PHARMA ENDING SOON...WHERE TO GO?

[Anonymous]

Here is my 2 cents.... I am a recent college grad (this past May) and spent 3 of my 4 years in college working as a real estate broker full time while taking a full time classes at my university. I sold over 3 million dollars in real estate my senior year alone, since graduating sales have been down tremendously and I am looking into a different sales field now. I live in the biggest city in my state and have a major military base as well as a handful of colleges and universities, and yet real estate sales last month were down over 30%.....if you're thinking real estate....think again. No matter how good of a salesman one is, in real estate, the market determines a good portion of your income. All I hear on this site is about the pharma industry is going down the drain but I am actually looking to get in it now over selling real estate....any advice for a recent grad?

 

[Anonymous]

Here is my 2 cents.... I am a recent college grad (this past May) and spent 3 of my 4 years in college working as a real estate broker full time while taking a full time classes at my university. I sold over 3 million dollars in real estate my senior year alone, since graduating sales have been down tremendously and I am looking into a different sales field now. I live in the biggest city in my state and have a major military base as well as a handful of colleges and universities, and yet real estate sales last month were down over 30%.....if you're thinking real estate....think again. No matter how good of a salesman one is, in real estate, the market determines a good portion of your income. All I hear on this site is about the pharma industry is going down the drain but I am actually looking to get in it now over selling real estate....any advice for a recent grad?

Get good B2B. Do not do pharma. I would say payroll, with ADP or Paychex is a good start. Those jobs are not easy, and pay less than pharma. But, work your ass off and then after about 2-3 years, you can get into medical device easily.

 

[Anonymous]

Here is my 2 cents.... I am a recent college grad (this past May) and spent 3 of my 4 years in college working as a real estate broker full time while taking a full time classes at my university. I sold over 3 million dollars in real estate my senior year alone, since graduating sales have been down tremendously and I am looking into a different sales field now. I live in the biggest city in my state and have a major military base as well as a handful of colleges and universities, and yet real estate sales last month were down over 30%.....if you're thinking real estate....think again. No matter how good of a salesman one is, in real estate, the market determines a good portion of your income. All I hear on this site is about the pharma industry is going down the drain but I am actually looking to get in it now over selling real estate....any advice for a recent grad?

Agreed. The guy selling my mother's house is a real hustler with a huge company behind him and a previous AMAZING sales record. My mother's house is on the market for 1.5 and nobody will look at it. Plus, in the real estate field, you know have to have your customers come out of pocket with 20%, which very few people have. So on a 1.5 mil house, 300,000 out of pocket...who has that to sink in a house that will be worth 1 million next year?

 

[Anonymous]

Question on selling something like "industrial chemical systems"..I sell very well off of emotion. Always have. The FABs and price of my device, as well as the Return on Investment are good, but at the end of the day I prefer to get :"ohhhs and ahhs" when I demo something and then I can close on emotion, which most people buy off of anyways. Even when I sold copiers, I sold off of emotion, i.e. color, ease of use, etc.

I am no way bashing what you sell but am wondering how you get someone emotional about something like that.

The thrill of the deal, the negotiations, the back and forth, and closing a big deal is what’s exciting for me, not the product. All that Zig Ziegler shtick about “believing in your product” and “you must be excited about your product” is a joke, and is best reserved for door to door bible salesmen. Real salespeople, real negotiators know that it is the thrill of the deal. What, do you think 28 year stock brokers making $500K plus a year get all mushy and emotionally connected to a stock/company they are selling? F No! It’s the thrill of the deal and the prospect of making a lot of money that is exciting.

Look, I applaud what you do and that you get fulfillment out of the oohs and ahhs, but you are dead wrong about people buying on emotion. People buy impulse items off of emotion. When you are selling $25 million system it is all business and there is zero emotion whatsoever.

 

[Anonymous]

Sign me up.

Risk/reward is what needs to be assessed for any sales job.

That, and the company culture. Find a company that isn't going to make you do all the work, and them get all the pay.

Your post gives me hope that there are sales jobs with potential.

