To those that were severed:

[Anonymous]

Anyone starting a new job today? if so, congrats.

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone starting a new job today? if so, congrats.

My roommate from college's wife is a recruiter and she says that the job market for Pharma Reps is very grim. Right now, she says that it about 3 to 1 applicants to jobs and that most of those are contract jobs with much lower salary and fewer benefits. Some will still get placed at good companies but the competition keeps even those salaries down. Their recruiting company has an internal policy not to be too openly negative to Pharma Reps looking to be placed as it would discourage many from even trying to look so they will make it look like they are happy to engage with you just in case they can place you and get paid. Good Luck to all.

 

[Anonymous]

While it makes sense that the Pharma job market would be bleak, it seems like those severed in my area have been interviewing a ton. 2 have accepted jobs that either started today or start with in the next couple weeks. Both are in Pharma with bigger salaries than were receiving with Novartis and are specialty positions versus primary care. The others are in the final stages with 2nd & 3rd interviews, again with Pharma. So I don't know, for some, this is working out great. Severance and better position. Good luck to all.

 

[Anonymous]

While it makes sense that the Pharma job market would be bleak, it seems like those severed in my area have been interviewing a ton. 2 have accepted jobs that either started today or start with in the next couple weeks. Both are in Pharma with bigger salaries than were receiving with Novartis and are specialty positions versus primary care. The others are in the final stages with 2nd & 3rd interviews, again with Pharma. So I don't know, for some, this is working out great. Severance and better position. Good luck to all.

LOL Good one ! Where's your area? Fantasy Land ???
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[Anonymous]

My roommate from college's wife is a recruiter and she says that the job market for Pharma Reps is very grim. Right now, she says that it about 3 to 1 applicants to jobs and that most of those are contract jobs with much lower salary and fewer benefits. Some will still get placed at good companies but the competition keeps even those salaries down. Their recruiting company has an internal policy not to be too openly negative to Pharma Reps looking to be placed as it would discourage many from even trying to look so they will make it look like they are happy to engage with you just in case they can place you and get paid. Good Luck to all.

Actually careful not to be soooo self assuming. Pharma jobs are obviously unstable now do to companies putting way too many reps on the streets with useless mass marketing /POD selling tactics over the past 10-12 years. Those strategies never did work. Unfortunatley, there were 2-3 times the pharma reps on the streets than were actually needed. Any rep working in a POD situation is vulnerable and will eventually lose their job. That is just the sad reality. However, as pharma gradually gets back to single covered territores how it was back in the `90s, the reps who remain will be in very good situations. Trust me, the salaries are currently rising and will continue to do so for the reps landing jobs in these mid size/ small pharma companies. There are just not nearly as many of those jobs out there. The frustrations of many reps towards pharma will remain b/c all most see are many reps losing their pharma jobs. Unfortunately, this needs to be done to get pharma down to the size that makes the industry work just like it was back in the 90s. Don`t hate the players, the game is just changing and it drastically needed too. The reps who have the abilities to change with it can survive. Jobs will be competitive and they should be. Single covered territories are awesome. Pharma never should have gotten away from them.

 

[Anonymous]

LOL Good one ! Where's your area? Fantasy Land ???
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha

It's the truth...happened to me too. Got a job, better paying and better off. Was offered two. There are a good number of jobs out there people. It is not grim at all. All about networking to the right people. No need to freak out if you are let go. We will all find other jobs. Now that's not to say that we may be layed off again in the future but there are jobs out there!

