Merck 2011: FROM BAD TO WEIRD!!

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Anonymous

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How many of you out there feel that things have gotten so depressing at Merck, that you fear you are doing irreperable damage to your personal "brand" being associated with this company? A company so lacking in ethics, and one that treats employees with such disregard, makes for a pretty unhappy existence yes?

Let's start a list, of what makes the "brave new world" at Merck, such a scary, toxic place.

1) Field "visits" - Is there anything more humiliating than putting on a stupid dog and pony
show in front of customers, just so your manager thinks he "adds value."

2) Teleconferences - Whoever sells teleconferencing services to Merck, must be
laughing. This company is addicted to telecons more than Lindsey
Lohan is parties...

3) Business analysis - Though the drug rep has little, if any effect on customers anymore,
Merck stresses that we must analyze every nuance of our territory. For
the most part, it is a total waste of time and energy.

4) Coporate Sloganeering - Merck loves their slogans...They spew a new one every couple
of weeks, and the managers glom onto them like barnacles on the bottom
of a boat...New commercial model...hire to retire...blah blah blah...

Go ahead...add a few of your own...this place is so depressing...UGH!!
 






This place is crawling with zombies....everyone is numb and just going through the motions of their job, trying desperately not to think too much about their depressing situation for fear of becoming even more depressed. This is Merck and it aint pretty. Your #3 is spot on. I've quit wishing this company would allow me to just go out and sell. I guess that's way to simple for our sophisticated complex structure (lol). We fool no one except ourselves and that isn't working anymore, either. Too bad, so sad, I've been had.
 






I can't even have the laptop on the passenger seat and use it whenever possible during a field visit. Then when I try to look at it before a call, my manager keeps bugging me for not verbally sharing my analysis and thoughts so he can provide value and critique me. By the time he is done micro-analyzing the info like Einstein for about half an hour, I completely lost track of what I originally planned to do.
 






It seems that the only way to deal with the culture is to operate like a Stepford Wife - robotic, devoid of a personality, a thought, a need of one's own, and speaking in a monotone, slow way. The people who are viewed as superstars in this organization all seem to have adopted this demeanor and it seems to avoid any personal mental injury, it is best to don the costume in the morning.

It is so sad. And yes, I have been told point blank that having Merck on my resume is an issue because other companies have had issues hiring former Merck people because they only seem able to operate in the Merck way. So I feel my personal brand is damaged - and it was great beforehand having been brought in from SP.
 






Anonymous said:
It is so sad. And yes, I have been told point blank that having Merck on my resume is an issue because other companies have had issues hiring former Merck people because they only seem able to operate in the Merck way. So I feel my personal brand is damaged - and it was great beforehand having been brought in from SP.
Click to expand...

That is sad. I found it to be quite thrilling to no longer operate in the Merck way. There are other ways out there Merckies. You just need the cajones to try them.
 












True story about micro management from MRL 2007: this woman, Ann Marie would rewrite her direct reports emails-she really had too much time on her hands-the meaning of the contents did not change. How did her rewording add value??? No one will ever know but she wanted a hand in everyhting-totally unproductive and then she would complain about staying long hours at work. What a bitch she is-one thing Merck did do after a survey was to stop her from being a manager with direct reports. BUT she is still at Merck pretending to add value...........
 






Anonymous said:
True story about micro management from MRL 2007: this woman, Ann Marie would rewrite her direct reports emails-she really had too much time on her hands-the meaning of the contents did not change. How did her rewording add value??? No one will ever know but she wanted a hand in everything-totally unproductive and then she would complain about staying long hours at work. What a bitch she is-one thing Merck did do after a survey was to stop her from being a manager with direct reports. BUT she is still at Merck pretending to add value...........
Click to expand...

I know of a person now in West Point for quite awhile that used to not forward, say, a formulary on to share with us. This person would re-type the entire document into Microsoft Word and then forward it on. That extra effort earned this person a promotion. I am just not as smart as this person nor have the energy to re-type document after document to create the necessary aura to be promoted.
 






The number of galacticlally clueless organisms that have reached Director level and above at Merck is the stuff of legends. Laughable as long as you have opportunities that don't include Merck.
 






Anonymous said:
How many of you out there feel that things have gotten so depressing at Merck, that you fear you are doing irreperable damage to your personal "brand" being associated with this company? A company so lacking in ethics, and one that treats employees with such disregard, makes for a pretty unhappy existence yes?

Let's start a list, of what makes the "brave new world" at Merck, such a scary, toxic place.

1) Field "visits" - Is there anything more humiliating than putting on a stupid dog and pony
show in front of customers, just so your manager thinks he "adds value."

2) Teleconferences - Whoever sells teleconferencing services to Merck, must be
laughing. This company is addicted to telecons more than Lindsey
Lohan is parties...

3) Business analysis - Though the drug rep has little, if any effect on customers anymore,
Merck stresses that we must analyze every nuance of our territory. For
the most part, it is a total waste of time and energy.

4) Coporate Sloganeering - Merck loves their slogans...They spew a new one every couple
of weeks, and the managers glom onto them like barnacles on the bottom
of a boat...New commercial model...hire to retire...blah blah blah...

Go ahead...add a few of your own...this place is so depressing...UGH!!
Click to expand...

Hey dickhead. You need to remember that you are a volunteer. You can leave when ever you want. Nobody has you locked into your job but yourself. You also need to learn to spell the words irreparable and corporate. Idiot.
 






Anonymous said:
The number of galacticlally clueless organisms that have reached Director level and above at Merck is the stuff of legends. Laughable as long as you have opportunities that don't include Merck.
Click to expand...
these days, the key is to make your own opportunities...especially if you are an older employee who is unlikely to get re-hired in corporate america...who would really want to stay in the pharmaceutical industry after experiencing Merck? the bottom line is you can escape from Merck & pharma, but sacrifices (big ones) will have to be made...the question one must ask themselves is "How bad to things have to get here, before I just make the break?"
 






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