You should have a tremendous amount of hope. You have a job, in a big industry, selling technical products like drugs or devices and you have gained experience. If you want a sales job outside of medical you’ll find one. That’s why this whole device v. pharma argument is ridiculous and is contained to the medical industry. I assure you if you interviewed for a technical industrial sales job they would have absolutely no idea about the pharma sales process vs. the device sales process. What they would be more concerned about is your ability to understand complex products, which both drugs and device are, and whether you can have high level conversation with decision makers. I easily conveyed to my current company that talking to MD’s was analogous with talking to chemical engineers and their purchasing agents/managers.

 

[Anonymous]

You should have a tremendous amount of hope. You have a job, in a big industry, selling technical products like drugs or devices and you have gained experience. If you want a sales job outside of medical you’ll find one. That’s why this whole device v. pharma argument is ridiculous and is contained to the medical industry. I assure you if you interviewed for a technical industrial sales job they would have absolutely no idea about the pharma sales process vs. the device sales process. What they would be more concerned about is your ability to understand complex products, which both drugs and device are, and whether you can have high level conversation with decision makers. I easily conveyed to my current company that talking to MD’s was analogous with talking to chemical engineers and their purchasing agents/managers.

I have to disagree with you here. I am glad you found a job outside of pharma, but most decent paying sales jobs know pharma experience is worthless.

 

[Anonymous]

I have to disagree with you here. I am glad you found a job outside of pharma, but most decent paying sales jobs know pharma experience is worthless.

Incorrect. Why would you assume that any industry has knowledge of pharmaceuticals sales? Are you knowledgeable of the hundreds of industries and their commercial layout and selling cycle? Of course not. Also what is worthless about it? What,.. do you think a pacemaker rep is “closing” deals each time a unit is placed in? Do you think the rep negotiates the T & C’s for each pacemaker? Very few device jobs are selling a depreciable asset where a buyer is putting their name on the dotted line. Most devices are acquired from the local medical distributor or wholesaler. Tell me how that is anymore “tangible” than selling a pharmaceutical agent to a hospital? Dude I’ve done them both and both are sales. Device reps are the ONLY people who get all hung up with this “tangible” BS. Hell some of the best paid sales people in the world sell “consultancy services” and they are not selling a “tangible” product. What about stock brokers? Is that selling something tangible? Device rep likes to jerk pharma rep since pharma rep is self loathing for whatever reason. Two facts. The vast majority of device reps do not make what you have imagined in your head. Second pharma is by far the #1 hiring ground for 99% of device companies out there. Stop listening to the stupid recruiter, stop listening to “Device Rep”, they are not hiring all their reps from copier companies. The reason it is so hard to get a job in device and equipment is that there are simply a lot jobs to go around. I’ll give you a great example, almost every pacemaker rep I knew when I worked for Medtronic came from a cardiovascular pharma background.

The point is that a big industrial company is going to look highly upon someone who comes from another big industrial company like the “Pharmas”. They know that the people are trained, that they can work in a corporate structure, and for the most part can learn technical products.

 

[Anonymous]

Incorrect. Why would you assume that any industry has knowledge of pharmaceuticals sales? Are you knowledgeable of the hundreds of industries and their commercial layout and selling cycle? Of course not. Also what is worthless about it? What,.. do you think a pacemaker rep is “closing” deals each time a unit is placed in? Do you think the rep negotiates the T & C’s for each pacemaker? Very few device jobs are selling a depreciable asset where a buyer is putting their name on the dotted line. Most devices are acquired from the local medical distributor or wholesaler. Tell me how that is anymore “tangible” than selling a pharmaceutical agent to a hospital? Dude I’ve done them both and both are sales. Device reps are the ONLY people who get all hung up with this “tangible” BS. Hell some of the best paid sales people in the world sell “consultancy services” and they are not selling a “tangible” product. What about stock brokers? Is that selling something tangible? Device rep likes to jerk pharma rep since pharma rep is self loathing for whatever reason. Two facts. The vast majority of device reps do not make what you have imagined in your head. Second pharma is by far the #1 hiring ground for 99% of device companies out there. Stop listening to the stupid recruiter, stop listening to “Device Rep”, they are not hiring all their reps from copier companies. The reason it is so hard to get a job in device and equipment is that there are simply a lot jobs to go around. I’ll give you a great example, almost every pacemaker rep I knew when I worked for Medtronic came from a cardiovascular pharma background.

