How do I get in??? What's the greatest job??

jlindy

jlindy

Experienced Member
Joined
11 November 2002
Messages
1,658
Location
St. Louis
Please post...What is your job and how do you like it? Where would you like to work and what would you like to do if you could do anything?






In light of the sick of my job posting from a couple weeks ago, I thought that I would throw this towards the expertise of the panel. I need advice from a variety of opinions from people with different backgrounds.

I have been in sales for the past 10 years in a variety of industries, most of which has been spent in Telecommunications. I have always been successful with any company that I have worked for, always in the top 10%. Currently, I am in management for a Tier 1 communications company, but find that the rewards and job stability have been decreasing here. I am considering a company/career change.

I have always felt that I would be extremely successful in Medical Sales, but have not had any luck in getting in. People in the medical industry tend to believe that industry experience is a complete must. It is funny to me that they would consider a just out of college graduate with a biology degree and 1 to 2 years of pharmaceutical sales experience vs. 10 years of hardcore sales experience in IT based industries. (I do have a degree in Finance and Banking) While I haven't sold Medical products before, I spent 2 years specifically targeting the healthcare insudtry, dealing with some of the same decision makers.

What do you suggest that I do to get in? I have worked with recruiters with no luck over the last year or more and the process is REALLY slow. I've used monster, hotjobs, paper, etc. with little luck as well. What is your idea of a great job in any industry? What industry has made you happy or successful as I am not limited to medical?

I know that we have some successful members on this site and I value your opinions. With our first baby on the way, I wanted to find a position that was not only rewarding, but stable as well.

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
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For medical sales, you are welcome to give a call and talk to my wife. She's not working any longer, but did spend 17 years in medical sales. I'll tell you this: It's not that great a job IMO.

Also, I know the company she worked for just let a lot of sales people go. While they have a need to fill the positions, it's pretty scary at what I have heard as to the reasons they fired people. A company official (from what I hear) simply drew a line in the sand in terms of one product (of many) and for anyone who had not made their numbers they were fired. That even included a lady on medical leave for breast cancer. And when her DM refused to fire her, he got the axe also. Friggen brutal.
 
I'm a software developer and the IT industry has been good to me. I'm trying out the financial industry (trading S&P futures part-time) and will be getting involved in real estate sales in mid-2004. My dad owns a real estate brokerage and does pretty well in commercial real estate sales, so he'll be helping me out once I get my license.

From what I hear, getting into Medical/Pharmaceutical sales is very difficult and your post confirms it.

-Awais
 
KGP said:
For medical sales, you are welcome to give a call and talk to my wife. She's not working any longer, but did spend 17 years in medical sales. I'll tell you this: It's not that great a job IMO.

Also, I know the company she worked for just let a lot of sales people go. While they have a need to fill the positions, it's pretty scary at what I have heard as to the reasons they fired people. A company official (from what I hear) simply drew a line in the sand in terms of one product (of many) and for anyone who had not made their numbers they were fired. That even included a lady on medical leave for breast cancer. And when her DM refused to fire her, he got the axe also. Friggen brutal.
Click to expand...

That's the kind of advice I need. Thank you. Hopefully it is the company that is being brutal and not the industry, so if she has any contacts at other companies, great. That is also why I ask about other industries that people have been happy with too.

0-Ace said:
I'm a software developer and the IT industry has been good to me. I'm trying out the financial industry (trading S&P futures part-time) and will be getting involved in real estate sales in mid-2004. My dad owns a real estate brokerage and does pretty well in commercial real estate sales, so he'll be helping me out once I get my license.

From what I hear, getting into Medical/Pharmaceutical sales is very difficult and your post confirms it.

-Awais
Click to expand...

