Has anyone moved to Texas or Florida for their career

[Anonymous]

This may not be a good place to post this but I'm going to give this a shot. I'm in my 40s and my experience in pharma has been alot different than most people have had since I was lucky enough to avoid big pharma. This has had its plusses and minuses. I have never worked in a pod and have called on mostly specialists, I typically have had ride alongs 4 times a year or so but I have never had a job with a pension and have never sold a blockbuster and my best year my w2 was about 110 or so and I know some of you made some killer money out there during the good times. This has set me up better than most though for the changes in our industry. The only companies that are hiring are small start ups - they are more unstable but in an iv I can really sell the fact that I have been with a number of start ups and know what that entails. My last 2 jobs I was laid off with the entire sales force but found consequent jobs in 2 months or less. The problem with going this route is in small companies launching a drug/product they give everyone the same quota and the Texas and Florida reps ALWAYS win presidents club. I have done well despite living in Wisconsin where coporations own all clinics and have largely eliminated reps since they see my time with the docors as the corporations time that I have stolen. I realize if I lived down south I wouldnt want someone telling me I had it easy either but the reality up here is I am lucky to see 3 docs a day if I dont have an appointment. Has anyone moved for their career and what are the pitfalls or risks I might be missing. My wife isn't wild about the idea and I would hate to make the move to have Obamacre change the entire landscape and I only have a couple good years and then that part of the country stinks also. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

This may not be a good place to post this but I'm going to give this a shot. I'm in my 40s and my experience in pharma has been alot different than most people have had since I was lucky enough to avoid big pharma. This has had its plusses and minuses. I have never worked in a pod and have called on mostly specialists, I typically have had ride alongs 4 times a year or so but I have never had a job with a pension and have never sold a blockbuster and my best year my w2 was about 110 or so and I know some of you made some killer money out there during the good times. This has set me up better than most though for the changes in our industry. The only companies that are hiring are small start ups - they are more unstable but in an iv I can really sell the fact that I have been with a number of start ups and know what that entails. My last 2 jobs I was laid off with the entire sales force but found consequent jobs in 2 months or less. The problem with going this route is in small companies launching a drug/product they give everyone the same quota and the Texas and Florida reps ALWAYS win presidents club. I have done well despite living in Wisconsin where coporations own all clinics and have largely eliminated reps since they see my time with the docors as the corporations time that I have stolen. I realize if I lived down south I wouldnt want someone telling me I had it easy either but the reality up here is I am lucky to see 3 docs a day if I dont have an appointment. Has anyone moved for their career and what are the pitfalls or risks I might be missing. My wife isn't wild about the idea and I would hate to make the move to have Obamacre change the entire landscape and I only have a couple good years and then that part of the country stinks also. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Wisconsin is a pretty place but you have to leave. You need to go where the doctors will accept you. It's just that simple.

 

[Anonymous]

My wife and I moved to TX from IL in 2004 and were both in Pharma. She took a promotion that got us the move for free. I left a big pharma to go to work for a small biotech and the thougth that "TX has it easy" is true. I took over a territory that was ranked 320 out of 400 due to geographical changes and reps leaving. My team of 10 had 5 PC winners my first year (only 40 reps got PC a year). By end of year 1 I moved to 180, year 2 ranked 71, year 3 ranked 44 and ranked 7th in final year. Doctors will generally see you but the key part is that TX is just doing better financially that other states. I sold a specialty drug that was more lifestyle than life saving and many of my Docs told me their patients were paying cash or had amazing insurance that covered most of the cost. If you have a good job you don't care about the $30 copay.

We are now both out of the industry and have moved on to sales with more lucrative industries. TX has a ton of opportunities and through networking with friends we made here we were able to move into sales jobs we would have never even imagined possible. The D/FW metroplex is awesome, cheap housing, no state tax, great schools, shopping and plenty of activities. WI is pretty but we have sunshine about 85% of the year and I don't care if I ever buy another winter coat in my life.

 

[anonymous]

Moved from Mi to GA. I hate it here! Sure the weather in winter is better but the culture here is so conservative. No excitement and no opportunities for fun. I just want to move back to Lansing and be around real people for a change instead these warped Christian robots.