Driving Record and the Hiring Process

Discussion in 'Pharma/Biotech Comp - Gen Discussion |Pharma Sales' started by niccolo nietzsche, Mar 25, 2018 at 9:18 PM.

  1. #1 niccolo nietzsche, Mar 25, 2018 at 9:18 PM
    niccolo nietzsche

    niccolo nietzsche new user

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    Got interview requests from Pfizer and UCB. I'm overqualified for intro sales roles, but I want to transition from a bluechip industrial/banking company into med sales and am fine paying my dues for a year or so to get my foot in the door/industry.

    Unfortunately, I had a motorcycle that would do 200mph and was finishing college while participating in a huge company acquisition two years ago...the perfect storm for traffic violations and citations as I was rushing from one place to the next.

    I have about 7 citations over the last 3 years. No major violations; speeding and red light cameras only. Most of these happened back in 2015.

    Does this entirely disqualify me?

    *I realize that fleet requirements can be stringent, but I'm wondering if I elected to drive my own car and simply accept reimbursement if I could remain competitive for the positions.

    Thanks in advance.

    (I'm a jackass- made bad choices- deserve what I get- all of that nonsense. Let's just get that out of the way.)
     
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  2. #2 anonymous, Mar 25, 2018 at 11:09 PM
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    As much as I can appreciate you owning up to your traffic violations, you driving your own car still places a tremendous amount of risk by any company who is ultimately reimbursing you as a company paid employee. Heaven forbid if you were to be involved in an accident hurting yourself or someone else on company time, still puts that company in financial liability. Most claimants will go after the employer for damages, especially when they know that you are represented by a deep pocket pharmaceutical/medical business employer. My advice would be to offer to cover your insurance premium (normally paid by the company) releasing their fleet program of any liability. Companies use fleet services like Wheels as a buffer so they don't have to deal with this type of issue. Find out if the company you are applying to is self insured. This will be the best way for you to negotiate. Hopefully after a year or two of safe "no violation driving", you will then be placed into a safe driver status and ultimately less expensive for them to insure you as a driver.
     
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  3. #3 niccolo nietzsche, Mar 25, 2018 at 11:50 PM
    niccolo nietzsche

    niccolo nietzsche new user

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    Thanks for your reply. No doubt that it's a messy beginning to the hiring process.

    Have you heard of anyone offering to pay their own insurance? I think that's a great strategic consideration, I'm just wondering if you know of that being effective historically or if it's a brainstorming suggestion.

    It's a rough situation. I genuinely have a passion for medical innovation, and this is why it's important to not neglect responsibility in any area of life assuming that it won't be relevant at some point in the future.
     
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  4. #4 anonymous, Mar 26, 2018 at 12:54 AM
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    Yes, it has been done and I can tell you first hand that I have seen it in much worse situations outside of yours. I've seen it with a rep who had a DUI and paid a retired gentleman to drive him during the day for 3 months until his case was cleared. Of course that was a rep who was already employed with the company and had no other choice. If you are a top sales candidate and know you will be hired, simply wanting to break into the industry, your honesty about your situation will go a long way. If the company uses a standard outside insurance carrier that covers company vehicle liability, just offer to pay the difference between your higher rate and that of a driver in good standing. Chances are you are only talking about a few hundred dollars a month at the most. Pay that until your record and points are back to normal. If the company is self insured then it might get a little tricky. Just find someone with the company who has a fleet vehicle and get them to tell you what's on their fleet insurance card. You can do a lot of research on that once you know the policy limits and liabilities. Good luck
     
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  5. #5 niccolo nietzsche, Mar 26, 2018 at 1:52 AM
    niccolo nietzsche

    niccolo nietzsche new user

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    I genuinely appreciate your insight. It sounds like I need to structure a candid discussion in which I'm able to present some rationale behind the situation and show that I've thought of solutions that prevent me from being precluded from hiring.

    Again, I really appreciate it- you've shed some light on a situation that is entirely obscure to me.

    Best wishes to you as well.
     
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