Astellas equals age discrimination

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I got hired at 38, female, out of pharma 1.5 years, going through divorce with toddlers. So I don't buy the discrimination factor. Oh, and I had 6 years pharma before that. Oh, and was a Specialty Rep with a very reputable company, and I got into PCP. So, I don't know.
 






Anonymous said:
It appears to me to be hired be Astellas you need to be in order: 1) a young, attractive, single female (no kids anytime soon OR done having kids but still young, 30's, 2-3 yrs b2b. 2) a young attractive male w/2-3 yrs b2b. All others basically need not apply. To be hired and you don't meet the above qualifications you would be an anomally.
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I left here a few yrs ago in my early 40's at the time. One thing I saw at the last NSM was that a large % of reps looked like they were in the mid 20's to early 30's range at most . Huge wake up call to me to get out and leave pharma now doing Med Device.

The young and cheap is the reality of pharma reps now everywhere not just Astellas. Do something else just like I did when you see an opportunity because the younger reps now are the norm plain and simple.
 






38! WOW! you are soooo old. Try back in 12 to 13 years and tell me again sweatheart that they hired you. If you were a male over 50 and you knew of other men over 50 who have been extremley successful that Astellas hired then you would have a point on not buying the age discrimination. But you made everyones point here. A woman in her 30's got hired. Astellas is basically hiring women in their 30's. Then men in their 30's. Are you a blonde? 38, a woman, some experience = Astellas' perfect match.

OK that was a low blow. I'm sure you are very nice and well qualified for the job. You deserve congratulations! The point everyone is making is that a 50+ man would have NO chance - PERIOD............. And a 50+ women not much better. Watch out in 5-10 years - you will find that other candidates will be "more qualified" than you; i.e. younger.
 






Discrimination on age is rampant in our industry. It is everywhere...I worked for big pharma and even worse there than Astellas. I was the oldest female rep and was only 34 at time.

Bottom line is with what we do on daily basis...which keeps getting less and less with industry changes...why wouldn't they hire a cheap, young POS to drop samples? Sad...but true. You guys are better than that...so get out of pharma...it is a sinking ship and keeps getting worse. I hear you and am in the same boat...but it is the sad truth...young, cheap and stupid are the way of our entire industry.

I guess only solution is go back to school or be lucky enough to find something decent before I turn 40. Makes me sad...but reality sucks.
 












Poster 23, how rude. Did you see the part about going thru divorce with 2 kids under age 4? And the DM knew. So the part about being single and no babies,,, etc... is wrong. I also was really over qualified for job by most standards, took a 15K paycut to get job. So, your discrimination thing is wrong. I am sorry you are so bitter. I have lots to be bitter about too. Astelllas has been very good to me. My DM is great. 38 is a cougar by the way. Not a young 20's or early 30's thing. So rude. Why don't you SWEETHEART keep your ugly thoughts to yourself. They usually hire friends of the reps. That is probably why your experience doesn't matter. All the new hires I meet are friends of reps.

The end.
 






Anonymous said:
Poster 23, how rude. Did you see the part about going thru divorce with 2 kids under age 4? And the DM knew. So the part about being single and no babies,,, etc... is wrong. I also was really over qualified for job by most standards, took a 15K paycut to get job. So, your discrimination thing is wrong. I am sorry you are so bitter. I have lots to be bitter about too. Astelllas has been very good to me. My DM is great. 38 is a cougar by the way. Not a young 20's or early 30's thing. So rude. Why don't you SWEETHEART keep your ugly thoughts to yourself. They usually hire friends of the reps. That is probably why your experience doesn't matter. All the new hires I meet are friends of reps.

The end.
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If you think 38 is a cougar that just goes to show the mentality of reps you are exposed to now young and dumb . Pharma now equals the new post college frat or sorority what a complete joke. So glad I don't do this bs job anymore it has become so dumbed down it's pathetic !
 






Hey #26. 38 IS young, not a kid, but still young and in your prime. #23 was rude, but also appologized if you look a 2nd paragraph.

I know a 50+ male who was laid-off - no warning - always a top 10% rep - several awards and never on a PIP or other discipline thing. Has THREE kids and a wife to support and no one, I MEAN NO ONE will hire him because he is either "over qualified OR not working. Wink wink - to old and a male (discrimination). Oh, did I forget to tell you he is about to have his house forclosed on and so what does the family of five do now? Oh, and the wife can't find work either. She is "too old". He can't collect SS for 12 years.

