OT- Med/Pharm Sales

[NM11046]

Absolutely - and it's a small world.  Reputation is everything.  And I guarantee his priorities and work schedule in that job is why he took 10 years to get back into it.  Layoffs have a targeting priority and I'd bet he was hit pretty early on.

[teachercd]

1 minute ago, NM11046 said:

Absolutely - and it's a small world.  Reputation is everything.  And I guarantee his priorities and work schedule in that job is why he took 10 years to get back into it.  Layoffs have a targeting priority and I'd bet he was hit pretty early on.

He found some lame drug company and I think he said it was/is 100% commission based but I think he already left it.  Dude became a mess...oh and his wife left him.

[JJ Husker]

Seems like a giant step backwards. Of course I hate sales people and couldn't have a lower opinion of pharmaceutical companies. I don't care what kind of bank a person can make, there has to be a better way to make a living. JMO.

[Hedley Lamarr]

1 hour ago, JJ Husker said:

Seems like a giant step backwards. Of course I hate sales people and couldn't have a lower opinion of pharmaceutical companies. I don't care what kind of bank a person can make, there has to be a better way to make a living. JMO.

some people likes sales and dont judge the occupations of others if it makes them happy and they are able to provide for themselves and their families 

[JJ Husker]

52 minutes ago, Hedley Lamarr said:

some people likes sales and dont judge the occupations of others if it makes them happy and they are able to provide for themselves and their families 

Back off salesman of the month.  I agree, somebody has to do it. It will just never be me. Sales is one thing but then mix it in with the unscrupulous business of big pharma and I can't imagine much anything worse. And like I originally said, just my opinion. Not so much judging others but rather expressing my complete lack of inclination towards that type of career.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Just now, JJ Husker said:

Back off salesman of the month.  I agree, somebody has to do it. It will just never be me. Sales is one thing but then mix it in with the unscrupulous business of big pharma and I can't imagine much anything worse. And like I originally said, just my opinion. Not so much judging others but rather expressing my complete lack of inclination towards that type of career.

well im not fond of people who knit sweaters for cats and put them on etsy but who are we to judge???

[NM11046]

18 minutes ago, JJ Husker said:

Back off salesman of the month.  I agree, somebody has to do it. It will just never be me. Sales is one thing but then mix it in with the unscrupulous business of big pharma and I can't imagine much anything worse. And like I originally said, just my opinion. Not so much judging others but rather expressing my complete lack of inclination towards that type of career.

The "Big Pharma" label has given a lot of companies an undeserved, bad reputation.  Like saying all cops are crooked.  It's just not the case.  \

 

There are hundreds of companies I'd never work for.  The questions I asked myself when I was interviewing was "could I put my head to pillow at the end of the day and feel that I did good?".  "Would I be embarrassed to tell someone I work for this company?"  The money is nice, but it isn't a driver for all of us.

 

 

[seaofred92]

9 hours ago, NM11046 said:

This is my line of work - started 20+ years ago and yes, times have changed.  No lunches or time with docs doing fun stuff, and HIPPA and the AMA (it's not the affordable care act that impacted pharma, it's the medical groups banding together to track spending of industry, and it happened long before ACA).

 

The numbers of sales team members has been cut dramatically since the 2009 or so - I was part of a huge sales force (Abt 10k) that is down to maybe 2k now and I heard they're going through layoffs again.  I joined a small company awhile ago and it's much better, but that too has it's own tradeoffs.  Because of all the shrinkage of the last 10 years most "entry level" will be a contract sales force.  Companies can take their pick of tenured, talented sales people looking for work and wouldn't take a chance on a clinician who has no sales experience when they can get them. 

 

Why is he wanting to make this change?  He should be ready to answer that candidly, and have a purpose.  The old "to have more flexibility" will get him booted from the hiring managers short list immediately.  The biggest concern will be if he can sell.  Unless he has experience of cold calling and numbers and he's really serious about this I'd say he should also be looking to take a year or two in a sale job to get those skills prior to interviewing.

 

Id say to make the transition I'd focus on the arena he was a specialist for - looking at oxygen sales or an asthma and allergy company.  He better be ready to work in a team environment.  As entry level he'd likely be calling on a territory where at least two other reps overlap him, and the model is frequency on docs.  Teach above mentioned how easy the work is and how much money you make (as well as a number of other stereotypical comments) and while hard work can equal a good payday the bonus' are not like they used to be, and I'd have to know where he lives regionally, but without experience his salary would probably be better than some lines of work, but certainly below 60k.  (Teach if your buddy was working 20 hours a week and playing golf I can tell you why he was let go, and why it took him 10 years to find a new gig).

 

Device sales might be an option if he can get aligned to a respiratory company - typically entry level with those companies are on call 24/7 and weekends, and work in a team of 2-3 members where they split bonus.

 

Many people have a limited (and uneducated) view of what we do.  I'd tell him to connect with the reps who come to visit him now and network with them to understand how his skills might transfer, and if he'd really like the job.  Ask if he can spend time with them over coffee discussing the job and requirements.  The travel.  Depending on the territory many of us have to commit to 40-60% travel on average, so he should be ok with being away from home on overnights a couple times a week and then for meetings quarterly.

 

Lots of info and I've barely scratched the surface.  My q would be after all the schooling and training why would he want to leave RT?

this is phenomenal and I've passed it along. Thank you for posting this.

 

As far as leaving RT to get into sales I just think its a personal decision. His brother is in sales, both parents, etc. Think he's had some not so great experiences in his internships with various hospitals and he's got the personality and family experience to succeed in sales IMO. Very smart, charismatic guy in his mid 20's and open to moving for a role (or traveling, whatever is required). 

 

I did tell him focusing on respiratory would make sense and he's seemingly far down that path. Has been interviewing at a few places, some in Charlotte some in Cincinnati some in Dallas. Can keep the board updated on the journey if people are interested.

[NM11046]

Would love to hear how he fares - wish him luck!  

 

(ps if family experience mattered I would not necessarily be a good sales person!  Hopefully you just meant that he's been around to see what it takes to be successful in sales.)