The point is that a big industrial company is going to look highly upon someone who comes from another big industrial company like the “Pharmas”. They know that the people are trained, that they can work in a corporate structure, and for the most part can learn technical products.

Well put. Sales is sales. Med device rep is always bragging about their tough days and other crap.

It comes down to bonus money, and the company culture. That's it.

These jobs, where you "have" to work on Saturdays and evenings are only good if you are getting paid.

I CHOOSE to stay in pharma because the pay is good. I have worked in other B2B, and it was slightly more work, because of the cold calling, however, the pay was not as good as pharma. That's why I left B2B.

 

[Anonymous]

Incorrect. Why would you assume that any industry has knowledge of pharmaceuticals sales? Are you knowledgeable of the hundreds of industries and their commercial layout and selling cycle? Of course not. Also what is worthless about it? What,.. do you think a pacemaker rep is “closing” deals each time a unit is placed in? Do you think the rep negotiates the T & C’s for each pacemaker? Very few device jobs are selling a depreciable asset where a buyer is putting their name on the dotted line. Most devices are acquired from the local medical distributor or wholesaler. Tell me how that is anymore “tangible” than selling a pharmaceutical agent to a hospital? Dude I’ve done them both and both are sales. Device reps are the ONLY people who get all hung up with this “tangible” BS. Hell some of the best paid sales people in the world sell “consultancy services” and they are not selling a “tangible” product. What about stock brokers? Is that selling something tangible? Device rep likes to jerk pharma rep since pharma rep is self loathing for whatever reason. Two facts. The vast majority of device reps do not make what you have imagined in your head. Second pharma is by far the #1 hiring ground for 99% of device companies out there. Stop listening to the stupid recruiter, stop listening to “Device Rep”, they are not hiring all their reps from copier companies. The reason it is so hard to get a job in device and equipment is that there are simply a lot jobs to go around. I’ll give you a great example, almost every pacemaker rep I knew when I worked for Medtronic came from a cardiovascular pharma background.

The point is that a big industrial company is going to look highly upon someone who comes from another big industrial company like the “Pharmas”. They know that the people are trained, that they can work in a corporate structure, and for the most part can learn technical products.

It comes up the individual employer in device. I sell a depreciable asset where people sign on the dotted line. The company wanted a "hunter" which by definition a pharma rep isnt. So, during the interview, the manager looks at my resume, see copiers which I sold out of college and said "Good" and then paused on pharma and smiles and goes "Well, I like you, I'll pretend I didn't see this. However, because the device we are selling is in the same field, at least you know the anatomy part."

So I guess pharma is good if you come from the same industry, your Medtronic example is actually VERY true in terms of going from from cardio drugs to cardio sales. I would say that the reps though that interview and only have pharma background versus a rep that already has experience in pacemakers, for example, or a rep from a hardcore sales job like Stryker, would be at a much bigger advantage.

With the thousands of drug reps that have been laid off recently and with very few device jobs out there due to the economy and low turn over, every one in pharma (or any field for that matter) is a dime a dozen. If you can market yourself well in the interview, that is all the better.

You are right, most device reps don't make the 300k mark. I can name a few I think might, but unless you see their w2s, consider them to be liars. Just like most pharma reps. I know don't make 100k. I will honestly do $165-170 this year when all is said and done. Which for device is pretty decent, and comparing it to pharma is fantastic. Do I want to earn more, yes, but I am 31 years old, so 170 at 31 ain't bad. I don't work any more or less than a drug rep. I just found a company where I like the culture, they like me because I post numbers up consistently and I don't bother anyone.

It isn't that I hated being a drug rep. I just didn't like the phonies in my company I was at. The micromanaging squeezed any joy that job had out of me. Call metrics, when the first call was made, how much you sampled, what targets did you visit...It squeezed out any notion of real "Doctor, may I earn your commitment to write this...?"

Al the company I am at now cares about is "What have you closed this quarter and tell me about the following large accounts." With 2 ride alongs a year and one one week training at corporate a year, I found a company that allows me focus in on selling, not proving to my manager that he should allow me to keep my job like in pharma.

