LISTEN UP AZ Field Sales

[Anonymous]

This is a done deal. The back and forth bid rejections are just formalities, PFE will see to it that this goes through....remember Ian Read is from the UK. I have family that works for PFE and I was a Pharmacia casualty of war, AZ will not win this, and many AZ salespeople will get cut.

Prepare now. Spruce up your resume, if you wanted to jump to another industry or get into devices now is the time. If you don't mind getting laid off, stay around, get decent numbers and you'll be rewarded with a nice bonus and great severance package.

It's all about taxes, stockholders, and exec bonuses. Not you

 

[Anonymous]

The deal makes sense and everyone on the AZ side knows it. Pascal has been playing this deal for months and months. He is really screwing the shareholders if he and the Board doesn't take it!

 

[Anonymous]

This is a done deal. The back and forth bid rejections are just formalities, PFE will see to it that this goes through....remember Ian Read is from the UK. I have family that works for PFE and I was a Pharmacia casualty of war, AZ will not win this, and many AZ salespeople will get cut.

Prepare now. Spruce up your resume, if you wanted to jump to another industry or get into devices now is the time. If you don't mind getting laid off, stay around, get decent numbers and you'll be rewarded with a nice bonus and great severance package.

It's all about taxes, stockholders, and exec bonuses. Not you

Please describe examples of another industry that is a good fit for tenured, award-winning field salespeople. I went to a headhunter that was recommended by a friend that went through this 5 years ago. I wanted to cry when they gave me the "honest truth".

I don't mind telling everyone that I am scared. But it helps a little to know that many back-stabbing POS district and regional types, and inept marketing people will be out of work, too.
Forgive me God, but some people are just downright evil!

 

[Anonymous]

Please describe examples of another industry that is a good fit for tenured, award-winning field salespeople. I went to a headhunter that was recommended by a friend that went through this 5 years ago. I wanted to cry when they gave me the "honest truth".

I don't mind telling everyone that I am scared. But it helps a little to know that many back-stabbing POS district and regional types, and inept marketing people will be out of work, too.
Forgive me God, but some people are just downright evil!

Unfortunately Pharma reps, no matter how successful, are considered soft sellers. Med device or supplies won't consider us. UPS and FedEx pay sales reps well, however, you have to start at inside sales and prove yourself there. There are a few 1099 reps, former pharma, that do well. It's not for everyone.
The best bet for anyone that wants to stay in this field is who you know. However, the things are if you landed a job it is highly likely be short lived. This is no longer a career but only a job.

 

[Anonymous]

This is a done deal. The back and forth bid rejections are just formalities, PFE will see to it that this goes through....remember Ian Read is from the UK. I have family that works for PFE and I was a Pharmacia casualty of war, AZ will not win this, and many AZ salespeople will get cut.

Prepare now. Spruce up your resume, if you wanted to jump to another industry or get into devices now is the time. If you don't mind getting laid off, stay around, get decent numbers and you'll be rewarded with a nice bonus and great severance package.

It's all about taxes, stockholders, and exec bonuses. Not you

How long after your former company got acquired you were downsized? I'm asking because I want to plan accordingly. I agree with you that it's a done deal.

 

[Anonymous]

Former Wyeth rep here. Pfizer announced their plans to buy us in early January 2009. By the time all the countries where both companies did business oked the deal it was October. Wyeth officially became Pfizer on a Friday and the sales force was told to stay home the following Tuesday to get the call on whether you would be let go or not. Like the other posters have said most AZ sales reps will be cut. Only ones where Pfizer needs help in an open territory will they keep an AZ rep. After that over the next couple years they will weed/ force out the rest of the AZ reps. It's sad but true.

 

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately Pharma reps, no matter how successful, are considered soft sellers. Med device or supplies won't consider us. UPS and FedEx pay sales reps well, however, you have to start at inside sales and prove yourself there. There are a few 1099 reps, former pharma, that do well. It's not for everyone.
The best bet for anyone that wants to stay in this field is who you know. However, the things are if you landed a job it is highly likely be short lived. This is no longer a career but only a job.

I spent 5 years in B2B sales before that past decade here. If you can sell you can sell. If you've been coasting in pharma or any sales career you won't cut it in a new sales career. It has nothing to do with pharma, medical, industrial, supplies, insurance, real estate, etc etc. If you can sell then you will be successful anywhere.

 

[Anonymous]

I spent 5 years in B2B sales before that past decade here. If you can sell you can sell. If you've been coasting in pharma or any sales career you won't cut it in a new sales career. It has nothing to do with pharma, medical, industrial, supplies, insurance, real estate, etc etc. If you can sell then you will be successful anywhere.

This is true but not for six figure incomes any longer. Welcome to WalMart, would you like fries with that, will that be to go? Those are the new job opportunities. 45% of recent college graduates are working in jobs that don't require a college degree and 37% are still living at home at age 28. Those are the opportunities we are looking at.

 

[Anonymous]

Agree with everything that's been said on this thread. Looking back at history, you'll realize Pfizer has lost NOT one deal. From the Hostile take over of Warner-Lambert/Parke Davis to amiable surrendering by many other well established pharma companies are the proof it's a bidding game. AZ Board is gonna milk Pfizer and then hand over our future in the hands of the butcher. Once the deal goes through, it is going to be matter of days when Pfizer starts charting out what to keep, what to chop off. From Reps and first line managers to senior management - everyone should all be concerned.

