Why business graduates thrive at Johnson & Johnson

You don’t need a background in healthcare to make an impact at Johnson & Johnson. As the world’s largest and most broadly-based healthcare company, there are many ways students and recent graduates can use their unique perspectives, energy and skills to make a difference. Every role – including those in business-focused areas – is part of bringing better quality of life to people across the globe. At Johnson & Johnson, you can achieve your career goals while changing the trajectory of health for humanity.

And there’s no limit to where a career at Johnson & Johnson might take you. You’ll be empowered to imagine your breakthrough, and then make it happen. As a diverse, global organisation at the forefront of health and technology, with locations and colleagues across the world, your work will have tremendous reach and impact. In fact, Johnson & Johnson health products, medical devices and pharmaceuticals touch the lives of more than a billion people a day.

Business careers at Johnson & Johnson

Areas where you can make an impact at Johnson & Johnson include marketing, sales, finance, operations and information technology. But even if your degree isn’t in one of these areas, don’t rule yourself out.

‘We keep our business roles as dynamic as possible to allow people with different degree backgrounds to be successful,’ says Ross Parsons, the early talent recruitment lead for UK and Ireland. ‘It’s important to us that you’re passionate about the role and the impact you can make.’

It will strengthen your case further if you can articulate why you are interested in growing your career at Johnson & Johnson and the areas of the company that appeal to you. Many student placements, leadership development programmes and graduate jobs will fall under of the company’s two sectors: MedTech and pharmaceuticals. Learn more on Johnson & Johnson’s website.

It's also a good idea to take a minute to read the company’s Credo, an outline of the values that guide every decision at Johnson & Johnson.

Careers in marketing

As one employee puts it perfectly, marketing professionals at Johnson & Johnson are caretakers of some of the most iconic brands and products for one of the most respected and reputable companies in the world. From influencer marketing to insights-driven merchandising strategies, there are so many ways to put your marketing skills to use. You could:

• Introduce the latest medical breakthroughs, like surgical robotics, to the world on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies;
• Bring life-enhancing drug therapies and vaccines to market through the Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies of Johnson & Johnson;
• Roll out the latest contact lens innovation with the Johnson & Johnson Vision team; or

Careers in sales

Sales at Johnson and Johnson is about building long-lasting relationships, sharing breakthroughs and being a valued and trusted partner to the people who depend on its products to live their healthiest lives. You’ll get to know the company’s diverse line of products inside out, and the knowledge you gain as you progress in your career will make you a highly valued partner to the customers you serve, from large national retailers to local pharmacies.

There are numerous sales-focused roles you could pursue at Johnson & Johnson, including:

• Key account sales – supporting customers and working closely with account managers to drive sales.
• Customer development – managing accounts, developing and maintaining relationships, carrying out business analysis and working closely with your marketing colleagues.
• Customer experience – understanding the needs of customers and improving their experience, for example by translating data and trends into valuable insights.

Careers in finance

Finance professionals are integral to success at Johnson & Johnson, whether it’s guiding major investment in new products, evaluating pricing strategies or supporting teams across the company’s diverse portfolio. From R&D to HR, marketing and procurement, your work will impact all sectors of the business and teams.

People in finance roles are critical to business growth, while being empowered to help you foster your own growth. As a student or graduate, you could work alongside senior finance and accounting professionals in diverse commercial functions, tax planning, treasury or internal audit.

Careers in operations

With so many people relying on its products to deliver better quality of life, the work of Johnson & Johnson’s operations and supply chain teams is crucial. They ensure that customers, patients and healthcare providers have a reliable supply of the products they need.

Even if it’s your first job in operations, you’ll make an immediate impact. You might find yourself:

• Participating in the planning, production and distribution of products and services;
• Improving manufacturing operational costs, efficiency, capacity and compliance; and
• Maintaining quality and regulatory compliance, among other tasks.

Over the course of your tenure you’ll develop your knowledge of how the different global supply chain functions of Johnson & Johnson connect to support the business and its customers around the world.

Careers in IT

IT professionals at Johnson & Johnson are reimagining healthcare to change people’s lives. With a digital-first mindset, IT teams enable and guide other areas of the company to innovate and solve some of the biggest challenges in healthcare. Beyond systems and programs, IT teams at Johnson & Johnson ensure that operations and processes run efficiently and securely, and that information, products and solutions are delivered to those who need them.

Every corner of the company is in-bounds for making an impact through IT. Imagine helping to write new algorithms among industry-leading data scientists, integrating intelligent automation into manual processes, managing cyber security, or breaking new ground in digital customer experiences, software engineering, Cloud, DevOps, and scientific and digital health technologies.

Student placement, graduate programme or leadership development programme?

At Johnson & Johnson, there isn’t just one type of opportunity available to you. If you’re a current university student, you can apply for a student placement as part of your degree. Or, if you’re looking for a job after graduation, you can apply for a local graduate programme or a leadership development programme.

What’s the difference? In brief:

• The leadership development programme is a two-year career acceleration experience, typically focused on one function such as finance, technology or global operations. You’ll experience rotations across multiple roles and sectors within Johnson & Johnson and countries within the EMEA region. The programme focuses on developing future leaders through mentoring and a comprehensive training curriculum.
• Local graduate programmes are typically one- or two-year programmes in the UK, giving participants the chance to experience three or four rotations to develop a breadth of understanding, before going on to specialise after the experience ends. These programmes also offer best-in-class training and fast-track development.

Find out more about Johnson & Johnson and its opportunities for students and graduates on its organisation hub and its careers website.