Pharmaceutical Sales Question

I work for Eli Lilly as a pharma rep. Love the job, love the industry.

Besides your friend working there, why do you want to be at Pfizer???
THey don't have much happening for a drug pipeline, and most of their products are either co-promoted or they have bought other small companies.
Many clinics in my area have banned Pfizer reps, as there are too many of them calling on docs, talking about the same products.
I'm not saying they are bad to work for, but there are many other companies out there that will offer exactly what Pfizer can offer, if not more.

Having said that, take a job with any drug company if you can get in.....work it hard for 2 years, and you can move to another company if you wish.

Have you contacted any recruiters in your area?? Most pharma companies will use headhunters to get qualified candidates.

 

Make sure they have something in their pipeline of drugs. That is the key to making money in pharm sales. I had 2 friends working for Perdue-Frederic? during the Oxy-Contin boom. They worked 3 days a week and their sales were huge. Then there were many problems with illegal use and the drug soured. Doctors are scared to prescribe. They had nothiing else in the pipeline so both reps left. Do some serious research on what is coming in.

 

I have thought about getting involved with Prescription Drug importation (especially if Canada's path gets more open).

Do you want to be involved with the buisiness aspect, or the sales end?

 

I'm not surprised that none of the people who are interested in becoming a pharmaceutical rep (Legally pushing drugs on people) own exotics.

 

What kind of comment is that?

You could say that most people wanting into pharmaceutical sales are younger men and women (<30) just starting careers, or trying to trade up. Obviously if they say they want into pharm sales they're not pulling $100k+ and own an exotic car yet.

If they already had an exotic from the job they had, I doubt being a pharmaceutical rep would be high on the list. But your comment just sounds snooty as hell. "Oh, I'm not surprised none of those kids interested in college have exotics yet..."

Are you an anti-pharmaceutical chiropractor or something?? Or is that a mean way of saying you can't make exotic-car-buying money being a rep?

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think that pharmaceutical sales would be a real b!tch. You have to get in front of doctors that don't have enough time to see their own clients! Please explain.

 

Peter,
It's just like any other sales job. You have to get in front of your customers, and it's not always easy. Once you have established a relationship, and have shown that you can provide "value" to the doctor, they will spend all the time in the world with you.

 

Well of course you have to get in front of the customer, I have been doing it in electronics for 24 years. I would think that the path of least resistance in drug sales can be had by booking an appointment with a doctor (cash visit). Once in front of the doctor (being that this would be a doctor that you would have trouble getting an appointment with), one can pitch their products. $100 per visit X's a base of 30 doctors, I would think that a good sales person could recoup their $3K in a year of new bussines. Is this a way that drug sales people use? I would.

 

I know a lady who's a rep who does very well - she does all kinds of crazy stuff, including walking into offices in costumes (ie. big bunny rabbit outfit) and other attention gag things. This along with from the usual lunches, gift baskets, etc.

 

My wife has been a rep for UCB (United Chemicals of Belgium) for 2.5 yrs. and loves it. Once you get a repor w/ these doctors, it gets much easier. Plus, they get a company car, great pay, great benefits, and many of them are home by 4:00. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in sales.

 

How is this different from a pharmacologist in practice? Except that a pharmacologist is probably pulling in 400k/year... in theory it sounds fairly similar?

--Dan