 

[Anonymous]

It doesn't matter if you can sell. It's the perception this industry has given us. Submit a resume to a med device company and you will not get selected for an interview. Send a resume to insurance you will. They need warm bodies. Expect you to sell to your family first and then start cold calling.

 

[Anonymous]

Wake up. If you think you're selling, as an Rx rep, then you can't sell.

When you get laid off, tell the next company the truth. Tell them you always wanted to make a difference, but you were unable to speak because of your company. You were handcuffed and could not sell.

Forget about convincing anyone except a low end employer that you act as a salesman when you do your AZ work. You are prohibited from doing so. Tell the truth.

 

[Anonymous]

Gone are the days of lavish dinners and rah rah sales meetings. No more Starbucks gift cards,
Company cars, free lunches, 15 hour work weeks, and the ability to coach your kids soccer team. You will be set free just like your forefathers who worked 10 hour days to make ends meet. This is what the government administration wants. Everyone equal. Let the struggle begin. We welcome it. AZ was like the SS, controlling, non forgiving, and did not care what happens to the lower tier, like sales reps. Prepare yourselves for a long struggle and downsize if you can.

 

[Anonymous]

Former Wyeth rep here. Pfizer announced their plans to buy us in early January 2009. By the time all the countries where both companies did business oked the deal it was October. Wyeth officially became Pfizer on a Friday and the sales force was told to stay home the following Tuesday to get the call on whether you would be let go or not. Like the other posters have said most AZ sales reps will be cut. Only ones where Pfizer needs help in an open territory will they keep an AZ rep. After that over the next couple years they will weed/ force out the rest of the AZ reps. It's sad but true.

This is spot on. Little different in Pharmacia, as most of those people were offered positions or moved to other territories, King also. Wyeth was just too big, too many salespeople, and you will soon see this will be heartless transaction.

 

[Anonymous]

Gone are the days of lavish dinners and rah rah sales meetings. No more Starbucks gift cards,
Company cars, free lunches, 15 hour work weeks, and the ability to coach your kids soccer team. You will be set free just like your forefathers who worked 10 hour days to make ends meet. This is what the government administration wants. Everyone equal. Let the struggle begin. We welcome it. AZ was like the SS, controlling, non forgiving, and did not care what happens to the lower tier, like sales reps. Prepare yourselves for a long struggle and downsize if you can.

Our future has nothing to do with the government, and everything to do with the ineptitude of the industry, poor pipelines, and silly pharma arms races of 1992 to 2007. Even IF this deal does not go through, we will go through it again in the near future. THAT change will be due to the ACA and its impact on drug prices and usage of branded meds vs generics.

 

[Anonymous]

This is a done deal. The back and forth bid rejections are just formalities, PFE will see to it that this goes through....remember Ian Read is from the UK. I have family that works for PFE and I was a Pharmacia casualty of war, AZ will not win this, and many AZ salespeople will get cut.

Prepare now. Spruce up your resume, if you wanted to jump to another industry or get into devices now is the time. If you don't mind getting laid off, stay around, get decent numbers and you'll be rewarded with a nice bonus and great severance package.

It's all about taxes, stockholders, and exec bonuses. Not you

It was over a year ago or longer. Pfizer lost or is losing its blockbusters they bought and went shopping for another mismanaged company with drugs with a few yrs left on the patent. They'll loot and pillage, then move on to the next. Soon there will be no one left to buy.

 

[Anonymous]

This will only be good for a few chosen ones. But overall anyone here with any tenure has to have known that. Brillanta really? That was going to save the company.Symbicort and all the new formulations. Crestor and its $18 pricing. Paul Hudson was a breath of fresh air but he has no real power as one can see now. It is all about what PFE wants and they will get what they want.Not really sure why they want this POS company but it appears they do so you can not stand in the way. Do not go quietly though stay focused and control the controllable s and bet big on which suckers are kept. If you are close to retirement as I am hope for a bridge to get you there. The longer the deal takes the better off you are just take it one day at a time and enjoy your pension.

 

[Anonymous]

One positive thing is when there are open territories some will be offered those. I was a former Wyeth rep that had a great territory in Florida. I was offered a position in Detroit. I took it, got couple of years out of it but was later a victim of downsizing. At least I got two more years. Loaded family and a Uhaul and moved to Alabama. Got a position with an insurance company and making some money. Not like pharma, but my family is happy.

 

[Anonymous]

Loaded family and a Uhaul and moved to Alabama. Got a position with an insurance company and making some money. Not like pharma, but my family is happy.

what type of insurance are you selling? did you take over an existing agency or start from scratch?

 

[Anonymous]

One positive thing is when there are open territories some will be offered those. I was a former Wyeth rep that had a great territory in Florida. I was offered a position in Detroit. I took it, got couple of years out of it but was later a victim of downsizing. At least I got two more years. Loaded family and a Uhaul and moved to Alabama. Got a position with an insurance company and making some money. Not like pharma, but my family is happy.

When they offer you a territory that requires a relo from Florida to Detroit, they are really saying, we hope you quit but if you are stupid enough to move to Detroit then we will give you a few years and see if you survive. If you survive then we will lay you off and you will be stuck living in the biggest shit hole in the nation. They weren't keeping you, they were fucking with you.

 

[Anonymous]

Amen, true datt.