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Merck to cut 600 Sales Reps by end of next month





If your end date, as in last paycheck before severance, is 8/26 you are part of the 600. If your date is different you are not.

I always thought, though I'm not 100%, that the Department of Labor filing was specific to those affected in that state only. Why would cuts from all over the country be applied to two addresses in PA?

Correct
 




If your end date, as in last paycheck before severance, is 8/26 you are part of the 600. If your date is different you are not.

I always thought, though I'm not 100%, that the Department of Labor filing was specific to those affected in that state only. Why would cuts from all over the country be applied to two addresses in PA?

Sales reps have addresses in PA
 
























Step 1- Find a recruiter in your area that deals with pharmaceuticals or biotech. Companies are hiring, just not the Big 5. You have talent and skills which smaller companies want, so start with these guys. You will find that smaller (start-up) companies revere experience. Be flexible; will you replace the salary at Merck...probably not but you should come close.
 




Step 1- Find a recruiter in your area that deals with pharmaceuticals or biotech. Companies are hiring, just not the Big 5. You have talent and skills which smaller companies want, so start with these guys. You will find that smaller (start-up) companies revere experience. Be flexible; will you replace the salary at Merck...probably not but you should come close.

why in the world would you want to stay in the pharmaceutical industry, unless you plan on getting into management to try and make a career out of it?? that makes no sense…

You are almost assuring yourself of a crisis (by staying in pharma) when you get into your 40s and 50s because the job "skills" are not recognized by other industries, and you will be left high and dry at a critical time…

bad advice cochise…yes, maybe the biotech's offer a little better chance of survival, but even with them, you are just waiting for the next layoff…

go back to school and get out of sales, or get into an industry, where they don't throw away older sales reps like yesterday's garbage.
 








why in the world would you want to stay in the pharmaceutical industry, unless you plan on getting into management to try and make a career out of it?? that makes no sense…

You are almost assuring yourself of a crisis (by staying in pharma) when you get into your 40s and 50s because the job "skills" are not recognized by other industries, and you will be left high and dry at a critical time…

bad advice cochise…yes, maybe the biotech's offer a little better chance of survival, but even with them, you are just waiting for the next layoff…

go back to school and get out of sales, or get into an industry, where they don't throw away older sales reps like yesterday's garbage.
Dental mfg reps
Insurance or Real Estate
Banking / Finance
Grainger likes ex pharma

All these offer lower salary but better stability.
 








Idiots. Read the 10-k, which is a legally binding document. It's 29000 (to round). Not small, but that's the real number. There are about 12,000 positions still to be eliminated though. Sigh....

You are actually paying attention!!! Why are people surprised at new lay offs, the company has told us they will cut until 65,000 are left. Last I heard, the company still employs 76,000.
 




You are actually paying attention!!! Why are people surprised at new lay offs, the company has told us they will cut until 65,000 are left. Last I heard, the company still employs 76,000.

As of end of June, 73,000 (in earnings announcement). 2250 more folks will be gone when Consumer Care sale to Bayer goes through end of 2014.
 








You are actually paying attention!!! Why are people surprised at new lay offs, the company has told us they will cut until 65,000 are left. Last I heard, the company still employs 76,000.

You're a little behind. Ken was saying 65k after the horror of the merger started to show. Now, with patent cliff after patent cliff and far fewer launches than were anticipated he's looking for a much lower number. My guess is about 45k when all is said and done.
 












Step 1- Find a recruiter in your area that deals with pharmaceuticals or biotech. Companies are hiring, just not the Big 5. You have talent and skills which smaller companies want, so start with these guys. You will find that smaller (start-up) companies revere experience. Be flexible; will you replace the salary at Merck...probably not but you should come close.

Could be 15-20k or more on loss and another 5k less on bonus with contract. Have strong resume and jobs are tight. Big competition. Small companies fewer and will not pay big.