Ex-Merck posts

[Anonymous]

Is it me or are there not a lot of ex-Merck employees that post here while still harboring strong negative feelings about the old girl. Does anyone out there feel that getting away from Merck was the biggest mistake of their lives? When I joined, I certainly did not feel that joining was the biggest mistake of my life. However, I have arrived at the conclusion that staying any longer than necessary would be a mistake.

Is there a site that specializes in posting negative comments about ex-spouses? Based on what I read here, it would be a certain hit! LOL

 

[Anonymous]

I'm ex-Merck and wish I never was laid-off, even with all the stress I had I will never have a job that paid me that much again

 

[Anonymous]

I'm ex-Merck and I'm happy to be out. 2% reduction in pay and 99% reduction in nonsense and attitude.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm ex-Merck and I'm happy to be out. 2% reduction in pay and 99% reduction in nonsense and attitude.

Curious where did you land at 2% less salary.

 

[Anonymous]

Another big pharma. Not sales.

 

[Anonymous]

X-Merckie here and no, not a single regret to be out. The whole place blows and when your attitude goes, you know it's time to move on. I became a consultant with an electronic medical records company at 95% of my Merck comp and consider it well worth the small income sacrifice. Merck's insanity was driving me nuts.

 

[Anonymous]

Ex-Merck here. Living off dividends from the lump sum and 401K after decades with Merck. Felt sentimental for a year or so and discover life has so much more to offer. Going to a sushi bar with family for lunch today, then to the gym later on. Not interested in full time sales anymore. Thinking about working 2 days a week for fun but not sure where and what.

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has become a trash pile of negativity. Milk it for what you can, for as long as you can stomach it and then get out.

What you hear from the departed is experience talking. We've learned that life after Merck is to have re-joined the living.

Please sign in to get your food that I, the caterer, delivered. Please, please sign for a box or two (fingers crossed), since they are absolutely watching for that (of this I can assure you). That cell phone---it's being used to track your every move (another assurance). (Put that thing in a drawer and forward all calls to your personal cell phone.)"Oh, yes, Mr. Genius Manager, you're so right!" as you generate another fake smile. "Oh, sure, I can't wait to have you join me, again, to 'coach' me through my many shortcomings!" "I love my job!"

Oh, you poor bastards with no dignity, I don't miss that hellhole at all. Neither will you.

There are many great opportunities out there, but if you can accept your joke of an existence for the money, then carry on. I was embarrassed at what the job had become after twenty years. I was embarrassed by the pathetic shadows of once-proud people that surrounded me. Getting out was right for me. Staying may be right for others. I just can't imagine it.

Oh, and for the record, I was one of the most successful that Merck ever had.

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has become a trash pile of negativity. Milk it for what you can, for as long as you can stomach it and then get out.

What you hear from the departed is experience talking. We've learned that life after Merck is to have re-joined the living.

Please sign in to get your food that I, the caterer, delivered. Please, please sign for a box or two (fingers crossed), since they are absolutely watching for that (of this I can assure you). That cell phone---it's being used to track your every move (another assurance). (Put that thing in a drawer and forward all calls to your personal cell phone.)"Oh, yes, Mr. Genius Manager, you're so right!" as you generate another fake smile. "Oh, sure, I can't wait to have you join me, again, to 'coach' me through my many shortcomings!" "I love my job!"

Oh, you poor bastards with no dignity, I don't miss that hellhole at all. Neither will you.

There are many great opportunities out there, but if you can accept your joke of an existence for the money, then carry on. I was embarrassed at what the job had become after twenty years. I was embarrassed by the pathetic shadows of once-proud people that surrounded me. Getting out was right for me. Staying may be right for others. I just can't imagine it.

Oh, and for the record, I was one of the most successful that Merck ever had.

great post and so true... it is true what you said, Merck will eat up your dignity and self respect...the management is just bloody awful...

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has become a trash pile of negativity. Milk it for what you can, for as long as you can stomach it and then get out.