 

[Anonymous]

It comes up the individual employer in device. I sell a depreciable asset where people sign on the dotted line. The company wanted a "hunter" which by definition a pharma rep isnt. So, during the interview, the manager looks at my resume, see copiers which I sold out of college and said "Good" and then paused on pharma and smiles and goes "Well, I like you, I'll pretend I didn't see this. However, because the device we are selling is in the same field, at least you know the anatomy part."

So I guess pharma is good if you come from the same industry, your Medtronic example is actually VERY true in terms of going from from cardio drugs to cardio sales. I would say that the reps though that interview and only have pharma background versus a rep that already has experience in pacemakers, for example, or a rep from a hardcore sales job like Stryker, would be at a much bigger advantage.

With the thousands of drug reps that have been laid off recently and with very few device jobs out there due to the economy and low turn over, every one in pharma (or any field for that matter) is a dime a dozen. If you can market yourself well in the interview, that is all the better.

You are right, most device reps don't make the 300k mark. I can name a few I think might, but unless you see their w2s, consider them to be liars. Just like most pharma reps. I know don't make 100k. I will honestly do $165-170 this year when all is said and done. Which for device is pretty decent, and comparing it to pharma is fantastic. Do I want to earn more, yes, but I am 31 years old, so 170 at 31 ain't bad. I don't work any more or less than a drug rep. I just found a company where I like the culture, they like me because I post numbers up consistently and I don't bother anyone.

It isn't that I hated being a drug rep. I just didn't like the phonies in my company I was at. The micromanaging squeezed any joy that job had out of me. Call metrics, when the first call was made, how much you sampled, what targets did you visit...It squeezed out any notion of real "Doctor, may I earn your commitment to write this...?"

Al the company I am at now cares about is "What have you closed this quarter and tell me about the following large accounts." With 2 ride alongs a year and one one week training at corporate a year, I found a company that allows me focus in on selling, not proving to my manager that he should allow me to keep my job like in pharma.

All good points and yes some device companies do like that “hunter” mentality and copiers sales experience, on the flip side, I know of some very high level device and cap equip companies who will not touch a guy with copier experience based on the physician specialty that would kick a overly aggressive “sales guy” out of the office so it really depends, on what the company is selling and to whom. Also the “hunter” mentality is a bit outdated and probably not coming from one of the more progressive companies. Back in the day this mentality was attractive since data was so hard to come by and good market research was nearly impossible to obtain. In this day and age with a plethora of good market research and data there is no guessing, in most therapeutic areas, of who is in the market to by your device or equipment. I’m pretty certain ortho reps know who the orthopedic surgeons are, and pacemaker reps know who the cardiothoracic guys are, and so on. What I have been saying since the beginning of this post is that not all pharma is the same and not all device, equipment, disposables are the same.

To your point about Stryker it is true but remember that Stryker is an entry level company. They churn and burn and most successful reps leave as soon as they are established in their territory. When I look at the “device page” on CP by my count there isn’t even a quarter of the device and equipment companies listed. What you see are the big companies selling in lots of different arenas. I’ve found that both in biotech and device/equipment the best companies with the best cultures are smaller and selling in specific niche markets.


In regards to the micromanagement thing again it is all dependant. I worked for a biotech in oncology where we never had field ride alongs, no reports, no call reporting/data entry, and we received our vial totals weekly. Along with that I made over $45K a quarter during a very famous oncology product launch, that some on this board would know and were apart of. So there is money to be made in all sectors of med sales. For instance when I jumped to equipment I went to a radiation oncology company selling Linacs. The reason I got hired was I knew every major cancer center in my area, I understood oncology and navigate the system to get to the decision makers. Not once, during the interview process, or while working there did anyone every bring up anything about be coming from pharma/biotech. Some of my colleagues did some were Rad Tech’s and dosimetrist , and some were old school reps from back in the day selling X-ray film. They did not have a perception on pharma. They loved that I understood the medical oncology side and the oncology market at a macro level.

