Career pathways

oh, but I am CMR certified because of this wonderful program! which makes me qualified to...be a pharma rep.
going the extra mile in this job means actually working a full day-which is pathetic. the career ladders program as it sits now was obviously the brainchild of a GPM goal. this is by-by-in-large a massive joke of a program that in no way makes us more marketable outside of the industry like this post suggests.
Our future as reps are not good...be concerned people...be very concerned

 

If you are going to do anything to improve yourself-get a Masters Degree or go to a trade school and become an electrician (or other high paying tradesman).

 

Masters a waste of tone and money. Dime a dozen.
Try to find a good plumber, electrician, ANY good tradesman. Worth every penny.

 

Best way to the top is to identify the asses you need to kiss and commence kissing. Look around you and tell me I'm not right.

 

The only problem is that mid-upper management also gets the ax now. Only ELT is secure. Get to the top......for what. The person who's ass you're kissing will probably be out the door with the next wave.

 

Absolutely true. I'm so sick of the musical chairs. Yet managers still act loyal and become assholes to us and I might be their boss one day. You'd think they'd learn?

 

HR and management better look at this and listen carefully.

They will lose good people or lose people that they want to keep after all the layoffs are over.

I've been working on moving up since they rolled out career pathways. If I get the equivalent of a meets expectations and max out the points, I can get to the next level in 2016.

Meanwhile, I can jump ship to another company and get an immediate pay increase.

What's worth more, stay and jump through hoops for a $7K-$10K raise in 2 years or get an even bigger pay raise today???

I'm faced with this dilemma as I interviewed with another company, I'm almost through with the interview process and the recruiter says they can easily beat my current base and bonus. We are going to launch a product soon and its exciting but its looking like it will be much better to leave.

Career pathways are completely ineffective, slow and causing us to fall behind. Its not a good program. I don't want to leave Pfizer but don't see how, in good conscience, I can stay if offered a job making 10-15% over what I'm making now.

 

Changing companies is the fastest way to increased salary..how long will it take to see a 10-15% increase in salary? That's just for making a parallel job move from being a rep here to being a rep there. You just made a nice step up in money..you made that recruiter who called money (keep in touch with them, the recruiter would luv to get another job for you in a couple of years-more money for them-you're salable property!)..change jobs every 3-4 years and you're up 25% in money vs waiting around for some step up in pay.

 

Why would anyone stay loyal to ANY company these days- especially Pfizer. They lay people off at a drop of the hat. Your advice is good....take care of yourself and do what is best for you.

 

Pensions used to keep employees around, but they are almost done for the vested and done for the newbies.

Career pathways now is really for people like me. I hate to admit it, I must suck at interviews and never won a "President's" type award. I am apparently not someone the hiring managers for other pharma companies are knocking down their doors for. I have always done well in pharma sales, but no monster award for my brag book. It seems that's all they want now.

So while I keep looking for a better company, I must do whatever I can to increase my salary here. In addition to our usual 2.5%ish annual bump, after 4 or so years doing those lame CP courses, your salary gets an adjustment because the mid-level increased.

Yes it's a tiny carrot on a stick, but it's something.

The only problem now is that we have "no labels" for our annual reviews, so how will the 10 points per year be calculated at what multiplier?

 

So the most successful are driven out by career pathways. What a policy. I bet most other companies do this too though.

 

I started that program way back when it began - just plugged away at it. Level 2, Level 3 - all the way to Level 5. Then they added 3 more and I made it to Level 8. We would start study groups of three in the same course - some in different states - ands each have a responsibility for different sections. Then at test time, we'd have a conference call. The person taking the test would read the question and the possible answers. The other 2 would search the answers quickly and we'd submit the test. Sometimes we'd miss with an 88 so we'd look up the correct answer and the next person would take it. Then the next and then back to the 1st with 15 minute intervals. I got to Level 7 and retired with my card saying CMR certified. Great info when applying for a flex-time job after retirement.

 

Oh yeah, got a few pay bumps along the way. Do they still do that?

It also kept my DM off my ass because he would have to congratulate me during ride-alongs and he could take a bow for motivating (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) me...

 

Winning is a habit. Losing is a habit too. That's from Vince Lombardi.

Leave and win or stay and lose. It's your habit.

 

I strung a few good years together here and jumped to a specialty pharma company right after they rolled out career pathways. New company paid me 12% over my SHR level 1 base since I had a few award years as a specialty rep. Took 1 look at pathways & immediately saw it for what it was, a way to put the brakes on rep salaries with mind numbing tedium, useless coursework, and the end all still being the smoke and mirrors calibration bs at the end of the year. Every year people would move up 1 certificate and i knew for a dact they didnt put in the work. Don't waste your time. Go somewhere else like regeneron, valiant, or gilead. I know for a fact they will match your pfe base and give you extra if you have had good sales years. I know people at all e of these companies that have done it.

 

Pathway to nowhere and to nothing.

 

Stop that! It's an important part of your IDP.

 

Hahaha....you're right! Better get cracking on my development before I get laid-off.

 

Make sure your plan is robust and actionable. Whatever you complete, be sure to include in your self-evaluation. Very important part of the process. It will have a measurable impact on your raise....1.65% or 1.69%

 

Just enough to put us in a higher tax bracket and pay 4% more.
The worst part is the phoniness, the bullshit, and the waste of time and life doing this crap.
If our management is a reflection of "career pathways", then the value of the program is nil.