Reps with Oncology Experience DO NOT INTERVIEW

[anonymous]

The recruiter told me the majority of offers will be to Onc/Hem experienced Reps.

 

[anonymous]

The recruiter told me the majority of offers will be to Onc/Hem experienced Reps.

Christ dude, go to bed already ....Give it up Y'all been posting for 15 hours today
LOL

 

[anonymous]

The recruiter told me the majority of offers will be to Onc/Hem experienced Reps.

You mean this is the first time you dealt with a not so honest recruiter?

16-20 reps will be from Hepatitis group. The other 12 from outside which they interviewed a hepatitis rep but either they were too new to Abbvie or had already left Abbvie

So essentially, you are backfilling an Abbvie hepatitis job

 

[anonymous]

Got back late last night from Ohare


Let me put this whole argument to rest:

I have no qualms about promoting from within. As one poster said "we are started somewhere"

Exactly, but, here's how I got promoted into Oncology, our company had mature Oncology products that had been on the market over 8 years. In the year I was promoted only 2 of us sniffed Oncology out of about 200 Onc reps.

Essentially, it makes sense to promote from within when you have mature products so that the rep can learn Oncology because it does take in excess of 1 year to learn everything. Why mature products? Because the market has been established. You generally won't lose that much business by the territory being vacant or the person "in training" learning Oncology.
If you have a drug like Rituxan, Erbitux, Glivec, etc...

Here's where the fireworks start:

BUT, to launch a new Oncology drug, that is actually a very good drug, in a crowded marketplace with over 10 different therapeutic possibilities, regimens, and combinations
WITH REPS, MANAGERS, MSL's, ETC...THAT HAVE ABSOLUTE NO ONCOLOGY EXPERIENCE
IS ABSOLUTELY THE CRAZIEST, MOST SUICIDAL BUSINESS DECISION I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 10+ YEARS IN ONCOLOGY

End of Story!!

 

[anonymous]

Got back late last night from Ohare


Let me put this whole argument to rest:

I have no qualms about promoting from within. As one poster said "we are started somewhere"

Exactly, but, here's how I got promoted into Oncology, our company had mature Oncology products that had been on the market over 8 years. In the year I was promoted only 2 of us sniffed Oncology out of about 200 Onc reps.

Essentially, it makes sense to promote from within when you have mature products so that the rep can learn Oncology because it does take in excess of 1 year to learn everything. Why mature products? Because the market has been established. You generally won't lose that much business by the territory being vacant or the person "in training" learning Oncology.
If you have a drug like Rituxan, Erbitux, Glivec, etc...

Here's where the fireworks start:

BUT, to launch a new Oncology drug, that is actually a very good drug, in a crowded marketplace with over 10 different therapeutic possibilities, regimens, and combinations
WITH REPS, MANAGERS, MSL's, ETC...THAT HAVE ABSOLUTE NO ONCOLOGY EXPERIENCE
IS ABSOLUTELY THE CRAZIEST, MOST SUICIDAL BUSINESS DECISION I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 10+ YEARS IN ONCOLOGY

End of Story!!

Yeah, well look at the way they launched Viekira. It's almost like they were suicidal. Some Wharton MBA over there was able to sell them a bill of goods. They did focus groups for VK with docs but the docs of course said they'd love to Rx VK. People will say anything you want to hear if you pay them.

But in real life, we all know that VK has its handicaps relative to Harvoni. If you got 2 drugs that are clinically equivalent, then it comes down to price and they blew that. Now, 6+ post-launch, we have virtually no market share. That's it, we're finished.

Let Genentech sell the CLL drug, and Abbvie should just milk Humira for all it's worth.

 

[anonymous]

Got back late last night from Ohare


Let me put this whole argument to rest:

I have no qualms about promoting from within. As one poster said "we are started somewhere"

Exactly, but, here's how I got promoted into Oncology, our company had mature Oncology products that had been on the market over 8 years. In the year I was promoted only 2 of us sniffed Oncology out of about 200 Onc reps.

Essentially, it makes sense to promote from within when you have mature products so that the rep can learn Oncology because it does take in excess of 1 year to learn everything. Why mature products? Because the market has been established. You generally won't lose that much business by the territory being vacant or the person "in training" learning Oncology.
If you have a drug like Rituxan, Erbitux, Glivec, etc...

Here's where the fireworks start:

BUT, to launch a new Oncology drug, that is actually a very good drug, in a crowded marketplace with over 10 different therapeutic possibilities, regimens, and combinations
WITH REPS, MANAGERS, MSL's, ETC...THAT HAVE ABSOLUTE NO ONCOLOGY EXPERIENCE
IS ABSOLUTELY THE CRAZIEST, MOST SUICIDAL BUSINESS DECISION I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY 10+ YEARS IN ONCOLOGY

End of Story!!