 

[Anonymous]

All good points and yes some device companies do like that “hunter” mentality and copiers sales experience, on the flip side, I know of some very high level device and cap equip companies who will not touch a guy with copier experience based on the physician specialty that would kick a overly aggressive “sales guy” out of the office so it really depends, on what the company is selling and to whom. Also the “hunter” mentality is a bit outdated and probably not coming from one of the more progressive companies. Back in the day this mentality was attractive since data was so hard to come by and good market research was nearly impossible to obtain. In this day and age with a plethora of good market research and data there is no guessing, in most therapeutic areas, of who is in the market to by your device or equipment. I’m pretty certain ortho reps know who the orthopedic surgeons are, and pacemaker reps know who the cardiothoracic guys are, and so on. What I have been saying since the beginning of this post is that not all pharma is the same and not all device, equipment, disposables are the same.

To your point about Stryker it is true but remember that Stryker is an entry level company. They churn and burn and most successful reps leave as soon as they are established in their territory. When I look at the “device page” on CP by my count there isn’t even a quarter of the device and equipment companies listed. What you see are the big companies selling in lots of different arenas. I’ve found that both in biotech and device/equipment the best companies with the best cultures are smaller and selling in specific niche markets.


In regards to the micromanagement thing again it is all dependant. I worked for a biotech in oncology where we never had field ride alongs, no reports, no call reporting/data entry, and we received our vial totals weekly. Along with that I made over $45K a quarter during a very famous oncology product launch, that some on this board would know and were apart of. So there is money to be made in all sectors of med sales. For instance when I jumped to equipment I went to a radiation oncology company selling Linacs. The reason I got hired was I knew every major cancer center in my area, I understood oncology and navigate the system to get to the decision makers. Not once, during the interview process, or while working there did anyone every bring up anything about be coming from pharma/biotech. Some of my colleagues did some were Rad Tech’s and dosimetrist , and some were old school reps from back in the day selling X-ray film. They did not have a perception on pharma. They loved that I understood the medical oncology side and the oncology market at a macro level.

You responded to my post. Well said. The bottomline is go with a company that likes you and you like them.

We aren't in the times anymore where you have to be loyal from day one to the company as any company will do layoffs without thinking twice. Self preservation is the key.

 

[Anonymous]

Most of the pharma reps I know couldn't sell an umbrella in a rainstorm.....to anyone. Unless you have actual sales experience outside of pharma, you need to find another occupation. Here are some ideas: catering, chauffer, inventory. Or maybe start out as a bottom ladder salesman and acutally learn how to sell something.

Thanks for the advice oh jealous one. I will place you in one of two categories,

1. Rejected and unable to get into the Pharma Industry due to lack of talent
2. Device salesman that is failing miserably and not making any money

As for me I'm a pharma rep that realizes I am replaceable just like any other sales rep in any other industry. Catch is I make well over 6 figures delivering Pizza so I guess that makes me either a great pharma rep or a great pizza delivery guy. Either way well over 6 figures makes me and my family comfortable while also allowing me to truly live! Sorry for your failings my friend....

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice oh jealous one. I will place you in one of two categories,

1. Rejected and unable to get into the Pharma Industry due to lack of talent
2. Device salesman that is failing miserably and not making any money

As for me I'm a pharma rep that realizes I am replaceable just like any other sales rep in any other industry. Catch is I make well over 6 figures delivering Pizza so I guess that makes me either a great pharma rep or a great pizza delivery guy. Either way well over 6 figures makes me and my family comfortable while also allowing me to truly live! Sorry for your failings my friend....

Good post.
I am in the same boat, and still young. So, I have that insecurity, knowing that my "skills" are only as good as the manager likes me.

Just seems like there are jobs out there, that can offer more advancement without being treated like "you are only as good as your last sales year"...

what do you think?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice oh jealous one. I will place you in one of two categories,

1. Rejected and unable to get into the Pharma Industry due to lack of talent
2. Device salesman that is failing miserably and not making any money

As for me I'm a pharma rep that realizes I am replaceable just like any other sales rep in any other industry. Catch is I make well over 6 figures delivering Pizza so I guess that makes me either a great pharma rep or a great pizza delivery guy. Either way well over 6 figures makes me and my family comfortable while also allowing me to truly live! Sorry for your failings my friend....

If you truly are making over 6 figures you are the rarity in pharma. Even those that make over 6 figures don't make much more than 110, maybe.

