A Little Golden Rule for the ride....

Oh how true....

 

Here is what this all amounts to... It's just a big game! We are all working harder than ever, but it's about over! I just don't know how this train is still rolling. I know I have enjoyed my ride here. But truth is, it's getting really hard. So many things are dictating behaviors that are way beyond our pay grades! So many people are riding on the influence of reps... Because even though we don't affect much... We still do have some access and influence! There are so many who depend on us for their jobs... Whether it's a manager baby sitting us...Or an NAE who can't even get an appointment without us, and when you do bring them In They have nothing but a bunch of crap that nobody really cares about, or medical affairs... Don't even know why those people have a job... It all points to being just about over! I would never tell a young person to do this! While the money has been pretty good ... It's not as good as it used to be! The message is that the company clearly doesn't value field sales as it once did. There are several reasons ... The whole model is broken. There are lots of people all over the company who spun up lots of empty crap ... And have for a long time... So I guess the message is... Just do what you can and if you are going to stay like most of us do the only way to be sane is to do something everyday that makes you feel good... And most of the time ... It won't be this job ... Whether you are a manager or a rep!

 

The mangers job is the most useless in the business. It's almost entirely automated now. They don't participate in programs, they don't really hire or fire, hr does that, expense reports are basically approved before they see them. I've seen managers that were so bad at, either running sales meetings or the computer or both, they had senior or exec. reps do it for them as part of " career development." Mainly they are regulated to field rides and " coaching" and most are ill equipped and ill trained and ill suited for even that. They play favorites, break policies, sometimes the law, they don't know the business and have poor product knowledge. I had million dollar accounts, DOD, hospitals, institutional accounts that mangers never went into with me or even ask to. I took one into a teaching hospital one time and he ask to leave, he was so uncomfortable.
The position itself should be eliminated. If you want to evaluate reps, have a regional assessment coordinator that does two day field rides 3-4 times a year but otherwise has no contact with reps and reports to regional. Do away with the favoritism and nepotism. Meetings are mostly TC's anyway, have one annual regional meeting. District managers have become obsolete and in many cases downright counterproductive. They are glorified overpaid babysitters and most become bullies in trying to even do that role. Eliminate them.

 

Today's golden rule: feel valued or leave.

 

Bravo…great post…of course, in any sane company or industry, the CTLs would not only not be paid around 175k a year for doing nothing, they would be gone…

But there is a reason Merck executive management will never get rid of the CTLs…they are Merck's gestapo…their SS…they bully and force out reps, which is what they want to happen up top…is it fair? No…Is it legal? no…but it is the most effective way to reduce headcount…by harassing people into quitting…

If there was an accurate, real job description for CTLs, that would be the ONLY thing listed on it…

Shameful…

FU MERCK!

 

No FU Troll ! Get a Job and a Life you pathetic RIFd slacker !

 

The solution is attrition!

No firings, no harassing, no bully tactics. Eliminate the shame.....use attrition.

 

Isn't all this drama funny? The oncology division proves you can have a breakthrough drug and you still don't need very many reps or the troll managers aka two suites walking in these offices. Drs want different ways to get information and all of the trolls in higher job bands that feed off of the crappy access of field sales are in trouble as well. It's all just about over no matter where you are! If you are half way young you really should be looking for something else ... If you are old ... Hang on for the severance. Everyone... Managers, reps , MGAMS and the rest are all playing games and holding on... If you decide to hang around... At least try to treat others well!!! Life is to short to take any of this too seriously... And at least I can pay my bills and treat others well... That's really about all there is to it... None of this is rocket science!!!

 

This really sums up how to survive Merck quite nicely and I'd want to have this person as a good friend were I still there. I'd emphasize taking nothing too seriously, too. That's what got me to retirement with them.