Pharmaceutical Sales.....how do you get these jobs?

Question

What type of degree do you need? Advantages, disadvantages and benefits. I have heard these jobs are short lived and very competitive. I have no prior experience.....Help.
Please let me what company you work for, ball park salary and other helpful information.

Answer 1

I'm the GM of an ad agency and my girlfriend is in medical sales. Pharmaceutical sales is actually a pretty big joke in the sales industry because there's not a lot of knowledge required. The widely recognized attribute common to most salespeople in this postion is looks - as in very, very good looks.

Essentially, these are entry level sales positions for recent college graduates (attractive females, primarily) who had majored in business or marketing, but lack medical and/or sales knowledge and experience. The job involves dropping off literature and samples at doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals. Most physicians do not make time to see these reps, nor do they respect them as professional ambassadors for the products they push on the masses by way of "free trials."

If you are considering this route as a career, I would advise against it. There are more lucrative, more respected sales and medical related paths and positions out there.

Answer 2

Pharm sales are no joke but the fact of the matter, you can have a Harvard MBA in your back pocket, a well defined skills set and have prior sales experience but all that does not matter one whit IF you don't fit the appearance part they are looking for. Your value to them is in the range of how attractive you are versus your real ability, I'm sad to say.

The degree is immaterial as well. I know of several Pharm Sales Reps who have no degree - they were all former photo-copier sales reps and each one of them look like they should be on the cover of GQ magazine. (I'd give my eyeteeth to look like them for a weekend! LOL)

Seriously though these guys could sell but their entry level jobs were as copier machines. One had three years of success in that field and the other two had around 1.5 years of experience.

When it's all said & done, it boils down to how much you're blessed with good genes and how good your hygiene is.

Now truth be told they are short lived because regardless of how good looking you are, if you can't produce results, you're gone. The 3 year vet from the copier is in his second year as a Pharm sales guy and is on his way up the ladder.

He started with $65,000, laptop, PDA, cell phone, full benefits and bonuses, company paid expense account, paid training, etc. Not bad for a position where all he has to do is drop off samples and schmooze the office manager a bit and she places the order with him. He's only met the doc ONCE and the rest of the time he's making the closes with the doc's wife who's the office manager.

Answer 3

Pharm Reps start out at around $50,000 and up.You need at least a bachelor's in Marketing and a minor or double major in Biology,Chemistry etc will help.It's so competitive that you need some solid outside sales experience somewhere even if it's just selling some sort of local advertising, upgrades on rental cars,cell phones etc.You need really good people skills and have to have a very pulled together appearance.You will be dealing with doctors (who can be unpleasant and arrogant) and will be all the time going to their offices and plying the staff with goodies and samples.

Answer 4

I work in dental sales and do VERY well - $70k plus. you also gte a company car and many other perks.

I don't think pharma jobs are a joke at all. They are good for educating the drs on new products and advances.

check out cafepharma.com

Answer 5

The hard part is getting the Lion or Wolf to put the seat down after they're done.