How to break into the Pharmaceutical Rep. business

[MBony]

I have been trying to get into this market and have yet to have any real bites. I am not location specific so I thought it would be easier than it seems. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business w/ emphasis in Marketing from an accredited university back in 2000. I'm even enrolled in Pharmacology (study of drugs)at another local college. I have held sales jobs at least a year so I have experience. Can anyone give any pointers as to what might help my chances?

Thanks!

 

[BlamoHammer]

Find someone in the business and have them help you get in

 

[MBony]

Originally posted by: BlamoHammer
Find someone in the business and have them help you get in

Not as easy as it sounds. I've been doing that for 3 weeks and haven't been able to make any progress as of yet. It would seem that this would help though, especially since they get referral bonuses.

 

[GasX]

The job is all about schmoozing and presenting the message precisely and concisely. You have to go into a doctor's office a bunch of times in order to get 5 minutes with him At that point you have to hit all of your key selling points without insulting the intelligence of the audience (who happens to have 10 years more education that you).

You have to convey yourself as sharp, motivated, eloquent, independant and most importantly NOT EASILY DISCOURAGED.

now GET TO WORK!

 

[Armitage]

As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Armitage
As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

And you know this from your extensive time in the air force and defense contracting industry?

HA HA - sweet irony thy name is Armitage

 

[BigJ]

I read the title as how to break into a pharmacy...whoops.

Plenty of money to be made either way though

 

[PricklyPete]

You're going to have a really hard time breaking in without knowing someone who also works in the business.

My girlfriend is trying to switch careers and already knows well two regional manager's for two different drug companies (Jannsen and Pfizer). Even with those connections, it will still not be easy. She's hoping for a position with Phizer...but is still waiting on an interview.

From what I understand, they also hirer a bunch at a time to facilitate training schedules.

 

[Babbles]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Armitage
As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

And you know this from your extensive time in the air force and defense contracting industry?

HA HA - sweet irony thy name is Armitage

Officers are held to pretty high standards and not chumps. It is not like he was some kid that would have been scrubbing toliets for four years and got out.

Also, you may want to look up the definition of irony.

 

[rahvin]

Unless you have a medical degree you have like zero chance. They want nurses, pharmD's and other medical people that already know local doctors and their staff. They don't want quick-talking slime balls because those type of people won't even get to talk to the doctor (the food bribes are to the staff because they won't let them talk to the doc unless they buy the office lunch), nor will you they even know the lingo.

Taking a couple pharma classes at the local community college isn't going to help. You need to already have connections with local physicians and you need a medical degree of somesort so you don't sound like a complete jackass trying to talk to a medical professional about the medical profession with zero education.

 

[spidey07]

Are you a woman? If not then fat chance.

Otherwise start hanging around the doctor's offices picking up the "pharm rep chics". They're easy scores because they're generally not too bright. Its a good circuit to work on pickup lines as they never see it coming.

Once you're in bed with one of them say - hey, seeing as how I've done something for you maybe you can put in a good word for me at your place of employment.

 

[richardycc]

check out cafepharma.com, tons of reps hang out there. seems like they only hire hot looking girls.

 

[Pliablemoose]

LOL, was just going to post the female thing.

Best way is to go get a sex change & be sure to look like a very high dollar stripper in a business suit.

I love hot chicks, etc, but it's very blatant.

Nurse for ~20 years now & know tons of drug reps....


However, with the changing ratio of male to female physicians, if you look like a Calvin Klein model you may have a shot as a male rep...

 

[dmurray14]

a brick in the front window would probably do...

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Armitage
As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

And you know this from your extensive time in the air force and defense contracting industry?

:roll:Uhm, yea. 4 years as a COTR (Contracting Officers Technical Representative) managing contracts for the Air Force, and 6 years as a defense contractor.:roll: And my ex & several other aquintences & family in the medical field, so yea, I know a bit about both sides.

As an AF officer, I could not accept a gift worth more then $5 from a contractor. At meetings at contractor facilities, there is always a tip-can where government people were expected (and did) chip in a few $$ for lunch & refreshments etc. If you had to drive to a site, government & contractors are generally expected to ride in seperate vehicles to avoid the appearence of impropriety, etc. I've seen a 3 star shell out $10 for a mug presented to him by the VP of a large company. It's hard core, and I know of people who were disciplined for minor infractions of this sort of thing.

Compare this to drug company reps & dr.s where it isn't unusual for a drug rep to take an entire office out to lunch at pricy resteraunts ... and the doctors to dinner at even more expensive places. My ex used to bring home all kinds of booty around the holidays ... not just the typical pens & stickynotes. Like huge Josh & Johns fruit baskets, theatre & sporting event tickets, etc.. That was just the leftovers. And this is the stuff that goes on above board. Imagine what happens below the table.

HA HA - sweet irony thy name is Armitage

Eh? I don't get it?

edit: Meant Harry & David fruit basket. Josh & Johns is an excellent place for Ice Cream in Colorado Springs, but they don't do fruit baskets

 

[faenix]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Armitage
As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

And you know this from your extensive time in the air force and defense contracting industry?

HA HA - sweet irony thy name is Armitage

Mwilding has it.

