Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u leave.

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Anonymous

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Hang in there as long as you can people...I know the place is toxic and if you are over
45 the CTLs want you out...

But be prepared to lose 1/2 to 2/3rds of your income unless you get another pharma job...(not sure why you would want to do that--they all suck.)

Pharma is a fantasyland industry that works because people need medicine, and the margins are crazy obscene for drug companies...

I am finding out that in the real world, no one is going to pay me 6 figures, for bringing donuts, grabbing a sig, and schmoozing Mary Ann Rottencrotch at the nurse's station...

I miss the money and part time hours in pharma, but that is about it...

Live within your means, cuz when your pharma "career" ends, it is gonna get fugly fast...
 

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Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Just to let you working stiffs know - I left Merck in 2010 and there are PLENTY of jobs out there. Don't be foolish and think you will get 80 - 100K for doing nothing, but if you are willing to get outside the box and realize your potential, the jobs are available....... I was making 118K base and thought I was in Heaven. Guess what, I now LOVE my job, working part time and making 60K plus. Don't be fooled by the big dollars - enjoy your life, it's much shorter than you think.............
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
Just to let you working stiffs know - I left Merck in 2010 and there are PLENTY of jobs out there. Don't be foolish and think you will get 80 - 100K for doing nothing, but if you are willing to get outside the box and realize your potential, the jobs are available....... I was making 118K base and thought I was in Heaven. Guess what, I now LOVE my job, working part time and making 60K plus. Don't be fooled by the big dollars - enjoy your life, it's much shorter than you think.............
Click to expand...
Doing the same - and loving it. Life is most definitely shorter than you think!
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
Just to let you working stiffs know - I left Merck in 2010 and there are PLENTY of jobs out there. Don't be foolish and think you will get 80 - 100K for doing nothing, but if you are willing to get outside the box and realize your potential, the jobs are available....... I was making 118K base and thought I was in Heaven. Guess what, I now LOVE my job, working part time and making 60K plus. Don't be fooled by the big dollars - enjoy your life, it's much shorter than you think.............
Click to expand...

I left a job in a pharma-like industry about a year ago. LIFE is so much better. For awhile I took a few months off (I've worked full-time for MANY years) and had some fun. Went to the beach, and just goofed off. I started working two part-time jobs that paid more than what I was making at my previous job. Then I was offered a full time position that about doubled what my other "pharma-like" job was paying. I've always by very frugal and I was very careful with my money. I invested early and never was into flashy homes, etc. Don't be afraid to move on b/c there are "Jobs after pharma" that lead to careers.
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

While this might be true for ctls and those who are lifelong Pharma, not true for all! Many of us have advanced degrees and have had real healthcare jobs. I quit in January and am back working as a clinical nurse manager. And I am making almost the same money, only downside is I now have to actually go to work everyday lol.

Much better off after Merck.
 








Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
...but you'll regain all of your dignity.
Click to expand...

and I am here to tell you that you can't put a price tag on that!!!

I was a career merckie, so I have been hit catastrophically (financially) by choosing to leave, but life is still sooooooo much better outside of crazyass Merck...

only those who have left understand what I mean....

I never realized how bad it really was at Merck, until I left there...

the place definitely gets into your brain...
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
and I am here to tell you that you can't put a price tag on that!!!

I was a career merckie, so I have been hit catastrophically (financially) by choosing to leave, but life is still sooooooo much better outside of crazyass Merck...

only those who have left understand what I mean....

I never realized how bad it really was at Merck, until I left there...

the place definitely gets into your brain...
Click to expand...

Agreed, honestly I made out ok in my new job. But working for a good person and a good company was like a rebirth. I truly and honestly would rather live in a tent and be unemployed than to ever work for such an awful company again. You are right - those who haven't left can't taste that yet- but it is incredible. Absolutely incredible.
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
Agreed, honestly I made out ok in my new job. But working for a good person and a good company was like a rebirth. I truly and honestly would rather live in a tent and be unemployed than to ever work for such an awful company again. You are right - those who haven't left can't taste that yet- but it is incredible. Absolutely incredible.
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I got my health back when I left in 2009- No more crazy-eyed manager ride alongs to make me ill the week before! Life is too short and my family needs me way too much-
 












Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
I got my health back when I left in 2009- No more crazy-eyed manager ride alongs to make me ill the week before! Life is too short and my family needs me way too much-
Click to expand...

