A sobering truth about how much we make

[Anonymous]

We are worth what the market says that we are. There are more than enough people capable of and willing to influence (yes, sell) prescribers for 100-150k per year that you cannot command more. IF, and a big if, companies could not find the people they wanted at this price they would pay more, or promote their products another way.

Simply put, they don't pay more because they don't have to. The compensation matches the education and experience required to do the job.

Talk of 10% commission on 2MM dollars in sales in ridiculous as we don't bring in checks, but influence behavior, and their are more than enough people capable of doing this for the compensation offered.

You are high. We influence next to nothing. I know plenty of doctorate employees from other industries that make about 80k annually and they do not get a car. We are way overpaid which causes the expectations of what we can really accomplish to be overblown. Show me a rep that gets great numbers and MS growth year after year after year and I'll show you a person who has two things: Great access and good formulary coverage. We do not sell because no contract or transaction happens in real time and our data is total BS. Go work in a limited to no access rural/poor territory and you will find you suck no matter how hard you work. I for one would work for half the income if I could find something stimulating and valuable to do with my day. This job is mind numbing to say the least. The level and depth of management is ridiculous. One regional, one manager for 20 to 30 reps ought to be enough and ride alongs should be nothing but a meeting to go over business. You have no idea how stupid my manager looks standing in a hallway in his 400 dollar suit watching me get a signature and detail for 2 minutes at a busy office. What a worthless job all the way around. I am too old to do much different with the exception of try and create some type of side business that I can step into when this ship runs ashore. Good for you if you enjoy it and think it will be some stepping stone. My friends that hit 45 have found that with 10 years of pharma on your resume, your career is bascially dead.

 

[Anonymous]

Why is this ridiculous, all of us have titles of PSS's. Which means they consider us sales specialist. And don't tell me this crap on we don't actually sale. I have moved share aka sales every year I have been here. I know I increased the revenue of my territory by 500 K last year. Why shouldnt I get the 50 grand from that in commissions and another 20 k in bonuses for destroying my goals. Again this issue is all the the tenured reps have been conditioned to think that this job is great pay etc... It's a great starter role but by no means is this where I will end my career. I have loved this company for what I have gained and learned. I have been fortunate to have great managers who have actually developed my career. I will be leaving the company at the end of the year. Just waiting for my training class with my new company. Guess what to, in this company I get a portion of what I move on top of my bonuses, that's how it should be or change the title away from a sales role. Think for yourself and don't be a lemming.

Obviously, you don't understand the business, and don't get the commissions on the increased sales because a lot of other things in ADDITION to you drove them - rebates, costs of promotion, sampling, DTC, etc that supplements what you did. If you can't manage to see this, and still can whine about what you think are entitled to have, then good riddance.

 

[Anonymous]

Obviously, you don't understand the business, and don't get the commissions on the increased sales because a lot of other things in ADDITION to you drove them - rebates, costs of promotion, sampling, DTC, etc that supplements what you did. If you can't manage to see this, and still can whine about what you think are entitled to have, then good riddance.

I understand this more than you do. But do you really think this isn't true in other industries? There is support for tons of other roles that make tons more than us. You want a example? I have friends that work for pandora as a sales rep, they get support. I have friends that work for Citrix and they get tons of support for staff with all the types of crap that we do. But in the end the sales rep that covers their designated area gets credit it for it. Even if the sale starts with someone calling them for an inquiry and they only show up to close and that's it. So again you prove my point of being brain washed. I don't think what we get paid is bad but come on people for yourself some credit. I guess good riddance to me, I am getting a big raise and can make quite a bit more money in bonus and commissions. I will be gone end of November time period now worries friend.

 

[Anonymous]

It makes me kinda depressed to think how much you guys think we make. I keep hearing comments on CP about we make so much for what we do, our paycheck is our golden handcuffs, we earn 100K per year which is a good income etc.

Now I am 28 years old, an d have been doing the AZ gig for 6 years now. I am a Hospital Rep and yes, do earn close to 110K per year. BUT, that is not a good income. The average home on the West Coast - LA or OC, runs 675K. A 110K income will not allow you to buy that unless you have another house with 200K equity that you can sell so you can get into it. Forget about SF where the average house runs close to 880K.

Honestly you need to earn 250K per year to play in these leagues. Sure, you can leave in nowhere TX or KS or Montana and get a 200K house. But is that a quality of life? Hmmm no way. So 100-150K per year is NOT that much. Get off your high horse.

I truly feel sorry for the fat slobs that are over 50 that think 100K is a good income. It is not!