 

[Anonymous]

Actually careful not to be soooo self assuming. Pharma jobs are obviously unstable now do to companies putting way too many reps on the streets with useless mass marketing /POD selling tactics over the past 10-12 years. Those strategies never did work. Unfortunatley, there were 2-3 times the pharma reps on the streets than were actually needed. Any rep working in a POD situation is vulnerable and will eventually lose their job. That is just the sad reality. However, as pharma gradually gets back to single covered territores how it was back in the `90s, the reps who remain will be in very good situations. Trust me, the salaries are currently rising and will continue to do so for the reps landing jobs in these mid size/ small pharma companies. There are just not nearly as many of those jobs out there. The frustrations of many reps towards pharma will remain b/c all most see are many reps losing their pharma jobs. Unfortunately, this needs to be done to get pharma down to the size that makes the industry work just like it was back in the 90s. Don`t hate the players, the game is just changing and it drastically needed too. The reps who have the abilities to change with it can survive. Jobs will be competitive and they should be. Single covered territories are awesome. Pharma never should have gotten away from them.

Nostalgia for the 90's. Even in the 90's Pharma was bloated and sick. The glide path for Pharma isn't back to where it was in the 90's but forward to where it looks more like Europe. Using that as a model says that Sales and Marketing costs are 3 times / patient what they are there. The is a reason why you've seemed to work in sales, you are comfortable selling platitudes not based on reality.

 

[Anonymous]

The is a reason why you've seemed to work in sales, you are comfortable selling platitudes not based on reality.(quote)

Actually I could give a rats ass why you think I work in sales. Bottom line is I make a cool 150K and have an off the hook quality of life. This sh!t is not who i am, its what i do to make damn good money to support my family and maintain my lifestyle.

 

[Anonymous]

The is a reason why you've seemed to work in sales, you are comfortable selling platitudes not based on reality.(quote)

Actually I could give a rats ass why you think I work in sales. Bottom line is I make a cool 150K and have an off the hook quality of life. This sh!t is not who i am, its what i do to make damn good money to support my family and maintain my lifestyle.

you owe my insurance carrier 100k because after reading your post i laughed so hard i blew my asshole out.
you my friend take the cake for being the being cun t on cafepharma. 150k? did you add up 2009-2013? what a cun t!

 

[Anonymous]

you owe my insurance carrier 100k because after reading your post i laughed so hard i blew my asshole out.
you my friend take the cake for being the being cun t on cafepharma. 150k? did you add up 2009-2013? what a cun t!

I have some kind advice for you my friend. Stop using your personal situation as your baseline comparator vs other reps. You will continue to get smoked. It will also continue to anger you and crush your self esteem. Better luck next time.....

 

[Anonymous]

Actually careful not to be soooo self assuming. Pharma jobs are obviously unstable now do to companies putting way too many reps on the streets with useless mass marketing /POD selling tactics over the past 10-12 years. Those strategies never did work. Unfortunatley, there were 2-3 times the pharma reps on the streets than were actually needed. Any rep working in a POD situation is vulnerable and will eventually lose their job. That is just the sad reality. However, as pharma gradually gets back to single covered territores how it was back in the `90s, the reps who remain will be in very good situations. Trust me, the salaries are currently rising and will continue to do so for the reps landing jobs in these mid size/ small pharma companies. There are just not nearly as many of those jobs out there. The frustrations of many reps towards pharma will remain b/c all most see are many reps losing their pharma jobs. Unfortunately, this needs to be done to get pharma down to the size that makes the industry work just like it was back in the 90s. Don`t hate the players, the game is just changing and it drastically needed too. The reps who have the abilities to change with it can survive. Jobs will be competitive and they should be. Single covered territories are awesome. Pharma never should have gotten away from them.

Hopefully this is the case. I agree that getting Pharma size back down to where it once was without all the counter parts would be great.

 

[Anonymous]

Hopefully this is the case. I agree that getting Pharma size back down to where it once was without all the counter parts would be great.

Under Obamacare and even the proposed changes from the GOP, it will change much more then this. In the 90's still ~ 50% of all the Revenue $'s for Pharma was for "me-too" drugs i.e. branded drugs with either generic equivalents or were second or third to the market with no significant clinical benefits to offer over the first to market.

The regulations in the US have now changed the market so much that these drugs are MUCH less profitable and Pharma doesn't need Reps to push them. With them being much less profitable it make the development of drugs in the same category much less likely to be invested in for research and development and with millions of Americans being added to the rolls of insured over the next 5 - 10 years Pharma doesn't need the expense of as many Reps to grow their total Rev $'s.