What you hear from the departed is experience talking. We've learned that life after Merck is to have re-joined the living.

Please sign in to get your food that I, the caterer, delivered. Please, please sign for a box or two (fingers crossed), since they are absolutely watching for that (of this I can assure you). That cell phone---it's being used to track your every move (another assurance). (Put that thing in a drawer and forward all calls to your personal cell phone.)"Oh, yes, Mr. Genius Manager, you're so right!" as you generate another fake smile. "Oh, sure, I can't wait to have you join me, again, to 'coach' me through my many shortcomings!" "I love my job!"

Oh, you poor bastards with no dignity, I don't miss that hellhole at all. Neither will you.

There are many great opportunities out there, but if you can accept your joke of an existence for the money, then carry on. I was embarrassed at what the job had become after twenty years. I was embarrassed by the pathetic shadows of once-proud people that surrounded me. Getting out was right for me. Staying may be right for others. I just can't imagine it.

Oh, and for the record, I was one of the most successful that Merck ever had.

Above poster tells it like it is. It's all about hanging in there until you can take it no longer. So glad to be near the end myself. What a shame to see this industry take a nosedive. It used to be a great job...one that will never be seen again.

 

[Anonymous]

Merck has become a trash pile of negativity. Milk it for what you can, for as long as you can stomach it and then get out.

What you hear from the departed is experience talking. We've learned that life after Merck is to have re-joined the living.

Please sign in to get your food that I, the caterer, delivered. Please, please sign for a box or two (fingers crossed), since they are absolutely watching for that (of this I can assure you). That cell phone---it's being used to track your every move (another assurance). (Put that thing in a drawer and forward all calls to your personal cell phone.)"Oh, yes, Mr. Genius Manager, you're so right!" as you generate another fake smile. "Oh, sure, I can't wait to have you join me, again, to 'coach' me through my many shortcomings!" "I love my job!"

Oh, you poor bastards with no dignity, I don't miss that hellhole at all. Neither will you.

There are many great opportunities out there, but if you can accept your joke of an existence for the money, then carry on. I was embarrassed at what the job had become after twenty years. I was embarrassed by the pathetic shadows of once-proud people that surrounded me. Getting out was right for me. Staying may be right for others. I just can't imagine it.

Oh, and for the record, I was one of the most successful that Merck ever had.

No truer words can be said, if I could find another job I'd feel the same

 

[Anonymous]

I'm an ex-merck and ex-schering plough....double whammy for me! Don't miss this high-stress and aggrevating upper management.

 

[Anonymous]

Out and don't miss a thing about Merck. I now have a job that empowers me and doesn't require an entire clueless management pyramid and endless teleconferences for me to get past a cup of coffee each day. I actually enjoy coming to work now. I used to feel that way at Merck but that feeling left maybe 15 years ago. When I first got out, I was always struck in retrospect about how little I sensed, while still there, that the place was so fucked up. Sounds like it is not getting better.

 

[Anonymous]

Retired a few years ago after 30 yrs.
Left just before layoffs; was lucky to get great retirement benefits. But here is a bit of truth--Merck is now trying to reduce the health care benefits for people who worked hard for them and tolerated a lot to retire well. They are doing it by raising the monthly payments and reducing what you get each year. However, upper management is paying themselves more and more.
The company is ill; the industry is ill.
I miss nothing about Merck; life is better without Merck.
From what I hear, Merck has really gone down as a place to work.
Merck has given it all away....it's reputation, it's work environment, it's research capability.
Too bad. It was once a great place to work.

 

[Anonymous]

Retired a few years ago after 30 yrs.
Left just before layoffs; was lucky to get great retirement benefits. But here is a bit of truth--Merck is now trying to reduce the health care benefits for people who worked hard for them and tolerated a lot to retire well. They are doing it by raising the monthly payments and reducing what you get each year. However, upper management is paying themselves more and more.
The company is ill; the industry is ill.
I miss nothing about Merck; life is better without Merck.
From what I hear, Merck has really gone down as a place to work.
Merck has given it all away....it's reputation, it's work environment, it's research capability.
Too bad. It was once a great place to work.