I know Medical sales can be difficult and brutal at times, but for Pharmaceutical sales I think it is a different story. You basically drive around and spend most of your time waiting in a doctor's office to speak with the doctor for 30 seconds and give them some free samples. You can put in a lot of hours, but how difficult can that be. Why do they act like it is so hard? I would like to see one of them cold calling selling what I sell. I have a lot of respect for copier sellers as well. Tough stuff. Most people wouldn't last a month.
 
jlindy said:
... if she has any contacts at other companies, great.
Click to expand...
Yea, a few. She spent a short time working for Purdue Pharma, selling Oxycontin. Got out and went back to the old company just in time, right before Oxy became the choice drug to abuse. :eek:

Also have a few freinds that work for Smith Kline.
 
Not much job security in medical anything, the Medicare system is
going bankrupt and not a single legislator has the courage to make the simple decision to fix it. Raise the age of eligibility!
As Medicare goes down, it takes all the private insurers down with it. The medical devices industry is starting to feel the bite
that the pharmacuetical industry has been feeling for ten years.
Doctors who take care of Medicare patients have been financially punished for doing so with yearly pay cuts for the last ten years.
Just some info from someone on the inside. Good luck to you!
 
It took me 10 years to move from advertising (creating special effects for TV commercials) to my first love, the automobile racing industry. Here is some advice:

- write letters. pick the top places you want to work and write to them. not just HR, but to executives/managers too.

- follow up. send a card reminding them of your interest every 3 months or so.

- get creative. maybe you found a woman at one of these companies who is receptive to your situation. send her flowers and sign the card "not just another salesperson" or similar. if you hit it off with a guy, send him a thank you letter with a porsche key inside. show them you are unique.

- follow up. use christmas and other holidays as an excuse to contact these people again.

- offer to work for free. perhaps the ultimate marketing tool. let them know you are available at no charge for a specific time period (maybe your annual vacation). if you get a chance, show up early, work late, offer lots of positive suggestions but also make sure you listen to what others have to say. don't rock the boat, you want to fit in with everyone.

Good luck. Let us know your experience.
 
Our largest client is one of the largest Pharma companies in the world. Worked with and trained some of them to use different systems.

What you said is correct - it is a lot of driving around and meeting with doctors. What you might/might not know is doctors don't give a shiesta (on average) how good the product is. They care a lot more about your cup size, how far up your skirt is, and how much you generally "service" them. It has turned into a "skin" industry IMO and it is sad how few doctors care about which cathitor is the best, etc.

Also - any industry where sales are based predominately on looks and persausion are destined to have a very low barior to entry, high turnover, and many other associated problems (drug abuse, alcoholism, anger management). Think "used car sales" and you get IMO an acurate view of the pharma sales chanel.

YMMV - good luck. A good/great salesperson who can understand and articulate complex things (like IT) is a true asset and a rare bread. If not telecomunications then consider solution sales, manufacturing sales, or find a nich bringing different markets together (shared sales services for medium sized IT companies approaching the Goverment).

Just my 2 cents and worth about 2 cents so call us even!

:)
 
matteni said:
What you said is correct - it is a lot of driving around and meeting with doctors. What you might/might not know...
Click to expand...
It's also deteriorated into gimmicks and acting. Pharma companies have their reps dress up in stupid costumes and bring in assanine gimicks just in an attempt to get more attention from the Doc's.
 
matteni said:
Our largest client is one of the largest Pharma companies in the world. Worked with and trained some of them to use different systems.

What you said is correct - it is a lot of driving around and meeting with doctors. What you might/might not know is doctors don't give a shiesta (on average) how good the product is. They care a lot more about your cup size, how far up your skirt is, and how much you generally "service" them. It has turned into a "skin" industry IMO and it is sad how few doctors care about which cathitor is the best, etc.
:)
Click to expand...

I second that. My ex-girlfriend did not know SH*T about pharmaceuticals, but she was the former Jr. Miss Louisiana. She got that job no problem.

FIY. It is that same way in the TV reporting industry too. -- but they don't make any money!
 
