New to Pharma Sales and It All Seems So Fake

Call reports, field rides, useless “motivational” metrics they pile onto you weekly, the “no doctor is a no-see” mantra, etc. And don’t get me started on those weekly success stories some companies make you do. These reps make it sound so theatrical, like Jesus Christ himself answered the office’s wishes to bring the rep in that day to enlighten them on the drug.

Based on the numbers I’m held to, I’d need to be visiting the same office 2-3 times a week that has no ed. access. The products are are not complicated (I’m entry level) so what am I supposed to say to these offices if I need to visit that frequently?

I can go on and on about this but the bottom line is I feel like there is this unspoken secret that a lot of what we preach and the measuring of our actual impact on these offices is bullshit. I feel it in meetings, talking with colleagues and my boss and during my everyday drive to the offices.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a ton of perks for the job. The lifestyle and money are why I chose it in the first place. But I see why I’ve heard people say this job sucks the soul out of you.

You sold your sense of accomplishment, job satisfaction and happiness for money. You will be miserable sooner rather than later, and the money you make will be secondary in importance.

Learn from someone like myself who made your mistake and do something more interesting and rewarding.

anonymous said:

You sold your sense of accomplishment, job satisfaction and happiness for money. You will be miserable sooner rather than later, and the money you make will be secondary in importance.

Learn from someone like myself who made your mistake and do something more interesting and rewarding.

Click to expand...

Or...use all of the free time this job gives you and develop a side hustle(s)/passive income streams. Not too many people earn six figures, get a free care and big company benefits for ten hours of work a week!

It all seems so fake because it is so fake...

anonymous said:

You sold your sense of accomplishment, job satisfaction and happiness for money. You will be miserable sooner rather than later, and the money you make will be secondary in importance.

Learn from someone like myself who made your mistake and do something more interesting and rewarding.

Click to expand...

Prostitution is a more honest job

anonymous said:

Prostitution is a more honest job

Click to expand...

Yes! And more respectable these days.

After years of being rep, I returned to my former career field. I make a lot less money, but I've adjusted and I'm much happier. The work I do now is fulfilling, provides intrinsic rewards, and I have the job security that I never had in Pharma. Also, I get more respect in my current role than I ever did as a Pharma rep. I miss the compensation and perks that Pharma provided, and perhaps a few of the old docs and offices I called on, but that's about all I miss. You can get to a stage where the money just isn't enough and it's time to move on.

anonymous said:

After years of being rep, I returned to my former career field. I make a lot less money, but I've adjusted and I'm much happier. The work I do now is fulfilling, provides intrinsic rewards, and I have the job security that I never had in Pharma. Also, I get more respect in my current role than I ever did as a Pharma rep. I miss the compensation and perks that Pharma provided, and perhaps a few of the old docs and offices I called on, but that's about all I miss. You can get to a stage where the money just isn't enough and it's time to move on.

Click to expand...

How long were you a rep? And how old are you now?

anonymous said:

How long were you a rep? And how old are you now?

Click to expand...

16 years. Age 55. My kids are now adults and launched. I now have the freedom to do what I want. No more of Pharma's Golden Handcuffs ("Oh, please don't lay me off Mr. Sales Force Director! How will I support my family?! Please! I don't want to be out of work again for six months until I secure another industry gig that may pay me less than my last gig. Please don't!" Well, it happened, to me and to others, too many times in recent years until I finally said "Enough! I'm out"). I had a former career to fall back on and I reconnected with that field a few years ago. Not easy to do, but I did it. Making less money now, but I've adjusted and I'm happier. My work is more meaningful and I'm always needed - I'm a therapist. I don't have kids to support anymore, so my expenses went down - supporting a family is expensive these days. All I have to do is financially support myself now - my partner works and handles her expenses. This isn't what I had planned - back in '05 things looked great and I thought that I would be in the industry until I stopped working. Life had other plans, as often is the case. Can you relate?