The reality of this question is depressing.
I got out after 15 years in 2008, actually laid off and made the decision not to try to get back in. I ended up in the Device and SaaS businesses.
The good news is other sales jobs care about how much you sell not the BS that the Pharma business constantly asked for. There are no ride alongs with your manager, few reports to submit and all of the crazy metrics that guide Pharma life don't exist. If you sell, you keep your job. If you don't, you lose your job.
So my guess is this sounds great to you. It can be. If your company has reasonable expectations around quotas, you can make a lot of money without the aggravation. You will work longer hours because you will make additional money for everything you sell.
The downside is the stress caused by poor leadership and there is a lot of poor leadership. Companies fluctuate between reasonable expectations and stretch goals. If you get new leadership that wants to show the board that they can maximize sales, you get unreasonable goals and a lot of turnover. It is a cycle. They go for the stretch goals, most people don't make them the first year, and anyone who did make their goal fails the second year. Again, a lot of turnover and then the goals get normalized again because the reps with the connections and relationships move on to other companies.
What this means to you is you will have a few good years with a company, then someone will make bad decisions. You then leave to find a new job that is good for a few years and repeat.
Compare that with Pharma. Lots of BS metrics and manager time, but not a lot of accountability. You guys have to worry about layoffs, but mostly your job is safe if you stay in the middle of the pack. Lots of excuses that are usually valid around formulary, etc. so it is harder to get fired. The job is mind numbing, but not difficult and much lower stress.
Last point - The older you get the less likely you will make a positive change. Companies have a preference for young reps. They think they are more energetic and work harder. I find the opposite. I have sold and managed on both sides, and will take an experienced rep with market knowledge and relationships with key players every time. Unfortunately that is not the norm. The older you get the less likely you are to get hired, so when the next set of stretch goals comes out, it can really mess with your world.
I got out after 15 years in 2008, actually laid off and made the decision not to try to get back in. I ended up in the Device and SaaS businesses.
The good news is other sales jobs care about how much you sell not the BS that the Pharma business constantly asked for. There are no ride alongs with your manager, few reports to submit and all of the crazy metrics that guide Pharma life don't exist. If you sell, you keep your job. If you don't, you lose your job.
So my guess is this sounds great to you. It can be. If your company has reasonable expectations around quotas, you can make a lot of money without the aggravation. You will work longer hours because you will make additional money for everything you sell.
The downside is the stress caused by poor leadership and there is a lot of poor leadership. Companies fluctuate between reasonable expectations and stretch goals. If you get new leadership that wants to show the board that they can maximize sales, you get unreasonable goals and a lot of turnover. It is a cycle. They go for the stretch goals, most people don't make them the first year, and anyone who did make their goal fails the second year. Again, a lot of turnover and then the goals get normalized again because the reps with the connections and relationships move on to other companies.
What this means to you is you will have a few good years with a company, then someone will make bad decisions. You then leave to find a new job that is good for a few years and repeat.
Compare that with Pharma. Lots of BS metrics and manager time, but not a lot of accountability. You guys have to worry about layoffs, but mostly your job is safe if you stay in the middle of the pack. Lots of excuses that are usually valid around formulary, etc. so it is harder to get fired. The job is mind numbing, but not difficult and much lower stress.
Last point - The older you get the less likely you will make a positive change. Companies have a preference for young reps. They think they are more energetic and work harder. I find the opposite. I have sold and managed on both sides, and will take an experienced rep with market knowledge and relationships with key players every time. Unfortunately that is not the norm. The older you get the less likely you are to get hired, so when the next set of stretch goals comes out, it can really mess with your world.