Looking to get back into Pharma Sales

Hello Pharma Reps,
I am looking to get back into Pharma Sales. I have taken the last four years off to raise my children. I am now in my late fortys and we are almost empty nesters. The cost of college for 4 kids is a killer. I have reached out to my previous employer and they do not have any current openings. We live in the Ca Bay Area. I have 20 years experince calling on most specialties and institutions. I would welcome any coaching, advice and or recommendations.
Warmest Regards

 

Stay away frm PDI. They just laid off over 60% of their salesforce on the Sun contact. Meanwhile they were interviewing for those spots in early Nov. to replace those who got laid off. I was hoping that I was going to be laid off. I’d
rather collected unemployment or volunteer than sell these losing 4th to market Resp. products. TC and the RBMs are fake, phony frauds. They all lie through their fake caps.

 

Suggest you contact your state governor, Jerry Brown . . . . . . . . he's got all sorts of money to hand out . . . .

 

Jerry Brown has all sorts of $ to hand out! Give him a call . . .

 

It really was one of the sleaziest things I have seen done in Pharma yet...RBM's that were kept had to sign a non disclosure form, then were told to go out and hire a full time sales force behind their own teams back to replace them.....I wonder how they were able to look their teams in the eye knowing that they were going to be laying them off right before Christmas while at the same time driving us hard to beg plead and ...for scripts.....Think about what a horrendously executed launch this has been from the start, I guess we should not be surprised at all at how we were treated. I thought Sunovion leadership was better and smarter then this. The irony is those that were retained are all looking to get the heck out because everyone knows that they didn't get on for Medicaid or medicare so not another chance until 2019....So for the next year its going to be very difficult. We all were struggling literally giving Utibron away with the vouchers with the exceptions of a few that have figured out a way and gamed it. Tom Clark is either oblivious, or in complete denial...My RBM looks like he has seen a ghost....I am still disturbed at the way that Tom handled the conference call letting people know that they had lost their jobs.....How is he in a leadership position? I guess we should be thankful that they gave us 24 hours next week.....I wonder how much longer Sunovion will allow this poorly managed PDI Leadership team drain their budget?

 

I've been in pharma over 20 years. Went thru mergers and layoffs only to find myself working for PDI, which is now a division of publicis health. Contract seems to be the wave of the future. Unfortunately for you; many many companies have been thru layoffs over the last 18 mos. You may have to resort to contract sales. Lower base, lower bonus, lower benefits than your teammates that ate direct hires, yet still enough $ to pay your bills. pdi leadership is rather dense. On the contract I'm on, were treated like 2nd rate citizens, which is very frustrating. There are better contract companies out there. My best advice is to join linkedin and "link up" with your previous coworkers and let them know you're looking.

 

I agree with th everything that is outlined above - get linked in and start trying to find connections with individuals at the top companies.

 

Don’t waste your time the Industry is a mear shell of what it once was. Fudging Calls, very little access, constant work w/s w: childish coaching. The job is not sales anymore but more of a customer service rep that receive condescending coaching from the DM. Don’t do it!

 

The Truth! I'm an industry veteran and I have worked for both manufacturers and CSO's, and I can tell you that Pharma is an industry in decline, just like Retail. Every month there are multiple companies, small and large, that either layoff or push reps out. This trend shows no signs of slowing. Only a few manage to land decent gigs and manage to hang on for more than a few years. There is no future in a Pharma sales career for most. Every rep I know, and I know many, have the thought of job loss either at the front of their mind or at the back of their mind - doesn't matter what company they're with or what position they're in. They all know they're only one layoff, contract termination, or PIP away from collecting unemployment. Be smart, go do sales in another industry, or something completely different. The money can be decent in Pharma while it lasts, but it will not last. Sooner or later you'll be be forced out. Then good luck landing a new gig. It's not worth it.

 

This post is spot on! Stay away from this industry, if you can. It’s awful.

 

So just a question...I have been out of the industry awhile but am thinking about getting back in. How are calls recorded now? Is it thru a company supplied device or your own phone thru an app? When I left the tracking of employees was ridiculous. I just want to do my job well and not worry about foolishness of "time stamping" etc. Is that even a possibility?

 

Well, to start maybe post on a company board that is still in business?