process improvements create impact
Clear expectations, feedback discipline, and a better candidate journey improve employer brand and reduce hidden hiring costs.
What’s next in 2026
We’re planning to continue the conversation — and move from insight to action — with further events in the Swiss life sciences ecosystem (Zurich and Basel-Land/Romandie are on the radar). If you’d like to be informed when the next date is announced, join the monthly update below.
Download: Executive Summary
Download the Summary Whitepaper Closing the Candidate Experience Gap to get the key findings and practical takeaways from from our Candidate Experience Survey and the Life Sciences Recruitment Night. If you wish to receive the full Whitepaper and/or want to join us shape the future of Life Sciences Recruitment, let us know by completing this brief quiz
Stay connected (monthly update)
If you’d like to receive a monthly nextImpact update (events, workshops, and practical insights for life science leaders and organisations), subscribe here
Why This Matters
Switzerland leads on innovation. By improving how we find, select, and support talent, we can keep it that way.
Life Sciences Recruitment Night – Are We Losing Talent, Time & Trust?
What’s it really like to job hunt in Life Sciences today? Thanks to 108 Life Science leaders who shared their experiences in our Candidate Experience Survey, we now have one of the most comprehensive views of today’s candidate journey — from job applications and interviews to feedback, offers, and the personal impact on confidence and well-being.
The findings are eye-opening:
- 78% rated communication in the application process as poor or very poor
- 58% rarely received feedback after interviews
- 89% said the experience affected their mental health
At the same time, HR and Talent Acquisition teams face huge pressure — managing hundreds or even thousands of applications even for senior and complex roles.
At nextImpact, we support Life Science leaders in transition but also understand the hiring side through our own talent acquisition experience. We see this as a shared challenge — and an opportunity for dialogue and change.
On the evening of 26 November, we’re hosting an in-person event in Basel, where we’ll :
✅ Reveal the survey results & key insights
✅ Host a World Café with HR and business leaders to explore solutions
✅ Create space for networking and meaningful connections
We look forward to you joining us — or even take an active role as a co-creator. It’s a great opportunity to share your perspective, strengthen your voice, and help shape the future of recruitment in Life Sciences and beyond. Reach out to stefanie@nextimpact.ch for more information.
Register here: https://eventfrog.ch/de/p/fuehrungen-vortraege/business-treff/life-sciences-recruitment-night-7387489924570698043.html
Let’s reshape how Life Sciences hires — to build trust, engagement, and results for everyone involved.
We’re delighted to introduce “The Inner Circle”
nextImpact is proud to announce our partnership with the Basel Pharma Networking Group introducing “The Inner Circle”!
We have both grown alongside each other, driven by the same passion creating a trusted life science community in Basel. The Basel Pharma Networking Group (BPNG) has rapidly grown to a buzzing community of over 400 members, connecting and exchanging at the monthly meetups.
The Inner Circle is a members-only space for quieter, more meaningful conversations. A place to ask questions, share challenges, and get tangible support—starting in May.
We are very excited about our partnership with BPNG and this member-only offering. Space is strictly limited and we encourage securing your space fast – reach out at stefanie@nextimpact.ch.
Workshop Series Beyond Job Applications
Navigating the job market can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Whether you’re actively seeeking a new role, explore switching tracks, or want to get ready for your next step in the near future—this workshop series will equip you with the guides, the map, and the tools 🚀
In our recent candidate experience survey 107 life science leaders who have applied for jobs in the past 12 months:
🔹 76% said the job search damaged their confidence
🔹 89% reported increased stress or mental health challenges
It’s time to break the cycle!
This 5-part workshop series is designed for life science leaders who want to move beyond traditional job applications and take a strategic approach to landing their next role.
Co-facilitated by Dr. Stefanie Zechner, Executive Search Leader, Career Whisperer & Founder of nextImpact, and a team of accomplished industry leaders, each session brings strategic insights, practical tools, and a community of like-minded peers. All facilitators have transitioned successfully through career pivots—and now help others do the same. Together, they bring real-world insights and proven strategies and truly care about your success.
Each topic is explored with a group training (2 hours, most of them in person in the heart of Basel) and a 1:1 follow-up session (1 hour) to “bring the rubber on the road”.
To foster a safe, interactive learning environment, where every participant gets personal attention and achieves their learning goals, each in-person workshop is limited to 6-12 participants.
✅ Discover proven strategies for job searching
✅ Gain clarity on your career direction
✅ Get expert guidance from industry professionals
🔗 Check out the details and sign up here: https://eventfrog.ch/de/p/gruppen/workshop-series-beyond-job-applications-7305261446870357378.html