Really, you think your not being paid enough! You need a serious reality check. You are nothing more that a pamphlet carrying lunch delivering marketing rep and thats it. You bring no value to the office, nothing that makes a difference. Try working a job where you actually create something, make a difference. You are pompous ass.

 

[Anonymous]

Previous post has got it right.. yes making $100K is great money Anywhere given how easy our job is,, try working straight commission to earn $100K and you'll appreciate just how stupid easy this gig is....

 

[Anonymous]

It makes me kinda depressed to think how much you guys think we make. I keep hearing comments on CP about we make so much for what we do, our paycheck is our golden handcuffs, we earn 100K per year which is a good income etc.

Now I am 28 years old, an d have been doing the AZ gig for 6 years now. I am a Hospital Rep and yes, do earn close to 110K per year. BUT, that is not a good income. The average home on the West Coast - LA or OC, runs 675K. A 110K income will not allow you to buy that unless you have another house with 200K equity that you can sell so you can get into it. Forget about SF where the average house runs close to 880K.

Honestly you need to earn 250K per year to play in these leagues. Sure, you can leave in nowhere TX or KS or Montana and get a 200K house. But is that a quality of life? Hmmm no way. So 100-150K per year is NOT that much. Get off your high horse.

I truly feel sorry for the fat slobs that are over 50 that think 100K is a good income. It is not!

The premise of your post is simply a lie. You say the average income on the west coast is 675K, THAT IS SIMPLY A LIE. California has the 5th highest average income in the US at $51,910. Here is the reference:

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2012/04/16/california-ranks-no-5-for-annual-pay.html


At 110K plus bonus you make more than double the california average. So yes, drug rep make a ton of money for what they do, and like you, far too many of them dont appreciate just how lucky they are. But if you ever get laid off, it will smack you in the face, as you will see you qualify for noting more than 40-45K doing anything else.

 

[Anonymous]

The bottom line is that, while per hour we might make $300, we still take home, on average for a CL 3 Primary Care PSS between 100K to 120K tops per year. And that is not gonna buy a 4 bedroom house in Santa Barbara, CA anytime soon. Maybe a 1 bedroom condo in Santa Maria. Sobering reality but OP is spot on. 100K is not what it was in the 1990s.

You chose to live where you choose to live. The bottomline is you make more than double the money opf more than half the people who live in your state. Maybe the moral to this story is that you need to learn to live within your means.

 

[Anonymous]

True.

The guy came out of college and landed in clover. Since that time his bullsh1t has kept him in th egreen.

Wehn he gets whacked he'll be unprepared to survive - unless he's parked his cash elsewhere. Doubt it. He thinks 100 k is standard money. When it really is in the top 3 %

AMEN!!! 28 years old making salary of 110K, a target bonus of 30k+, and a free car. Talk about spoiled and out of touch! All told, with bonus, this dude is making triple the median income of an american, and complaining.

 

[Anonymous]

AMEN!!! 28 years old making salary of 110K, a target bonus of 30k+, and a free car. Talk about spoiled and out of touch! All told, with bonus, this dude is making triple the median income of an american, and complaining.

He's doing a little more than complaining. He's demanding that he's underpaid. Notice, though, how he doesn't get out there and do anything about it, because he can't.

He reminds me of a typical welfare recipient, complaining about how he deserves more for doing nothing. If Romney wins and there is any level of austerity in the spoiled brat nation we live in, there will be riots here to make Greece look like a kindergarten class spat.

Of course, if Obama wins, there will be redistribution and more debt, until there's nothing left for anyone. We the Sheeple.

 

[Anonymous]

Why is this ridiculous, all of us have titles of PSS's. Which means they consider us sales specialist. And don't tell me this crap on we don't actually sale. I have moved share aka sales every year I have been here. I know I increased the revenue of my territory by 500 K last year. Why shouldnt I get the 50 grand from that in commissions and another 20 k in bonuses for destroying my goals. Again this issue is all the the tenured reps have been conditioned to think that this job is great pay etc... It's a great starter role but by no means is this where I will end my career. I have loved this company for what I have gained and learned. I have been fortunate to have great managers who have actually developed my career. I will be leaving the company at the end of the year. Just waiting for my training class with my new company. Guess what to, in this company I get a portion of what I move on top of my bonuses, that's how it should be or change the title away from a sales role. Think for yourself and don't be a lemming.