I got into device and did $140,000 last year. Not bad, but not where I want to be either. My goal is to get into the 180 range. I have been in device for 3 years and I can say I like it so much better. I have had recruiters call me and I won't even consider a pharma job, even with high base salaries and decent commission. It is just sooo goddamn boring as I did it for 3 years. Device just isn't boring. And I work maybe 40 hours a week.

However, I respect your "mehhh" attitude. You are a pharma lifer and not marketable elsewhere, and I respect you because you know you aren't marketable. Pharma isn't a bad place to be but the layoff train sucks. Been there, done that.

 

[Anonymous]

What’s funny about this statement is that medical device is the easiest thing in the world to sell if you have a superior product with a fair price. Sorry device guy but the doc/hospital is not buying because of your superior sales ability they are buying because you sell the product with the best price/outcomes ratio. The products that truly prove the ability of a salesperson is a commodity product priced similarly. If the outcomes/results of a product(in any given industry) are negligible and the price in negligible between competitors that’s when you can show on paper the skill of a sales rep. If you sell the best pacemaker the pacemaker is selling itself not the rep. Sorry device guy but if you tried to float what you do in the open market you would be equally at a disadvantage as pharma rep. I don’t care if you are selling to the biggest institution in the country and dealing with “C Suite” personnel, the buyers in the medical field are the biggest losers, and lowest purchasing agents in the world. I left device and pharma and went into selling industrial chemical systems selling B2B and in a bad year I make $300K a year but I deal with the hardest ass strongest negotiators in the world. I remember selling into hospitals and the buyer and “C-suite” guy always would have to acquiesce to a MD chair and really had limited decision making power. If you want to test you mettle as a salesperson get out of medical and come to real B2B and, no copiers, hip implants, pace makers, etc, is not B2B!!!

Sorry buddy... my product cost $92 and the competitors is $70..now keep in mind they spend close to $100,000 of this item.
We guess what? I converted them to my $92 product. It is almost identical to the $70 device. How? Customer Service my friend! I could sell snow to an eskimo because ALL my customers are important to me!
Good luck to you! YOu are sure going to need it! LOSER

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry buddy... my product cost $92 and the competitors is $70..now keep in mind they spend close to $100,000 of this item.
We guess what? I converted them to my $92 product. It is almost identical to the $70 device. How? Customer Service my friend! I could sell snow to an eskimo because ALL my customers are important to me!
Good luck to you! YOu are sure going to need it! LOSER

what do you sell? your penis?

 

[Anonymous]

Where you want go all depends on what you want. What is your purpose? Many pharma sales reps got into the business to make decent money when the industry was peaking. A lot of the posters here make interesting and valid points. Pharmaceuticals sales, for many, provides good - maybe not great - money, but certainly is not the most fulfilling career. If you seek to earn more money you can certainly do so by entering device, large equipment, technology, or other b2b sales. And YES you will need to demonstrate that you can sell. The perception among many managers and companies is that pharmaceutical reps cannot sell - but that comes only from seeing former pharma sales reps who really can't. Think about how pharmaceutical sales is structured though. Reps visit offices every two to four weeks on average selling ("detailing") the same products over and over again with the same sales aids that each and other competitor has. There's really no imperative to push the products they know - and as does the customer - knowing that they'll be back again in two weeks with the same products and broken message.

With device sales you sell a product and then often are responsible for followup servicing and maintaining the relationships. Point is, if you can sell, you CAN make it in device, equipment, or whatever sales you want. I personally know of numerous former pharmaceutical sales reps who really, really wanted device sales and made it. They pursued other sales professionals in the territory, found out the competitors, researched the products, and truly made a case for hiring them.

But, if you want to explore other careers outside of pharma, you must explore yourself first. Again, what is your purpose? If you don't know what you want, how are you going to get there? Search x pharma rep online for more info. If you want money, look to the points above, and to some of the other valid points other posters make. But if you don't know, try career discovery first. Maybe you should consider other careers entirely. There can be true satisfaction in other careers if you're not happy in pharma, or may be forced out soon. (Which if you haven't yet, chances are that you may experience this still unfortunately...) Money isn't all that drives us remember. You must have a real internalization of what you're doing to truly be happy. Find that out first, and you'll really know what you should be doing after pharmaceutical sales!