Here's where you are missing something ... Abbvie hired the majority of their initial HCV sales force from the outside. These folks had many years experience, were smart, and had great ideas and logical ways to launch VK. Once they got on board and saw the way things were going to go down - they all spoke up and protested the plan of action and suggested their ideas that worked before that were successful. Their ideas were not welcome and those reps were black balled for having an opinion that went against management - resulting in just about all of them resigning. That cost Abbvie a tremendous amount of money and time to back fill those spots. The lesson learned by Abbvie is they want bobble head robots that agree with all their strategies and execution plans - if you differ from those things you won't be welcome and you'll get so frustrated you'll want to quit anyways. Abbvie does what they want and they do not like opinions that are not their own. That is the REAL reason they are hiring mostly from within so they do not have the same problem that they had with HCV external hires. Makes no sense ... You are absolutely right, but it's Abbvies way or the highway. If you want your voice heard around here ... It better be in agreement with Abbvies strategy because if you don't you'll be viewed a negative bad attitude person who will be targeted as someone they want to get rid of. Honest truth!

 

[anonymous]

Here's where you are missing something ... Abbvie hired the majority of their initial HCV sales force from the outside. These folks had many years experience, were smart, and had great ideas and logical ways to launch VK. Once they got on board and saw the way things were going to go down - they all spoke up and protested the plan of action and suggested their ideas that worked before that were successful. Their ideas were not welcome and those reps were black balled for having an opinion that went against management - resulting in just about all of them resigning. That cost Abbvie a tremendous amount of money and time to back fill those spots. The lesson learned by Abbvie is they want bobble head robots that agree with all their strategies and execution plans - if you differ from those things you won't be welcome and you'll get so frustrated you'll want to quit anyways. Abbvie does what they want and they do not like opinions that are not their own. That is the REAL reason they are hiring mostly from within so they do not have the same problem that they had with HCV external hires. Makes no sense ... You are absolutely right, but it's Abbvies way or the highway. If you want your voice heard around here ... It better be in agreement with Abbvies strategy because if you don't you'll be viewed a negative bad attitude person who will be targeted as someone they want to get rid of. Honest truth!

That does make sense. Thank you for shedding light. I can definitely tell you that Onc reps do have ideas, experienced, and highly educated so trying to hold them back won't work and Abbvie would have them leaving in a couple months probably.

 

[anonymous]

I like the way these fools answer their own posts So Sad

 

[anonymous]

This is not going to be an easy drug to sell we are two years behind pharmacyclics and their PFS ROCKS. If the goals are more than 2-4 pts per qtr we are going to get hammered. If the brain trust doesn't properly price this drug 5K a month there will be no incentive for MDs to use it in combination studies. Still drug is going to take 5-7 yrs to get any traction, since it will take that long to get studies published. Drink the coolaid and don't fight mgt.'s stupid ideas.

 

[anonymous]

Take a chance take a chance take a chance on me.....

 

[anonymous]

Hello All,
I did have an interview schedule for today. On Friday, I emailed Abbvie recruiter to cancel based on numerous factors but most important was that I did not want to be subjected to inexperienced Oncology reps and management. I was a victim to this before at a Japanese company. This company has the most dysfunctional oncology unit I've ever seen.

History does repeat itself.

Good Luck to all.

 

[anonymous]

Novartis and BMS only 2 companies with the drug lineup you supposingly sold.
They both had PODs
Again, you're here interviewing because you're a bottom dweller at your company.
We both know that.

Novartis is moving to an 80/20 incentive mix of sales objectives and values/behaviors. They're not happy with this, so why not look around? And they absolutely have selling pods. They may not be aligned to the same sales objectives, but you've got reps walking around sharing products but selling on the different indications. It's confusing and inconvenient to customers. It's a heavy sales force destined for downsizing.

 

[anonymous]

Novartis is moving to an 80/20 incentive mix of sales objectives and values/behaviors. They're not happy with this, so why not look around? And they absolutely have selling pods. They may not be aligned to the same sales objectives, but you've got reps walking around sharing products but selling on the different indications. It's confusing and inconvenient to customers. It's a heavy sales force destined for downsizing.

Being an Abbvie rep that interviewed for oncology position, let me ask you this? How can you define what you did in your territory when you have 5 other people working in that same cluster?
I guess you can b.s. you way thru the interview and take all the credit but surely any managers you interview with for any company realize you're full of crap right?
Not putting you down but it would be dam hard to differentiate who did what with a multi person managed territory. I hope I don't get pass up for a lazy ass Novartis rep like you.

 

[anonymous]

There are many ways an individual on a team can create value and speak to it that would peak the interest of a recruiter. If you hang around long enough and quit with the frat boy crap (God CP is full of these people) you'll figure it out. Just an outside observer, just sayin.

 

[anonymous]

Got back late last night from Ohare

MSL's, ...THAT HAVE ABSOLUTE NO ONCOLOGY EXPERIENCE

This statement is completely false. Please do not speak of that which you do not have accurate information.