Congrats on getting a better job, but I am thinking for yourself. Our "sales" are judged by funny data at best, not bringing in checks.
And as I've said before, companies don't pay us 300K per year because they don't have to to find the people that will do what they want them to do.

 

[Anonymous]

You are high. We influence next to nothing. I know plenty of doctorate employees from other industries that make about 80k annually and they do not get a car. We are way overpaid which causes the expectations of what we can really accomplish to be overblown. Show me a rep that gets great numbers and MS growth year after year after year and I'll show you a person who has two things: Great access and good formulary coverage. We do not sell because no contract or transaction happens in real time and our data is total BS. Go work in a limited to no access rural/poor territory and you will find you suck no matter how hard you work. I for one would work for half the income if I could find something stimulating and valuable to do with my day. This job is mind numbing to say the least. The level and depth of management is ridiculous. One regional, one manager for 20 to 30 reps ought to be enough and ride alongs should be nothing but a meeting to go over business. You have no idea how stupid my manager looks standing in a hallway in his 400 dollar suit watching me get a signature and detail for 2 minutes at a busy office. What a worthless job all the way around. I am too old to do much different with the exception of try and create some type of side business that I can step into when this ship runs ashore. Good for you if you enjoy it and think it will be some stepping stone. My friends that hit 45 have found that with 10 years of pharma on your resume, your career is bascially dead.

That's how I feel, and an extension of what I said.

 

[Anonymous]

He's doing a little more than complaining. He's demanding that he's underpaid. Notice, though, how he doesn't get out there and do anything about it, because he can't.

He reminds me of a typical welfare recipient, complaining about how he deserves more for doing nothing. If Romney wins and there is any level of austerity in the spoiled brat nation we live in, there will be riots here to make Greece look like a kindergarten class spat.

Of course, if Obama wins, there will be redistribution and more debt, until there's nothing left for anyone. We the Sheeple.

Wake up oldtimer.

There are recruiters calling me every day telling me that I am guaranteed to get a job making $350K plus if I only show up for work looking as good as AZ people look. They're telling me to get real and watch some Tony Robins videos, can anyone say "eyyye." There are companies willing to pay big bucks to companies like the one I work for only to find true high performers who have the guts to approach a receptionist and ask permission to bring lunch to a doctor's office for a sig.

 

[Anonymous]

What makes my heart soar is knowing that the day will come (and oh it will come, and probably sooner than later) when those of you who think that $100K is meager compensation will look back on those golden days wnen you were raking in figures with a combination of wistfulness and longing.

 

[Anonymous]

oops, meant "raking in SIX figures."

 

[Anonymous]

So true, when I was 38 I was making 165k flying all over the nation. What did I accomplish? 0. I took KOLs to lunch. That was about it. I thought I was the cat's meow. Great numbers and evaluations. Worthless.

Forward 10 years. I am working at two minimum wage jobs and begging for a 50k year job.
Now, please start bashing me with all you ve got. I can take. Can't sell, can't interview, ect.

Many of you are going to be in for rude awakening. Pharmaceuticals is an entry level job. Companies know the metrics. This equals young and cheap. Take a good long look at those reps over 40 on linkedin. Most have never found another job. Consultants? Working consultants are Ivy League graduates with a lot of experience. Not, a pharma DM or sales rep. Pharma is not sales. Sales is 7-7, six day a week job and it is BRUTAL. Pharma is power marketing and public relations. Do not fool yourself.

I love interivewing with every so high powered pharma DM that is an over paid admin assistant. Boy do they have a high opinion of their own suit. And for all of you with your 200k annual back up plans. Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

So true, when I was 38 I was making 165k flying all over the nation. What did I accomplish? 0. I took KOLs to lunch. That was about it. I thought I was the cat's meow. Great numbers and evaluations. Worthless.

Forward 10 years. I am working at two minimum wage jobs and begging for a 50k year job.
Now, please start bashing me with all you ve got. I can take. Can't sell, can't interview, ect.

Many of you are going to be in for rude awakening. Pharmaceuticals is an entry level job. Companies know the metrics. This equals young and cheap. Take a good long look at those reps over 40 on linkedin. Most have never found another job. Consultants? Working consultants are Ivy League graduates with a lot of experience. Not, a pharma DM or sales rep. Pharma is not sales. Sales is 7-7, six day a week job and it is BRUTAL. Pharma is power marketing and public relations. Do not fool yourself.

I love interivewing with every so high powered pharma DM that is an over paid admin assistant. Boy do they have a high opinion of their own suit. And for all of you with your 200k annual back up plans. Good luck.

I feel your pain.