 

[Anonymous]

Where you want go all depends on what you want. What is your purpose? Many pharma sales reps got into the business to make decent money when the industry was peaking. A lot of the posters here make interesting and valid points. Pharmaceuticals sales, for many, provides good - maybe not great - money, but certainly is not the most fulfilling career. If you seek to earn more money you can certainly do so by entering device, large equipment, technology, or other b2b sales. And YES you will need to demonstrate that you can sell. The perception among many managers and companies is that pharmaceutical reps cannot sell - but that comes only from seeing former pharma sales reps who really can't. Think about how pharmaceutical sales is structured though. Reps visit offices every two to four weeks on average selling ("detailing") the same products over and over again with the same sales aids that each and other competitor has. There's really no imperative to push the products they know - and as does the customer - knowing that they'll be back again in two weeks with the same products and broken message.

With device sales you sell a product and then often are responsible for followup servicing and maintaining the relationships. Point is, if you can sell, you CAN make it in device, equipment, or whatever sales you want. I personally know of numerous former pharmaceutical sales reps who really, really wanted device sales and made it. They pursued other sales professionals in the territory, found out the competitors, researched the products, and truly made a case for hiring them.

But, if you want to explore other careers outside of pharma, you must explore yourself first. Again, what is your purpose? If you don't know what you want, how are you going to get there? Search x pharma rep online for more info. If you want money, look to the points above, and to some of the other valid points other posters make. But if you don't know, try career discovery first. Maybe you should consider other careers entirely. There can be true satisfaction in other careers if you're not happy in pharma, or may be forced out soon. (Which if you haven't yet, chances are that you may experience this still unfortunately...) Money isn't all that drives us remember. You must have a real internalization of what you're doing to truly be happy. Find that out first, and you'll really know what you should be doing after pharmaceutical sales!

Its not just pharma reps that bust in medical device.

Lazy people bust.

 

[Anonymous]

Serioulsy, the place to go is back to school for a specialized field. Sales is good, but you will just end up like Willy Loman or something like that...

always being someone you are not for the sake of making money for your company.

always having to play the role, all the time.

its a crap way to live.

You are so right.

I hated having to step up to an indifferent doctor and being nice to people that did not care for me or like me and I felt the same about them.

Kissing butt for a fleet car and average money is not worth one's dignity.

I did this job for 2 years. Then 2 -years management. Then 2-year National Accounts.

I forced myself to go to work everyday and dreaded it. I did because is was suppose to be secure and profitable. Wrong. My friends that bagged out and went to work for the State shuffling papers everyday without ridiculous goals and expectations. Just staying warm.

I felt like a poser every day. Today, I am a baker with an MBA making a 1/4 of what I was making before.

I live in a little house, in a little town and drive a little old car. Honestly, I do not miss any of it. I wasted a lot of years chasing the carrot.

It is still a mystery how the sales teams seldom make goals or bonus anymore, but the Sr. executives seem to ALWAYS make their number? It is a rigged game.

It WAS a great job when I started in 1990. Those days are long gone.

 

[Anonymous]

You are so right.

I hated having to step up to an indifferent doctor and being nice to people that did not care for me or like me and I felt the same about them.

Kissing butt for a fleet car and average money is not worth one's dignity.

I did this job for 2 years. Then 2 -years management. Then 2-year National Accounts.

I forced myself to go to work everyday and dreaded it. I did because is was suppose to be secure and profitable. Wrong. My friends that bagged out and went to work for the State shuffling papers everyday without ridiculous goals and expectations. Just staying warm.

I felt like a poser every day. Today, I am a baker with an MBA making a 1/4 of what I was making before.

I live in a little house, in a little town and drive a little old car. Honestly, I do not miss any of it. I wasted a lot of years chasing the carrot.

It is still a mystery how the sales teams seldom make goals or bonus anymore, but the Sr. executives seem to ALWAYS make their number? It is a rigged game.

It WAS a great job when I started in 1990. Those days are long gone.

I want to believe you, but its hard to believe that you took your MBA and did nothing. Maybe I wrong?

Anyway, much of what you say is right one. And the idea that the seniors managers make bonus and we don't, is classic pharma: no incentive to put your best foot forward. Add managed care issues, and you have a nightmare.

Thanks for posting!