 

[anonymous]

Ok so they hired MSLs with oncology experience. The majority of reps and managers have none and it is a launch and you are competing against Pharmacyclics and Genentech and Gilead for the same market and indications. There is a reason they hire people with experience and relationships for a brand new division and launch…it is because they want the results (sales) as quick as they can get them. Sorry that won't be the case with Humira and hepatitis reps…big learning curve for you them to learn the disease state, who you are competing against in the crowded field and little relationships with onc treaters reps with no onc experience. Pharmacyclics certainly isn't going to help you out one ounce…you are competing against them. The no oncology experience is a weird experiment and it seems Genentech is really in charge of all the decisions even though this is a abbvie drug. Not set up for successful launch in my opinion after going thru the interviews last week. The geographies for the territories are for the convenience of Genentech reps and certainly not given a lot of thought to for the abbvie sales force. Does an experienced onc rep really wan to bust ass for a launch and also help train a bunch of newbie reps and managers to oncology? Don't think so…pass! Too bad Abbvie didn't have more experienced oncology folks brokering the deal with Genentech in this copromotion. Territories for abbvie are way too big to really be effective.

 

[anonymous]

Ok so they hired MSLs with oncology experience. The majority of reps and managers have none and it is a launch and you are competing against Pharmacyclics and Genentech and Gilead for the same market and indications. There is a reason they hire people with experience and relationships for a brand new division and launch…it is because they want the results (sales) as quick as they can get them. Sorry that won't be the case with Humira and hepatitis reps…big learning curve for you them to learn the disease state, who you are competing against in the crowded field and little relationships with onc treaters reps with no onc experience. Pharmacyclics certainly isn't going to help you out one ounce…you are competing against them. The no oncology experience is a weird experiment and it seems Genentech is really in charge of all the decisions even though this is a abbvie drug. Not set up for successful launch in my opinion after going thru the interviews last week. The geographies for the territories are for the convenience of Genentech reps and certainly not given a lot of thought to for the abbvie sales force. Does an experienced onc rep really wan to bust ass for a launch and also help train a bunch of newbie reps and managers to oncology? Don't think so…pass! Too bad Abbvie didn't have more experienced oncology folks brokering the deal with Genentech in this copromotion. Territories for abbvie are way too big to really be effective.

How's that 442
VrooooM VrooooM

 

[anonymous]

Ok so they hired MSLs with oncology experience. The majority of reps and managers have none and it is a launch and you are competing against Pharmacyclics and Genentech and Gilead for the same market and indications. There is a reason they hire people with experience and relationships for a brand new division and launch…it is because they want the results (sales) as quick as they can get them. Sorry that won't be the case with Humira and hepatitis reps…big learning curve for you them to learn the disease state, who you are competing against in the crowded field and little relationships with onc treaters reps with no onc experience. Pharmacyclics certainly isn't going to help you out one ounce…you are competing against them. The no oncology experience is a weird experiment and it seems Genentech is really in charge of all the decisions even though this is a abbvie drug. Not set up for successful launch in my opinion after going thru the interviews last week. The geographies for the territories are for the convenience of Genentech reps and certainly not given a lot of thought to for the abbvie sales force. Does an experienced onc rep really wan to bust ass for a launch and also help train a bunch of newbie reps and managers to oncology? Don't think so…pass! Too bad Abbvie didn't have more experienced oncology folks brokering the deal with Genentech in this copromotion. Territories for abbvie are way too big to really be effective.

I don't think they hired MSLs with experience. During IVs last week they said MSLs being promoted from within and have no oncology experience. Maybe they hiring 1 or 2 from outside but 80-90% internal

 

[anonymous]

Being an Abbvie rep that interviewed for oncology position, let me ask you this? How can you define what you did in your territory when you have 5 other people working in that same cluster?
I guess you can b.s. you way thru the interview and take all the credit but surely any managers you interview with for any company realize you're full of crap right?
Not putting you down but it would be dam hard to differentiate who did what with a multi person managed territory. I hope I don't get pass up for a lazy ass Novartis rep like you.

You said "not putting you down" then called me a "lazy ass Novartis rep."

Oh, I'm in a role where I do have sole responsibility for one of the most important products in the portfolio, and I've done very well with it.

You will get passed up. And I'll help build your oncology division and raise the stock price. Hopefully you have stock options or restricted shares, right?

 

[anonymous]

You said "not putting you down" then called me a "lazy ass Novartis rep."

Oh, I'm in a role where I do have sole responsibility for one of the most important products in the portfolio, and I've done very well with it.

You will get passed up. And I'll help build your oncology division and raise the stock price. Hopefully you have stock options or restricted shares, right?

Don't worry found out you're not getting the job anyhow. Idiot. Did you get an offer last two days? Um Nope. Offers went out Wed, Thurs and Tomorrow last day for East Coast
Guess who got theirs today? Yes asswipe, I did. Go back to your 5 POD group circle jerk.
Besides, I'm no dummy, gonna let Genentech reps do all the work. When I go to their lunches I'm gonna bust the Genentech rep for off label and retire a millionaire. I've got my 5 year plan on where I wanna be, do you?