It is too bad. The company is ill, the industry is ill, and perhaps most worrisome, our nation is ill.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure what the OPs intention is here? Are you gloating because you still get paid too much and are trying to take a jab at ex-Merck employees or are you calling someone specifically out? Leave it to a pharm rep to not have a good closing message.

 

[Anonymous]

Retired three years ago. Making much less but so darn happy. At first I was not sure why I am sleeping so much better and happier. No more nodding my head and fake a smile as the godlike manager telling me how to move the rock. Regain my dignity. Regain my self worth. Amen.

 

[Anonymous]

Retired three years ago. Making much less but so darn happy. At first I was not sure why I am sleeping so much better and happier. No more nodding my head and fake a smile as the godlike manager telling me how to move the rock. Regain my dignity. Regain my self worth. Amen.

Cant think of retirement but close to the age. No job means no ability to pay obligations. This is sleeplessness, envy those who have no outstanding mortgage and bills.

 

[Anonymous]

Ex-Merck here, and the reason I come back? I love a good train wreck, especially when I'm not on the train! I have a great job in Medical Management, and it adds to my joy to come back and remember the hell that my 15 year career had become under the thumb of Mother Merck. Every thread here is a glaring reminder.

Ever since Vioxx-gate, the culture changed from one of a team to one of distrust. You couldn't trust anyone from peers to your manager to upper-management. And always around your neck was the noose in the form of a threat that you could be displaced in a wave of layoffs. It's amazing that lay-offs continue to happen, and still so many reps stick their heads in the sand or just continue to roll the dice. The thing is, if you stay at the table long enough, you're going to lose. I don't understand the mind of the person who's willing to wait for Merck to do it instead of taking matters into his/her own hands. Do you think it's less stressful to look for a job after you're laid off or while you have an income?

And it's all because Merck reps think they have such a cherry gig. They think there can't be anything as good. They put up with all the micro-managing and backstabbing along with being used by ungrateful customers who have no respect for pharma reps. "Oh, no! My doctors appreciate me, because I'm good at what I do!"

No. No, they don't. Stop lying to yourself and everyone else.

 

[Anonymous]

Ex-Merck here, and the reason I come back? I love a good train wreck, especially when I'm not on the train! I have a great job in Medical Management, and it adds to my joy to come back and remember the hell that my 15 year career had become under the thumb of Mother Merck. Every thread here is a glaring reminder.

Ever since Vioxx-gate, the culture changed from one of a team to one of distrust. You couldn't trust anyone from peers to your manager to upper-management. And always around your neck was the noose in the form of a threat that you could be displaced in a wave of layoffs. It's amazing that lay-offs continue to happen, and still so many reps stick their heads in the sand or just continue to roll the dice. The thing is, if you stay at the table long enough, you're going to lose. I don't understand the mind of the person who's willing to wait for Merck to do it instead of taking matters into his/her own hands. Do you think it's less stressful to look for a job after you're laid off or while you have an income?

And it's all because Merck reps think they have such a cherry gig. They think there can't be anything as good. They put up with all the micro-managing and backstabbing along with being used by ungrateful customers who have no respect for pharma reps. "Oh, no! My doctors appreciate me, because I'm good at what I do!"

No. No, they don't. Stop lying to yourself and everyone else.

Everyone reading this thread that is still at Merck should understand something quite clearly. You must start working at a second job and that second job is to seriously hunt for your next job. Staying and hoping is not addressing the key issue and only by investigating options and developing them will the anxiety that is Merck diminish. And success can be declared when the combination of disgust and opportunity is sufficient for you to move on past Merck. Take what time you have today to start working on your options and work hard at it. Layoffs are not going to ever end in this terribly confused company. They will only become less shocking and an embedded part of the corporate culture.