Me too! A very healthy female who began having all kinds of weird, and out-of-the-blue, health problems about 1 1/2- 2 yrs before finally getting the heck out of pharma. Anxiety attacks/panic (a lot), stomach problems which we could never get diagnosed, chronic coughing for no apparent reason; bad, bad moods and insomnia. I could go on. EVERYTHING went away AS SOON as I left pharma. All that crap for a stupid, useless, fake job.
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
Me too! A very healthy female who began having all kinds of weird, and out-of-the-blue, health problems about 1 1/2- 2 yrs before finally getting the heck out of pharma. Anxiety attacks/panic (a lot), stomach problems which we could never get diagnosed, chronic coughing for no apparent reason; bad, bad moods and insomnia. I could go on. EVERYTHING went away AS SOON as I left pharma. All that crap for a stupid, useless, fake job.
Click to expand...

I experienced all of the same symptoms because of pharma...

FU MERCK!!
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
Me too! A very healthy female who began having all kinds of weird, and out-of-the-blue, health problems about 1 1/2- 2 yrs before finally getting the heck out of pharma. Anxiety attacks/panic (a lot), stomach problems which we could never get diagnosed, chronic coughing for no apparent reason; bad, bad moods and insomnia. I could go on. EVERYTHING went away AS SOON as I left pharma. All that crap for a stupid, useless, fake job.
Click to expand...

I swore my left shoulder was rotting off at the joint or full of cancer. Seriously, I could not sleep and was in pain all day. Boom! I get canned and the pain leaves that day to never return. Coincidence? No.
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

I was on zoloft, taking ambien at night, developed a drinking problem, and had to take ativan on field visit days. All resolved and I am off those awful meds since quitting merck. My husband says I am a different person!
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
I was on zoloft, taking ambien at night, developed a drinking problem, and had to take ativan on field visit days. All resolved and I am off those awful meds since quitting merck. My husband says I am a different person!
Click to expand...

you have got to be kidding !!!! How many reps are like this!!! I guess you were never cut out for this job. Don't blame your manager, the company or anyone else. Just look in the mirror. If you are having all these major issues, define the problem and resolve it. In your case, you should have left a long time ago. So sad that there is so much negativity on this board
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

Anonymous said:
you have got to be kidding !!!! How many reps are like this!!! I guess you were never cut out for this job. Don't blame your manager, the company or anyone else. Just look in the mirror. If you are having all these major issues, define the problem and resolve it. In your case, you should have left a long time ago. So sad that there is so much negativity on this board
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Really? I have many friends that had some part of this. The place is an awful place. Three former co workers are on STD for this and they are awesome people. Merck is a dead end.
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

It's sick. I drink vodka when I have to work with my ctl. Not that she is any better as she drinks a bottle of wine during our lunch. Going to AA, Merck made me into a drunk. My husband hates MERCK and wants me to just quit. And I might sober up and do just that.
 




Re: Keep you drug rep job as long as you can: You'll lose half your income when u lea

LOL, yep. Stomach issues, breathing problems, insomnia, depression, no energy, extreme sorrow, hopelessness, pain, back problems. . . I no longer even give a shit if I live or drop over dead tomorrow. too old to care, too tired to do anything about it. Not stupid, just sick, old and resigned to this wretched place. Life as a pharma rep has to be one of the worst fucking jobs on the planet. Sadly, we have ZERO transferrable skills if you spent more than five years doing this and are over fifty. No other company will EVER hire you again. It is a death sentence and these companies know they can torture us, treat us like shit and the old ones cannot go anywhere. If we drop over dead, they do not care. Someone will step in tomorrow for probably less money and do it until they drop over. Can I get a do over?
 




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