 

[PlatinumGold]

you need to build up a resume just like any other industry. get a job doing sales, show 2 or 3 good years of sales and you have a shot at getting in.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: rahvin
Unless you have a medical degree you have like zero chance. They want nurses, pharmD's and other medical people that already know local doctors and their staff. They don't want quick-talking slime balls because those type of people won't even get to talk to the doctor (the food bribes are to the staff because they won't let them talk to the doc unless they buy the office lunch), nor will you they even know the lingo.

Taking a couple pharma classes at the local community college isn't going to help. You need to already have connections with local physicians and you need a medical degree of somesort so you don't sound like a complete jackass trying to talk to a medical professional about the medical profession with zero education.

not true. i know a lot of pharm reps that have NO background in medicine. read my post above. they want proven salemen even tho what they do is barely akin to sales.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Armitage

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Armitage
As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

And you know this from your extensive time in the air force and defense contracting industry?

:roll:Uhm, yea. 4 years as a COTR (Contracting Officers Technical Representative) managing contracts for the Air Force, and 6 years as a defense contractor.:roll: And my ex & several other aquintences & family in the medical field, so yea, I know a bit about both sides.

As an AF officer, I could not accept a gift worth more then $5 from a contractor. At meetings at contractor facilities, there is always a tip-can where government people were expected (and did) chip in a few $$ for lunch & refreshments etc. If you had to drive to a site, government & contractors are generally expected to ride in seperate vehicles to avoid the appearence of impropriety, etc. I've seen a 3 star shell out $10 for a mug presented to him by the VP of a large company. It's hard core, and I know of people who were disciplined for minor infractions of this sort of thing.

Compare this to drug company reps & dr.s where it isn't unusual for a drug rep to take an entire office out to lunch at pricy resteraunts ... and the doctors to dinner at even more expensive places. My ex used to bring home all kinds of booty around the holidays ... not just the typical pens & stickynotes. Like huge Josh & Johns fruit baskets, theatre & sporting event tickets, etc.. That was just the leftovers. And this is the stuff that goes on above board. Imagine what happens below the table.

HA HA - sweet irony thy name is Armitage

Eh? I don't get it?

Armitage, most sales organizations revolve around schmoozing with the client. It is definately NOT just pharm reps.

I can't count the number of times Cisco and EMC has taken me to fancy restaurants and strip clubs.

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Armitage

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Armitage
As a prior Air Force officer and current employee of a defense contractor, I would go to jail for the kind of crap that goes on every day between doctors & drug company reps. It's a sleazy business IMHO

And you know this from your extensive time in the air force and defense contracting industry?

:roll:Uhm, yea. 4 years as a COTR (Contracting Officers Technical Representative) managing contracts for the Air Force, and 6 years as a defense contractor.:roll: And my ex & several other aquintences & family in the medical field, so yea, I know a bit about both sides.

As an AF officer, I could not accept a gift worth more then $5 from a contractor. At meetings at contractor facilities, there is always a tip-can where government people were expected (and did) chip in a few $$ for lunch & refreshments etc. If you had to drive to a site, government & contractors are generally expected to ride in seperate vehicles to avoid the appearence of impropriety, etc. I've seen a 3 star shell out $10 for a mug presented to him by the VP of a large company. It's hard core, and I know of people who were disciplined for minor infractions of this sort of thing.

Compare this to drug company reps & dr.s where it isn't unusual for a drug rep to take an entire office out to lunch at pricy resteraunts ... and the doctors to dinner at even more expensive places. My ex used to bring home all kinds of booty around the holidays ... not just the typical pens & stickynotes. Like huge Josh & Johns fruit baskets, theatre & sporting event tickets, etc.. That was just the leftovers. And this is the stuff that goes on above board. Imagine what happens below the table.

HA HA - sweet irony thy name is Armitage

Eh? I don't get it?

Armitage, most sales organizations revolve around schmoozing with the client. It is definately NOT just pharm reps.

I can't count the number of times Cisco and EMC has taken me to fancy restaurants and strip clubs.

Yea, I've seen that also, but never to the degree that I've seen it in pharmacy reps. IMO, it crosses the line from schmoozing to bribery.

 

[brigden]

It happens in every industry.

I deal with sales reps on a daily basis.

Most will offer incentives, like pre-paid gift cards, apparel, dinner-for-two, hotel stays, memorbila, etc. I've even been given a watch, a DVD player, and several BBQs.

If it isn't a physical item, it's inside money.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Are you an attractive female...no? I wouldn't even try. You have to be able to "shake that ass" to get doctors to start using drugs with a 500% markup.

 

[BlamoHammer]

Originally posted by: MBony

Originally posted by: BlamoHammer
Find someone in the business and have them help you get in

Not as easy as it sounds. I've been doing that for 3 weeks and haven't been able to make any progress as of yet. It would seem that this would help though, especially since they get referral bonuses.

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. The hard is what makes it great

 

[SethK28]

Originally posted by: MBony
I have been trying to get into this market and have yet to have any real bites. I am not location specific so I thought it would be easier than it seems. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business w/ emphasis in Marketing from an accredited university back in 2000. I'm even enrolled in Pharmacology (study of drugs)at another local college. I have held sales jobs at least a year so I have experience. Can anyone give any pointers as to what might help my chances?

Thanks!

Grow tits, die you hair blonde, and act like a Bimbo