| The headlines are full of pharmaceutical company | | | | knowledgeable rep-an expert in the product rather |
| layoffs. Big pharmaceutical companies like Merck, Eli | | | | than a sales-pitch-with-a-lunch delivery system. That |
| Lilly, Pfizer, and others are cutting back drastically in | | | | requires a solid background in the science and |
| pharma sales rep numbers. It's partially in response to | | | | technology of what you're selling, as well as |
| an economy and a market that demands streamlined | | | | adaptability to a changing sales approach that includes |
| efficiency, and partially a response to changing | | | | internet-based product detailing. Know what the |
| requirements of physicians. Doctors are severely | | | | market is moving to, and find out what different |
| limiting the visits of pharmaceutical sales reps, and the | | | | companies are doing to meet the changes. |
| ones who still do often require appointments. | | | | * If you want to be in the pharmaceutical sales field, it's |
| Physicians are rebelling against an over-saturation in | | | | more important than ever to package yourself as a |
| sales calls and 'canned' sales pitches from a sales | | | | top-notch candidate. Get a career coach, research |
| force traditionally less trained in the science of the | | | | ways that successful candidates get into medical |
| product and more focused on the 'freebies.' | | | | sales, and use out-of-the-box techniques like 30/60 |
| There are still pharma sales jobs to be found, but | | | | 90-day sales plans. |
| candidates for those jobs are competing with the | | | | * If you've decided that the pharma sales category is |
| thousands of other pharma reps who are looking to | | | | no longer for you, the same advice applies-but more. |
| replace the jobs they lost. | | | | Conventional wisdom is that pharmaceutical sales reps |
| So what should you do? | | | | are on the low end of the medical sales rep spectrum, |
| * Carefully research the company you're considering | | | | for a couple of reasons: |
| working for. You can use corporate websites, Google, | | | | (1) the lack of a science background of most pharma |
| and especially LinkedIn to get the inside scoop. Check | | | | sales reps; and |
| out their product line, their market analysis, and how | | | | (2) the sales model in pharma sales doesn't include the |
| they treat their employees to see if it's a company | | | | "close" that other sales areas require. That makes it |
| with a future for you. | | | | harder for some pharma reps to transition into other |
| * Be conscious of how companies will be reinventing | | | | medical sales areas, but not impossible. |
| the sales rep's role. Physicians are demanding a more | | | | |