KGP said:
It's also deteriorated into gimmicks and acting. Pharma companies have their reps dress up in stupid costumes and bring in assanine gimicks just in an attempt to get more attention from the Doc's.
Click to expand...


:eek: :eek: :eek: I would like to avoid the dancing chicken positions if at all possible. I still have my pride.:D

Great advice from everybody. Anybody else out there in an industry to they love, and I don't want to hear porn star. :D IT had it rough for a while, but that is starting to come back.
 
I have the best job of all IMHO.

I retired at 51.

I occasionally go to school. I occasionally do programming work for friends and old clients (on my terms). Most of all, as many of you know, I drive all over the country and participate in NSX get togethers and other auto-type events.

:) :) :) :) :)
 
Mark, your right :) , I was going to contribute but after rereading yours...you win! :D
 
Jlindy, all
I work in IT as well. The last couple of years have been very tight.
I concentrate on a certain niche. Providing IT solutions for smaller municipalities and school districts. It's not glamorous but it has been steady. Cutbacks have restricted purchases for those that are subsidized by their particular states. But as you say, things have started to come around again. I also rehab in The City, not south where it is pretty saturated. North, where it is just starting to catch on. It is hard work as well, but I like it a lot. I have plans on becoming a small developer. ;) Like others of you, I am glad that my wife works in the medical industry, the case load is steady, even when the pay structure goes up and down. We are opening a clinic within the year 04. We are just doing what we like, the reward isn't money all the time. However, we are paying the bills. I guess I'm saying look at doing something you like, and find the unconventional way of doing it.
Warning: owning your own, running your own, is absolutely draining. Ask Matteni, KGP, but it is rewarding.
Just a perspective.
 
JimK said:
Not much job security in medical anything, the Medicare system is
going bankrupt and not a single legislator has the courage to make the simple decision to fix it. Raise the age of eligibility!
As Medicare goes down, it takes all the private insurers down with it. The medical devices industry is starting to feel the bite
that the pharmacuetical industry has been feeling for ten years.
Doctors who take care of Medicare patients have been financially punished for doing so with yearly pay cuts for the last ten years.
Just some info from someone on the inside. Good luck to you!
Click to expand...

Eee... Medical future seems bad from your post... so should I just axe pre-med and concentrate just on eletrical engineering???
 
Zuerst said:
Eee... Medical future seems bad from your post... so should I just axe pre-med and concentrate just on eletrical engineering???
Click to expand...
Get this: Last year a neighbor of mine who is an MD for an HMO had to go through a contract re-negotiation. She has been an MD for better than 15 years. You have to consider that she only works part time (3 days a week), but the offer they made was for 35K a year. That's a said figure for someone of her skill.
 
Medicine has been a good career for me: the compensation is good but you definately work for it. Most of us are now employed by a large HMO or PPO or hospital. The problem is that physician reimbursement is directly related to Medicare reimbursement which is going down every year. Meanwhile, medical malpractice premiums rise every year. The administrators refuse to take paycuts and are afraid to ask nurses and techs to. Someone has to pay, so physicians (who are generally percieved as overpaid
anyway) generally are asked to take the bullet to keep the hospital (or HMO or PPO) afloat. Add to this the huge demographic bubble of 65 plus citizens that will be forced to participate in Medicare and you can see the potential disaster on
the horizon. The answer is simple but political suicide for any politician courageous enough to suggest it: 1) raise the age of eligibility for Medicare and make it voluntary not mandatory 2)
Meaningful tort reform, I know of many family practitioners and one Ob-Gyn that have given up delivering babies, none of the neurosurgeons in my metro area of 400,000 treat intracranial
aneurysms any more because of the malpractice premiums.
Sorry for the rant, I love my job but hate the hassles and the SOB's that try to get between me and my patients.
 
Jim K, thanks for putting up with the BS and the poorly run system. We need alot more dedicated medical professionals like yourself. ;)
 
Now I am more confused than I was before. :D
 

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