#26 I think you got jumped on because you didn't buy the discrimination. Look it's rampant in this industry and very obvious at Astellas.

The bad guy here isn't any of the posters - it is ASTELLAS, BECAUSE ASTELLAS = AGE DISCRIMINATION - PERIOD......... not because the 38 year old lady doesn't deserve to be hired - she does. But the 50+ guy does too! Maybe in some cases more so if proven to always be a top performer. Maybe making more money is not the priority?
 






Take a look at all the recent new hires in the last year or so. I'll bet the majority of them are in their 30's. Maybe some in late 20's, maybe a few in early 40's. But there are a lot of good 40's and 50+ reps out there recently let go that won't get hired due to age. Think about that for your own future with Astellas or even this industry. Don't expect to work here until retirement age. It won't happen anymore. The only real chance for the "old" reps is maybe the CSO's.
 












Anonymous said:
Poster 23, how rude. Did you see the part about going thru divorce with 2 kids under age 4? And the DM knew. So the part about being single and no babies,,, etc... is wrong. I also was really over qualified for job by most standards, took a 15K paycut to get job. So, your discrimination thing is wrong. I am sorry you are so bitter. I have lots to be bitter about too. Astelllas has been very good to me. My DM is great. 38 is a cougar by the way. Not a young 20's or early 30's thing. So rude. Why don't you SWEETHEART keep your ugly thoughts to yourself. They usually hire friends of the reps. That is probably why your experience doesn't matter. All the new hires I meet are friends of reps.

The end.
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To the end:
Are you aware that discrimination can occurr, even though there are some hiring managers that do not participate in active discrimination. It is an individual thing. Also, you would not know if the manager that hired you discounted other, maybe older more experienced reps. that were interviewing for the same position. So, you just do not know do you. Being younger than 40 years, which is the starting age for age discrimination bias claims to be considered, does have a different meaning. For those long-term in this business, you can see a difference on hiring people after the age of 40, as I and others have. Good for you that you had a good DM. So, what does that mean, that because you did, Astellas does not have discriminatory practices is very naive thinking. FACTS are not always pretty either, so keep the naive ugly comments to someone who will be distracted from the facts that discrimination does occurr, more often than one might think.
 












Now Astellas is going to use a CSS to hire 30 somethings. That way they are not "Astellas" employees. They can do the age discrimination thing without acturally being the direct employer. Clever, but still unethical at best.
 






Get out of Pharma plain and simple I did left Astellas at my early 40's 2 yrs ago and now do Med Device.
This game is just about over I understand all your frustration and you may find something but these morons want the cheap and young to do these jobs. They can get 2 for the price of 1 and even if you say I'll take less they think you will bolt when something better comes along.

Expand beyond just Pharma get on medreps.com and you will find device and other medical related jobs that may be willing to give you a chance. Yes the base will be lower but the opportunity to make $ is there much more then pharma.



ADVICE TO HELP ALL !!!!
 






To all those who are screaming age discrimination trust me you are missing nothing by not getting hired here. Since the merger Astellas has had one major screw up after another and has accomplished little if anything except dig itself into a deeper hole with major products going generic and nothing to replace them.
 












I agree...I see reps in their 40's and 50's...not many past that...but I don't think Astellas is as bad as the Pfizers and Eli Lillys! I was oldest rep with the big pharma giant and wasn't even 35 yet. While I think our industry is youth driven as a whole...I don't think Astellas is any worse than the rest. I just think there is so much competition from so many getting laid off...can't just blame it on age.
 


















I agree that age discrimination in this industry exists the most part industry wide. But I have personally seen and heard 2nd hand so much circumstantial evidence accross the country of Astellas and their age discrimination regarding hiring, especially in sales, that it would be hard to imagine any other company more discriminating regarding age than Astellas.

I have applied to many positions throughout the country, including locally, referals from current reps, Never even got a phone interview? Few people have accomplished what I have in regards to sales performance, call average (I actually work a full day, even Fridays - I'm just funny that way - I believe if you are getting paid you should earn your wages), and reach as a sales rep in this industry And all of this in the theraputic class I applied for. Background check would be perfect, etc..., etc... The only reason I am tooting my horn here is to show that someone with my accomplishments isn't even getting a look at and the ONLY explaination is age discrimination.
 






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