Fixed duration positions??

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Anonymous said:
Perhaps the individual meant 95% of new hires. Either way, there was miscommunication and I apologize. Are there ANY happy people in FDE positions? I realize that the people that are the happiest in their positions are usually not on cafepharma, but does anybody know anyone who's satisfied with an FDE position?
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My level of satisfaction with the job itself is not much different than it would be if I were an FTE instead of FDE. There's just even more uncertainty about your future prospects. The job is exactly the same with only a couple exceptions - such as 401k matching and ability to post for open positions. Same cars, same health benefits, same managers, etc...

Realistically, there is little security anywhere in pharma right now - to think otherwise is just living in denial. However, if I were an FTE I'd be entitled to a severance package of some kind when/if my services are no longer needed. With so many people on the street, this is essentially how companies can take advantage of short term labor without any downside costs at all upon termination.

There's another thread on the issue - but most believe that the chances of being extended for another two years are not that great considering market dynamics and big product losses that Lilly will continue to experience. JMHO / YMMV.
 






Doesn't Lilly have alot of products in R & D? Are there alot coming soon? Why all the oncology cuts? Compared to other pharma co.'s, how does Lilly compare as far as future products realistically coming to market? I know I'm asking alot, but I'm working 60+ hours a week and just don't have the time to research it. Please
 






Anonymous said:
Doesn't Lilly have alot of products in R & D? Are there alot coming soon? Why all the oncology cuts? Compared to other pharma co.'s, how does Lilly compare as far as future products realistically coming to market? I know I'm asking alot, but I'm working 60+ hours a week and just don't have the time to research it. Please
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It's called the FIPNET approach (google it). The CEO picked it up from Harvard or IUPUI.

Doesn't work.

Apple was successful beyond it's wildest dreams precisely because they have control over all aspects of their business enterprises. Microsoft has lots of partners and spends more time and money on lawyers and MBAs than on development.

History will judge.
 






Anonymous said:
Doesn't Lilly have alot of products in R & D? Are there alot coming soon? Why all the oncology cuts? Compared to other pharma co.'s, how does Lilly compare as far as future products realistically coming to market? I know I'm asking alot, but I'm working 60+ hours a week and just don't have the time to research it. Please
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Yes, there are plenty of products in R&D. However, that really doesn't mean much until they make it through the FDA for approval. You're still trying to equate pie-in-the-sky hopes and dreams with reality. In my opinion, phase II study products are so far away from success, they're just a gamble. Even by phase III, a huge percentage of them never make it, and if they do, it could take several years. Then we need to value the amount of revenue they'll bring to the company. Some seem good, but don't have anywhere near the amount of return we'll need to replace the billions lost with Zyprexa and upcoming Cymbalta.

Your requests for what is "realistically" true are not realistic in themselves. With pharma, you can't count promises and dreams until they come true in the paycheck, both for the company and reps. "Realistically" none of us know that until the day it happens.

It sounds like you're being "sold" a bunch of hooey and you're believing it because you want to. We all want to believe all those things, but until they happen they're just hot air. Nobody can predict the success of studies and how the FDA will view future products, much less the time frame. We can wish and want, but it rarely happens that way.

Is this a hiring manager "selling" you with all of this, or just a recruiter or phone screener?

If you're surprised by the oncology job cuts, just wait until the rest hit. That's unfortunately small beans compared to the rest that are likely at some point in the next year to two.
 






Anonymous said:
Yes, there are plenty of products in R&D. However, that really doesn't mean much until they make it through the FDA for approval. You're still trying to equate pie-in-the-sky hopes and dreams with reality. In my opinion, phase II study products are so far away from success, they're just a gamble. Even by phase III, a huge percentage of them never make it, and if they do, it could take several years. Then we need to value the amount of revenue they'll bring to the company. Some seem good, but don't have anywhere near the amount of return we'll need to replace the billions lost with Zyprexa and upcoming Cymbalta.

Your requests for what is "realistically" true are not realistic in themselves. With pharma, you can't count promises and dreams until they come true in the paycheck, both for the company and reps. "Realistically" none of us know that until the day it happens.

It sounds like you're being "sold" a bunch of hooey and you're believing it because you want to. We all want to believe all those things, but until they happen they're just hot air. Nobody can predict the success of studies and how the FDA will view future products, much less the time frame. We can wish and want, but it rarely happens that way.

Is this a hiring manager "selling" you with all of this, or just a recruiter or phone screener?

If you're surprised by the oncology job cuts, just wait until the rest hit. That's unfortunately small beans compared to the rest that are likely at some point in the next year to two.
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you may also be surprised that even some of the pipeline products will hit the wall with a challenge
 






























What happens to a FDE if Lilly decides after a year, they no longer need them? Do they get any kind of severence? I am sure those people were counting on at least 2 years of employment.
 












Anonymous said:
What happens to a FDE if Lilly decides after a year, they no longer need them? Do they get any kind of severence? I am sure those people were counting on at least 2 years of employment.
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No severance. That's stated right up front. They say goodbye, see ya at WalMart with all the rest of us. Managers will be door greeters. Reps will stock.
 


















Here's the honest truth since you seem to actually be asking.

We had 10 FDEs in our department. Since then, 2 were hired, 4 were let go, and the rest were extended either for 1 year or 2 years.

You have a maximum employment time of 4 years as an FDE because at year 5, the pension kicks in and your FDE position counts towards that. Although don't count on that pension as I hear it's going to be going away.
 






I was FDE at Lilly from April 2017 to November 2017.. on a 4 year FDE. I was let go when the voluntary retirement scenario came about, as they were scrambling for money. Their excuse was "I just don't see the technical ability", even though I had the highest service ticket completion rate, and highest survey scores (I was Senior Workstation Analyst). They didn't even have the common decency to give me a legit reason, and they let me go a week before Thanksgiving. No warning, no heads up, just boom.. you're out. Looking back, it was the best thing that happened to me professionally (didn't seem so at the time, with the holidays coming up, a toddler and wife to support). The atmosphere there is beyond toxic. Starting out, you think "Eli Lilly! Great company doing great things!".. then you work there and realize it's nothing but clique after clique, backstabbers after backstabbers. Sure, the money is nice, but at the cost of my happiness and my soul?? No thanks. Stay away from FDE if at all possible..
 






Before I retired 2 years ago I had worked with many, many FDEs over my 28 years. The function of an FDE can be for 2 reasons:
1) they need to fill a position quickly and can’t find or have time to find a suitable internal candidate. They hire an FDE from a third-party vendor that Lilly validated and used (a temp agency/temp service). Examples of vendors include Quintiles, Parexel, etc.

2) they need a temporary person for a temporary task or project. They may even be used to backfill a position while someone is on leave.

Typical contracts run from 18 months to 2 years but can be longer.

Is it a “ticket” into Lilly? Sometimes but often not. If their contract is up and there is a position for them and no Lilly employee fits the description then they might be hired. FDEs are almost never hired when Lilly is going through a reallocation period.
 






Anonymous said:
Heard you guys have "fixed duration" positions. What does this mean and does the fixed duration typically turn into a full-time gig?
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You have a job for 4 years, then you are unemployed. During that 4 years, you cannot transfer to any other role in the company until a few months before the end of that period. Your bonus will be significantly less than peers, you receive no stock and do not have tuition payment benefit. I did it and left after 2 years because I saw roles for which I was qualified and could not transfer due to FDE status.
 






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