Part of the (former) model is that there are big docs (KOL's) that can crank out personally $10,000,000.00 + in orders for one drug. Tack on top that that one drug costs .001 cent, each, to manufacture, and sells for $5.00 each, and presto! You've got a huge divergence in the force. There are plenty of emergent properties from such a skewed system.

However, there are basic forces at work in the real world and the dust is only beginning to settle. You shoulda kept some of the gravy for a rainy day. Hope ya did.

 

[Anonymous]

I remember taking a KOL speaker out and he talked about how much Merck had paid him -- something like $800,000.00, to speak for Zocor. He was speaking for Crestor. He got plenty from Pfizer too. The man had a lot of patients and a lot of influence, but he really saw no difference in the products.

 

[anonymous]

I make $110K in Baltimore, Maryland. Trust me Baltimore is by no means New York or SF. Baltimore is killer expensive because; it is so close to DC. I live very well in a suburb of Baltimore but $110K does not let me live like the wealthy. Oh I never have to worry about paying the light bill. I can buy whatever food I want to eat. I can eat at a nice place anytime I feel like it so there is immense freedom compared to my childhood. I had an awesome childhood but only because; my parents made respectable money and knew how to budget like fiends.

Compared to my life growing up I'm rich by any compassion. I can afford to shop at Trader Joe's. If I want the new 65 inch 4K flat screen I can buy it and still contribute 10% of my income to my 401K plan. A 3 bedroom 2 bath house in just an ok Maryland neighborhood costs $350,000 and for the same house in a great neighborhood with great schools we are talking prices at $750 to 1 Million Dollars.

Me I am just a lowly systems analyst with one year of college. My selling point is many years of developing budget friendly systems based solutions using porven technologies that work. I earn my 110K a yearbut it is not the back breaking work of garbage collecting. What you guys don't realize is picking up garbage exposes you to disease, causes physical stress on joints and such that these people pay for in ruined health as they age. Hard labor jobs are hard on poor peoples bodies.

Even if someone is making $90K a year as a trash collector how long can you do that physically demanding job before it ruins your health. I make $110K a year. Twice a week I sit in a tiny cube with a bunch of computers. Twice a week I work from home. In both instances my job requires I do nothing more physically demanding than type on my keyboard, look at my screen and think. I must communicate effectively with co workers, be a team player, bring my projects in at or under budget, manage systems in my scope of responsibility and stay wired on coffee. I could do this job till I was 70 God willing. That garbage collector can't his health would be ruined by 45.

 

[anonymous]

My ESS rep brags how they make $240k all in and they're going on vacation to Fiji. Perhaps you should see if there are any ESS postings in LA to allow you to pursue you dream of home ownership.

 

[anonymous]

I make $110K in Baltimore, Maryland. Trust me Baltimore is by no means New York or SF. Baltimore is killer expensive because; it is so close to DC. I live very well in a suburb of Baltimore but $110K does not let me live like the wealthy. Oh I never have to worry about paying the light bill. I can buy whatever food I want to eat. I can eat at a nice place anytime I feel like it so there is immense freedom compared to my childhood. I had an awesome childhood but only because; my parents made respectable money and knew how to budget like fiends.

Compared to my life growing up I'm rich by any compassion. I can afford to shop at Trader Joe's. If I want the new 65 inch 4K flat screen I can buy it and still contribute 10% of my income to my 401K plan. A 3 bedroom 2 bath house in just an ok Maryland neighborhood costs $350,000 and for the same house in a great neighborhood with great schools we are talking prices at $750 to 1 Million Dollars.

Me I am just a lowly systems analyst with one year of college. My selling point is many years of developing budget friendly systems based solutions using porven technologies that work. I earn my 110K a yearbut it is not the back breaking work of garbage collecting. What you guys don't realize is picking up garbage exposes you to disease, causes physical stress on joints and such that these people pay for in ruined health as they age. Hard labor jobs are hard on poor peoples bodies.

Even if someone is making $90K a year as a trash collector how long can you do that physically demanding job before it ruins your health. I make $110K a year. Twice a week I sit in a tiny cube with a bunch of computers. Twice a week I work from home. In both instances my job requires I do nothing more physically demanding than type on my keyboard, look at my screen and think. I must communicate effectively with co workers, be a team player, bring my projects in at or under budget, manage systems in my scope of responsibility and stay wired on coffee. I could do this job till I was 70 God willing. That garbage collector can't his health would be ruined by 45.

My garbage man does not even get out of his truck. Welcome to 2016.