A Different Kind of Tension

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Anonymous said:
Yep, we are on the same page, my friend. I worked outside of Pharma sales for years before the economy tanked and I had to take this job. So, it was a whole new f-Ed up world. I know life is much better in the real workplace and can't wait to get outta here. Just biding my time until I find the right opportunity. I think a lot of people got straight into Pharma at the beginning of their careers, so they don't know any different. And, management knows this and plays it to their favor. This is yhe best job, so flexible, work life balance, well paid, "free" car, there are a million good reps out there who could replace you, etc, etc. There is definitely life outside of Pharma. A better life. Where you are actually looked at as a valuable part of an organization, praised for the good work you do, trusted, allowed to think for yourself, never ever have to role play, are not just measured by your most recent numbers, and are treated with respect. F this shitty company and shitty industry! We are all better and more talented than this.
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F this shitty company and shitty industry! We are all better and more talented than this.

Nice way to summarize being a Merck rep...this company and industry truly blow at this point...just bloody awful job.
 






Anonymous said:
Left Jerck & Co. a year ago. No more migraines, no more hypertension. 20 years wasted on this sh--hole company, only to be pushed out the door. Multiple VP plaques and thousands of stock options---damn near all worthless---are now relegated to history's scrap pile.

Trust me, you won't miss a single thing about Jerck & Co. The whole existence is a lie. Damn near every coworker is without value. If you don't get laid off, quit.

The truth can hurt sometimes.
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Thirty years with Merck. Retired last year. Have to say the last 15 years were wasted. We did have some fun and glorious earlier years. My stock options are worthless too.
 












Work for another pharma company and this thread would fit right in on our board. The whole industry has changed. Do you ever wonder if anyone in upper management has a clue what it is really like in the field? We totally screswed ourselved by over indulging our customers, all of them. We raised them up like spoiled children. Now that the extras aren't there they want nothing to do with us. Since most pharma companies have been taken over by lawyers, we have all but eliminated any real information exchange. It used to be a joke but a UPS driver could really do my job!
 






Anonymous said:
Obviously from someone who has never worked outside pharma and the sad part is, it does not have to be this way. Drugs can be sold and reps can be treated with dignity. The abusive culture actually drives DOWN sales, reps are too afraid to do much more than keep their CTL psychopaths off their backs.
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good point...that is the saddest thing really...there is no reason Merck has to be like Nazi Germany...but it chooses to be...

they really don't have a clue on how to treat employees or customers...so out of touch...so lost!
 






Anonymous said:
Work for another pharma company and this thread would fit right in on our board. The whole industry has changed. Do you ever wonder if anyone in upper management has a clue what it is really like in the field? We totally screswed ourselved by over indulging our customers, all of them. We raised them up like spoiled children. Now that the extras aren't there they want nothing to do with us. Since most pharma companies have been taken over by lawyers, we have all but eliminated any real information exchange. It used to be a joke but a UPS driver could really do my job!
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The reps that used to screw around, party endlessly, booze up their managers to get promoted, skip work, break rules, etc. are now the Vice Presidents and directors. So they assume all other reps are like themselves. I know of one that is now a director.
 






OK, so pretty much all of us that post on Cafe Pharma detest being in this industry, especially with "Jerck & Co."

But the reality is that right now, more so than ever before, we all have to think about MONEY. This ridiculous job does pay quite well, and if you are smart you are saving as much money as you possibly can. Not only because we don't know how long this ridiculous job will still be there for us (i.e., unemployment knocking on your door), but because we don't know where the debt crisis in this country is going to lead....i.e., loss of dollar as reserve currency, massive inflation, riots like you are seeing in London.

These are scary times, and we frankly don't have the luxury to be whining about this job, ridiculous as it is. Look at it all as purely money in your pocket until the ride ends....and then hope and pray for the best when it's finally over. Open your eyes, if you havn't already: America is in decline.
 






Anonymous said:
OK, so pretty much all of us that post on Cafe Pharma detest being in this industry, especially with "Jerck & Co."

But the reality is that right now, more so than ever before, we all have to think about MONEY. This ridiculous job does pay quite well, and if you are smart you are saving as much money as you possibly can. Not only because we don't know how long this ridiculous job will still be there for us (i.e., unemployment knocking on your door), but because we don't know where the debt crisis in this country is going to lead....i.e., loss of dollar as reserve currency, massive inflation, riots like you are seeing in London.

These are scary times, and we frankly don't have the luxury to be whining about this job, ridiculous as it is. Look at it all as purely money in your pocket until the ride ends....and then hope and pray for the best when it's finally over. Open your eyes, if you havn't already: America is in decline.
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Thanks for being a realist. I'm 55 and almost out the door. Never have I been more worried for my kids, my country, and my fellow citizens. I regret what Merck has become and how sleazy this business and industry is. I'm thankful to have known the better days we enjoyed at Merck when one could count on the company to always do the right thing by their customers as well as employees. Our bad reputation was earned when deliberate decisions made by our management disregarded doing the right thing for both of these groups. That we have an attorney for CEO tells the tale.
 






Anonymous said:
The reps that used to screw around, party endlessly, booze up their managers to get promoted, skip work, break rules, etc. are now the Vice Presidents and directors. So they assume all other reps are like themselves. I know of one that is now a director.
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The sad truth...

Wanna stay / get ahead????. Be obnoxious, pushy and walk all over the other guy to get your way (AKA have a lousy reputation...but who care managers love you), party hardy with the in crowd, Be well engrained with someone higher who will make a sweet path for you whether you deserve it or not.

Wanna get canned.....Work hard, do the right things, be smart, upright, follow all the rules, treat others well................be naive.
 






Anonymous said:
OK, so pretty much all of us that post on Cafe Pharma detest being in this industry, especially with "Jerck & Co."

But the reality is that right now, more so than ever before, we all have to think about MONEY. This ridiculous job does pay quite well, and if you are smart you are saving as much money as you possibly can. Not only because we don't know how long this ridiculous job will still be there for us (i.e., unemployment knocking on your door), but because we don't know where the debt crisis in this country is going to lead....i.e., loss of dollar as reserve currency, massive inflation, riots like you are seeing in London.

These are scary times, and we frankly don't have the luxury to be whining about this job, ridiculous as it is. Look at it all as purely money in your pocket until the ride ends....and then hope and pray for the best when it's finally over. Open your eyes, if you havn't already: America is in decline.
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You spoke the truth. The job was becoming more meaningless each day. The manager was getting worse. The economy is going to tank again. The money was good. We have to feed our children. We are the largest consumer economy in the world and we don't want to scale back. I saved and lived as if I was making half of my income for years until my retirement. Still it is not pretty to see the huge drop in values in my very conservatively invested portfolio these past few months.
 






Anonymous said:
The sad truth...

Wanna stay / get ahead????. Be obnoxious, pushy and walk all over the other guy to get your way (AKA have a lousy reputation...but who care managers love you), party hardy with the in crowd, Be well engrained with someone higher who will make a sweet path for you whether you deserve it or not.

Wanna get canned.....Work hard, do the right things, be smart, upright, follow all the rules, treat others well................be naive.
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A few names of walk all over everyone types came up at our meeting. They were using them as examples of reps doing work we should copy. What a laugh. Managers dont know what they're really like.
 






Anonymous said:
A few names of walk all over everyone types came up at our meeting. They were using them as examples of reps doing work we should copy. What a laugh. Managers dont know what they're really like.
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Or in a sick way you can say the managers were telling us you better emulate these a**holes or your days at Merck will be very limited.
 






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