Pharmaceutical Sales?

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2007

I have enjoyed reading this post. I too have worked in sales. Not medical sales, but sales none-the-less. I can share with you what I have experienced. Most of the people hired were young, thin, and attractive. They had to be smooth talkers and do "extras" for their clients... buy them dinner, get them sports tickets, take them to concerts, etc. Sales WAS SO HARD. In all my sales jobs I did well, surprisingly, as I am a good talker (Broadcasting background), but I am an up-front, this is how it is kind of person. Not a good schmoozer at all. I really did not like it. It did not fit my personality and I do not miss it at all. I was on commission only so if I did not sell, I did not eat. THAT was stressful. I had big "goals" to hit like $18,000 a month selling packages that STARTED at $2,000 each. I sold to ma's and pa's and most of them did not have that kind of money for advertising. Salespeople dropped like flys in the office. I lasted almost a year, but it was stressful. Funny, most of the salespeople who did well were young, pretty, thin girls. I sometimes wonder what they did to reach all their goals and then some. Sales is a TOUGH business. Some people are good at it. Most aren't.

Bold emphasis, my own. Epona, I understand your perspective. I, too, was in sales as an insurance broker for ten years. I still sell a few policies on the side to supplement my income while I am a full-time student.

I obviously did not experience your office first hand. However, I have heard the success of some attractive young women in sales attributed to what you are implying. I didn't like the implication when I was a young, attractive (still am?) salesperson, and I don't like it now. Several years ago I overheard some fellow agents implying that I sold so much that I must be doing some special favors for my male clients. I felt so demeaned and disrespected. Years ago in another setting I heard the success of a women attributed to this also.

I would attribute the success of these attractive young women to their own hard work and to bias within the general population towards attractive people. In addition, it is known that on average, women out-perform men in sales. Social psychology explains and attributes this to society perceiving women as more trustworthy and/or honest than men.

I worked extremely hard like you. I called my daily life living as "anchor woman" because it involved looking and acting like that 10 hours per day every day. Stressful, indeed.

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Onto the physician who says he has slept with a several reps from another post. As these type of men are legends in their own minds, I would reduce "a few reps" to one, perhaps two reps. There is most definately more going on with the story that we will never know.

This notion that women in sales are sleeping with their clients is just so "out there" and about as true as "women become nurses to hook a doctor for a husband." These myths are disrespectful to women in both fields.

galapcp · Mar 11, 2007

I have been in the pharmaceutical and diagnostics sales for 10 years and I can say that I have learned a lot and I have earned a lot as well. However, if you are going to sales (pharma or diagnostics), you have to be ready to embrace it all with all your heart and soul. It is really worth it if you are the top performer because the company will really treat you well. But once you don't hit your target, you will be treated like dirt, as if you did not contribute at all to the growth of the company. And one more thing, there are doctors and bosses out there who are really bullies. But there are also few who are not. You have to prepare to stomach everything because if not, you will develop hatred in sales. Hey, being in sales is very honorable. Just go with the flow, learn to dance with the wolves!!! Before going into sales, think it over many times because it is not all roses, there are thorns along the way too. On the other hand, I guess that goes the same way to whatever career you choose.

SiennaGreen · Mar 11, 2007

I can't say I read all of the previous responses, but I am a second career woman moving into nursing OUT OF a Pharmaceutical career. It just depends on what you are in it for. I always felt like I was just making money for the man. They tried to sell you on the idea that you were 'doing good for the world' by providing DRs with the information they needed to make the best decisions for their patients care...blah, blah, blah. You were making your sales goals for the bonus money and to put it back into the pockets of the shareholders. I always felt like I had sold my soul.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2007

The whole thing I read earlier in the post about drug reps doing ANYTHING to get docs to prescribe their drugs is so shockingly true. I am personal friends with a local physician that states he has slept with a few of these young, hot pharm. reps. I was appalled and have no respect for these kind of people. :trout:
My goal eventually is to be a NP. I feel sorry for the young reps who try to prance in my office pushing that theme. I would take the old 53 year-old guy who doesn't have the same motives anyday over some strapping hunk with empty promises.
This whole thread has left a sour taste in my mouth for the pharm sales rep. YUCK!!

You can argue ethical behaviour. But doesnt it boil down to what happens between consenting adults.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Mar 12, 2007

Before I started nursing school I worked in a family practice as a Medical Assistant. I was talking to one of the drug reps. I was asking her about her job, what she had to do to get it etc. She told me that all she had to do was have her BS/BA in any subject. In the conversation however, she told me that she use to be a FNP but she quit to become a drug rep when she found out they were making more than her. I know hard to believe, but this is what she honestly told me! I have a friend that has a degree in respiratory therapy, but found out that she did not like touching people and is not using her degree. One of the drug reps for a nebulizer treatment came in. I asked my friend why she did not get a job with this organization. She told me that she would never want to be a drug rep for any amount of money because she would not enjoy her job and that drug reps are "glorified telemarketers".

My uncle has his degree as a pharmacist, quit to become a drug rep, and is now a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical corporation and makes more money than he can spend and has enough frequent flyer miles he has given my mom tickets in the past to come visit him.

aKyRN81 · Mar 12, 2007

I have enjoyed reading this post. I too have worked in sales. Not medical sales, but sales none-the-less. I can share with you what I have experienced. Most of the people hired were young, thin, and attractive. They had to be smooth talkers and do "extras" for their clients... buy them dinner, get them sports tickets, take them to concerts, etc. Sales WAS SO HARD. .. Salespeople dropped like flys in the office. I lasted almost a year, but it was stressful. Funny, most of the salespeople who did well were young, pretty, thin girls. I sometimes wonder what they did to reach all their goals and then some. Sales is a TOUGH business. Some people are good at it. Most aren't.

