Job Interview

Hi Everyone,

I have a job interview with Alcon coming up on the west coast for a sales position. Could someone please be so kind to let me know a salary range and benefits? I have 7 years of pharma sales experience. Also, any genuine advice or thoughts would be appreciated about the company, products, or anything that might be helpful. I realize not every post on here or any company board is truth but not always fiction either and I'm a little concerned about the many negative posts. Happy Holidays to all!

 

Why do you stay in pharma? Don't you know how many people are bailing from this industry and going into other sales positions out of pharma?

 

Usually around $65 base. You can push to be brought on a a senior rep, get more base, but they really try not to do it. Full benefits, car, 401k match, corporate card. gas card

 

be grateful you are not interviewing in PA

 

Negative, overbearing top-down micromanagement.
Horrible fake and phony environment and coworkers.
Operating in a silo.
Work in pods, pain in the ass.
Lots of entitlement from people that have been around too long.
60 base, car, etc, bonus 30-50 maybe
Work 3-4 hours a day though, plus
Products decent as far as market share and brand awareness.
All depends on formulary.
Do it if you have to, just put on the old blinders!

Good luck!

 

Just make sure you push for an exception as a senior rep. Get it in writing! You should automatically get a higher bas because of your experience. Stay away from Eye Care as PODS are not a good selling environment. SEE is better, but not without problems. If you have been in Pharma for 7 years you knoew the drill. There are always challenges, but you have to decide if the boss is a good fit, culture of the team etc. make sure you speak to someone on the team. If they don't give you a name, that would be cause for concern. Once you get that name, ask them for another. That second person is where you can dig in a little further. Formulary will drive a lot, but if you have the drive and the passion you can rise up. Good luck and be smart.

 

Honestly, unless your super desperate I would advise NOT to take the job. Been here for 12 years and its a mess. All the way from making quota, management, DMs. It's not a good situation

 

....why? You have a management (district manager) problem

 

everyone knows we do

 

That's awesome. HR trolling CP for intel. Get a life and do your job. It's awful out here, lack of awareness and lack of ability. Why do you promote those who are completely unable to do the job as well as hang onto those who are tired and worthless?

 

Hr does nothing!

 

If you are out of work then take it. If you have a decent job then keep it. Quotas are ridiculous, management is in it for themselves, a lot of micro managing, salary is so-so.

 

Do the VC reps call on primary care docs? I have an interview this week and not interested in calling on PC docs. Thanks

 

No, VC calls on OD's. The only sales team calling on PC's is Specialty Eye and Ear (SEE) and that's still less than half of the call list usually.

 

If I were you I wouldn't be "interested" in calling on any "docs" as it's the most pointless/useless/worthless/embarrassing thing one can do in life.

 

Can anyone give me any information about a Vision Care opening with Alcon please?

1. Base Salary estimate and ranges with 8 years PHARMA in industry

2. Training - Details please ? How long do new hires go away for training and how long are the home studies modules? Is there a final test and score requirement to keep job?

3. I see car is choice - what are the car choices for a Vision Care representative new? Or do new hires inherit old cars from reps leaving or promoted? Can you request a van ? I am being serious.

4. How many meetings are required by year? I was at a company and we were required to travel 5 times yearly to national meetings and even more for district meetings out of town. I have 2 kids and it was ridiculous! Conference Calls were at 5pm Friday. I am trying to avoid this again.

5. Do managers ride with you a lot in this type of position?

6. Calls required per week and iPad managed? Micromanged or not?

Thanks again to anyone that can understand questions that some times ya can't ask a DM.

Carol

 

culture is awesome. base is decent. bonus is high and potential is outstanding. again the environment here is A+. car is a fusion. just hit your quota is the focus regarding calls do your job. great place to be. good luck as its hard to get in but well worth it.

 

Pipeline is mediocre. I anticipate that this company will spin off the Alcon division to a corporate raider within the next 5 years if not sooner. Layoffs will follow.
If you want a job selling value added medicine with a decent company, look elsewhere.

 

Can anyone detail new hire training info the home study and away training and lengths at both please? I am trying to avoid lengthy training periods like the 2 week away trainings and the 5 x's per year national and regional meetings.

 

Nice job trying to screw over the OP. Unless your comments were sincere then you must have been thinking 10 years back pre-Novartis. When you have mass resignations at home office, upper management jumping ship to Galderma and open territorities that DMs are unable to fill for months or keep a rep for more than a year. You are fooling yourself. Base is crap compared to industry, bonuses are harder and harder to make and 20k is the norm. Patanol expiring this year with no layoffs? Dead pipeline in VC and SEE. This is not a good place to continue your career path. Pharma is dead try device or biotech. I am relieved to be out of Alcon.