The glory days of US Pharma Rep'ing is long gone. It will look more and more like Europe each day.

 

[Anonymous]

Under Obamacare and even the proposed changes from the GOP, it will change much more then this. In the 90's still ~ 50% of all the Revenue $'s for Pharma was for "me-too" drugs i.e. branded drugs with either generic equivalents or were second or third to the market with no significant clinical benefits to offer over the first to market.

The regulations in the US have now changed the market so much that these drugs are MUCH less profitable and Pharma doesn't need Reps to push them. With them being much less profitable it make the development of drugs in the same category much less likely to be invested in for research and development and with millions of Americans being added to the rolls of insured over the next 5 - 10 years Pharma doesn't need the expense of as many Reps to grow their total Rev $'s.

The glory days of US Pharma Rep'ing is long gone. It will look more and more like Europe each day.

Only thing glorious about it is the 150k that I make each year. Yes lots of issues in Pharma but a smaller Pharma makes for a better one. And yes there are high paying single covered teritory Jobs to be had out there.

 

[Anonymous]

Only thing glorious about it is the 150k that I make each year. Yes lots of issues in Pharma but a smaller Pharma makes for a better one. And yes there are high paying single covered teritory Jobs to be had out there.

many fewer going forward.

 

[Anonymous]

many fewer going forward.

That is quite obvious. Pharma across the board will be 40% smaller and that's not a bad thing.

 

[Anonymous]

I just landed a new job( I wish I got laid off from Novartis) to make a lot more money (base+commission). If you are good and has a solid track record, you will find a good job. Don't be discouraged. Good luck everyone!

 

[Anonymous]

I just landed a new job( I wish I got laid off from Novartis) to make a lot more money (base+commission). If you are good and has a solid track record, you will find a good job. Don't be discouraged. Good luck everyone!

CONGRATULATIONS! Good luck making those Subway sandwiches!! Ha! Ha! Have a beer or a twelve pack on me, burp!!

 

[Anonymous]

That is quite obvious. Pharma across the board will be 40% smaller and that's not a bad thing.

Pharma in general or Pharma Rep jobs? Total Pharma Rev$'s are growing while Pharma Rep jobs are decreasing. The ratio of Pharma Rev$ and Profits / Pharma Rep has been increasing for the last 30 years. It is referred to as "Sales Force Effectiveness". Obamacare has just given new tools for Pharma to increase those efforts.

They can sell ever more with ever less Reps.

 

[Anonymous]

That is quite obvious. Pharma across the board will be 40% smaller and that's not a bad thing.

The good news: revenues for pharma globally are increasing at between 7.7% - 10.4% per year (adjusting for inflation), and profits % is up by 13.2% in the 5 year period ended 31-Dec-2013.

The downside: US-based pharma/device/biotech payrolls have been steadily decreasing at 2.7% per year over the last ten years.

Bottom Line: Higher paying American-based jobs are being cut, while lower paying Asian-based jobs are increasing: for example, NVS is moving 5000 jobs to India over the next 18 months at 70% less pay (salary is still higher by Indian standards)

Horror story: Lower quality products, fake clinical trials, and bribery-driven sales are all set to increase exponentially - India is corrupt to the core

 

[Anonymous]

Pharma in general or Pharma Rep jobs? Total Pharma Rev$'s are growing while Pharma Rep jobs are decreasing. The ratio of Pharma Rev$ and Profits / Pharma Rep has been increasing for the last 30 years. It is referred to as "Sales Force Effectiveness". Obamacare has just given new tools for Pharma to increase those efforts.

They can sell ever more with ever less Reps.

We'll put and very accurate. Pharma jobs are paying higher salaries, there just fewer jobs out there. Most of the counter part/ pod jobs will be gone by 2015. Small sales forces with singled covered territories are the wave of the future. Layoffs will continue until all of oharma gets down to this.