Pharmaceutical sales

[Founder]

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Hi,

I don't know where to post this, so it might be in the wrong forum... but I've been interested in getting into pharmaceutical or medical device sales for a while. I was a medical student but I withdrew bu I am still interested in the medical field. I've been debating over a few possible jobs/careers and I'm looking to find out some more information on this one in particular.

I've been trying to figure out about this CNRP certification program. Has anyone taken the online course and is it required to get a job in pharm sales or does it help?

I saw on http://www.napsronline.org/ that they offer an online course for $239. Is it preferable to take this online or in an classroom via a college sponsoring it (they say it is offered at 300 colleges/universities so I assume it's legitimate) or does it not matter?

Thank you very much for any input.

 

[SHC1984]

When I dropped out of dental school I was applying for jobs in pharm sales. Just go on their individual websites and apply for jobs there....go on Johnson and Johnson, Pzifer, Glaxo, etc. and apply for their jobs there.

Oh and what classes you have taken or not really do not matter. They like to see that you have actual SALES experience. That is the key. Some places require that you have at least 3 years of sales experience or they will not even hire you. Connection is also important. Most people get into pharm sales thru connections.

 

[Founder]

I don't have sales experience. Sales experience in what? Anything?

Half the time this seems like a catch 22 with few people willing to take on new people and train them, demanding experience from the get go.

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

I don't have sales experience. Sales experience in what? Anything?

Half the time this seems like a catch 22 with few people willing to take on new people and train them, demanding experience from the get go.

Pharma sales is tough right now, there have been a lot of recent layoffs and restructuring of their marketing models. Lately, most of the pharma folks I have met with were pharmacists, marketing majors, and nurses. I think it is a tough field to get into right now without the right experience and credentials.

 

[IndustryPharmD]

You don't want to be in pharma sales right now. The good old days of pharma are long gone. Besides, you will have stiff competition as tens of thousands of sales reps have been laid off in the last three or four years. And are being laid off still. The hiring is not nearly on the same scale, since it's only the small companies who are hiring. Now the model is a contract rep, paid a lot less and with far fewer perks.

Also, sales reps overestimate their value to the company by a few orders of magnitude. And they are being scaled back to the more reasonable levels that used to be before some companies started the rep numbers race in the 1990s. Having observed sales reps in training and ridden with them in the field... we could do with about 2/3 less and not lose anything on value they do provide.

 

[StewardshipDude]

Yea, something is going on. Used to be that I saw tons of well dressed folks here at the hospital. They came and went. Some were good and had a decent handle on disease states and a strong handle on their drug. Some were simply horrible. Over the past 5 years or so, I have seen fewer and fewer sales reps and the ones I do are all Pharmacists, Nurses, or have some other health related background. They do have a better base knowledge and broader sense of our payor system, but they are simply dull. No personalities. I appreciate the increase in their expertise, but I would want to have a beer with any of them. Bottom line, I see about 2 reps a week compared to 3 a day 5 years ago. You might want to look elsewhere as they folks seem beat down.