In a previous job as a nurse liaison I toured the MD offices and hospitals- not selling but networking for name recognition of an agency. I quickly noticed that the pharm reps in this area all looked alike. All young, usually blonde. thin, well manicured and wearing high heels and tailored black suits, expensive looking! The amount of personal upkeep to maintain the 'look' must have been huge. The male reps also wore the black suits, were beautifully groomed and had every hair in place. These folks look like they just stepped off the cover of a magazine and yet were out all day in drizzling rain, snow and slush, humidity, whatever weather. That alone has to be a challenge ...

DrugReptoNurse · Mar 12, 2007

The pharmaceutical industry is one where looks matter. For that matter looks matter in any sales position. People want to buy from other attractive people. Have you ever seen a commercial full of fugly people??

With that being said...the pharmaceutical industry has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. I spent the last 11 years in the industry doing everything from sales, product management and brand management. I finally had enough when the drug I was selling....VIOXX...got pulled off of the market. I knew deep down inside I was promoting a drug that was possibly killing people. I decided then I wanted to become a nurse and am now in my 2nd semseter of my BSN program.

Drug reps starting out make around $60k with base and bonus. You also get a full range of benefits with a free company car. That is the good part. The bad part is that you have zero job security. Turnover is high...around 40% per year for each organization. They now prefer to hire fresh out of college graduates and it seems the preference is for big busted blondes.

Three nights out of five during the week you will be sharing educational meetings with doctors at local restaraunts. This takes time away from your significant other and kids if you have them. Every night after work you will come home to a pile of paperwork and about an hour of computer busy work. There are numerous meetings where you have to be gone for a week at a time stuck in a hotel room with a roommate you don't know. You'll be expected to grow your marketshare every month. If you don't..they fire you. Managed care insurance plans these days determines which drug a doctor Rx and which one he/she doesn't. There are more mergers today and downsizings/layoff then there have been since the early 90s. Pfizer at the end of last year laid of 2200 reps. They probably should of laid off 10000 but that is just my opinion.

Bottom line...I wouldn't recommend a pharmaceutical sales job to anybody...period. It will suck the life out of you and leave you with nothing but bad memories. :monkeydance:

KeithRN · Mar 12, 2007

I have read most of the posts re: pharm sales & it just depresses me. I am burnt out from 12 years of Nursing. It's not Nursing itself but all of the crap that goes along with it. I have heard a lot of the negatives about sales, but there are SO many about nursing. If I am going to suffer, why not at least make money doing so? Actually, I am glad I read the posts. They have led me to think that I should be thinking more in terms of being a clinical nurse specialist for a medical device. This way, I can make more money, get out of direct patient care & the hospital beauracracy, & not have to deal with the downside of being a drug rep. Now, how did I get into this? Thanks, everybody, for possibly saving me a lot of suffering as I have been pursing a career change to pharm sales. :uhoh3:

galapcp · Mar 22, 2007

I am sooooooo glad I am already out of the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industry!!!!

galapcp · Mar 22, 2007

The pharmaceutical industry is one where looks matter. For that matter looks matter in any sales position. People want to buy from other attractive people. Have you ever seen a commercial full of fugly people??
With that being said...the pharmaceutical industry has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. I spent the last 11 years in the industry doing everything from sales, product management and brand management. I finally had enough when the drug I was selling....VIOXX...got pulled off of the market. I knew deep down inside I was promoting a drug that was possibly killing people. I decided then I wanted to become a nurse and am now in my 2nd semseter of my BSN program.
Drug reps starting out make around $60k with base and bonus. You also get a full range of benefits with a free company car. That is the good part. The bad part is that you have zero job security. Turnover is high...around 40% per year for each organization. They now prefer to hire fresh out of college graduates and it seems the preference is for big busted blondes.
Three nights out of five during the week you will be sharing educational meetings with doctors at local restaraunts. This takes time away from your significant other and kids if you have them. Every night after work you will come home to a pile of paperwork and about an hour of computer busy work. There are numerous meetings where you have to be gone for a week at a time stuck in a hotel room with a roommate you don't know. You'll be expected to grow your marketshare every month. If you don't..they fire you. Managed care insurance plans these days determines which drug a doctor Rx and which one he/she doesn't. There are more mergers today and downsizings/layoff then there have been since the early 90s. Pfizer at the end of last year laid of 2200 reps. They probably should of laid off 10000 but that is just my opinion.
Bottom line...I wouldn't recommend a pharmaceutical sales job to anybody...period. It will suck the life out of you and leave you with nothing but bad memories. :monkeydance:

Hooray! Good decision!!!!!

galapcp · Mar 22, 2007

I have read most of the posts re: pharm sales & it just depresses me. I am burnt out from 12 years of Nursing. It's not Nursing itself but all of the crap that goes along with it. I have heard a lot of the negatives about sales, but there are SO many about nursing. If I am going to suffer, why not at least make money doing so? Actually, I am glad I read the posts. They have led me to think that I should be thinking more in terms of being a clinical nurse specialist for a medical device. This way, I can make more money, get out of direct patient care & the hospital beauracracy, & not have to deal with the downside of being a drug rep. Now, how did I get into this? Thanks, everybody, for possibly saving me a lot of suffering as I have been pursing a career change to pharm sales.

Hi KeithRN... so, what is your final decision?