Honestly how long do we have???

I am concerned about how long this gig will last. All the new hires in the industry are from Publicis, PDI, InvenTiv and the like. Novartis, Eli Lilly etc are using them. Oncology access is through the pits! I know some moron will say don't worry AZ is dumb they will keep hiring etc but look around you!

I am not trying to be negative but honestly how lomg can this last? 1 year? 3? Eventually AZ follows its colleagues. And it ain't looking pretty. I am trying to leave this industry but guess what? Industries that pay more like software, medical devices will NOT touch me with a 10 foot pole. Websites like MedReps specify No Pharma Reps in their ads. So what am I supposed to do once this gig is up, am in my late thirties and have a mortgage with 1 kids? Yes that's me. Am I the only one not seeing the potential iceberg that we are heading into? I know some jack ass will say I am full of it and not to worry. But honestly how long do we have and how can we avoid the imminent disaster??

 

The writing has been on the wall for years in this industry!! I'm not the bread winner in my family, so I will stay as long as I can. If I were the sole support for my family, I would be trying to get out as well. I'm thinking 5 years, diabetes. Maybe less. I'm saving while I can.

 

The first step is to admit reality that this will not last long. I am not saying the fat lady is singing yet but I can hear her humming. When it comes it will be sudden and dramatic industry wide. There are many companies like AZ that will follow the leader within weeks. Watch for announcements of people leaving or taking early retirement from HQ jobs as an indicator.

 

Those people in the company that know the answer to this question aren't talking. It doesn't take an MBA from Harvard to predict the futre. I'll ask you these rhetorical questions.....If you were in charge would you cut the sales force? By how much and when?

 

Calm down, calm down! Frenchie loves us! It doesn't matter that we lost $350,000,000 last quarter, and we are losing XR, and Crestor next year. But what the hell, we are giving Crestor away for a $3 copay card, Farxiga is free, and Nexium is $15 to your door! Life is good! No layoffs forever!

 

I'm finishing up my MBA partly paid for by AZ. And I'm lining up an offer from
Bain Consulting making more than my job as a DBM at AZ. There is life after AZ OP please don't get discouraged. Those who remain are truly idiotic. If you are not looking to leave this industry you are a fool!

 

99% of the people at AZ are content to "ride it out", for however long. People by nature, are uncomfortable with change. Looking to leave this industry requires a lot of work, and most people do not have the time, nor do they want to have to deal with the problems of job looking. In other words, people are "comfortable" with what they have now. They don't want to have to think about it.

Think about it, all around us companies have had numerous layoffs since our last one. We are way too top heavy with people in the field. Access is harder every single day. Because of this, we constantly lie about our activity, and I am one of them. Pressure to control prices of drugs come from all sides.

Pascal has promised the moon in sales. His reputation is on the line. He turned down $119 billion from Pfizer. Did he make a mistake, only time will tell. But one thing I do know, is that we cannot continue to go on with our present size forever. We can do the same, and maybe more, with less. The question is, when will Pascal and friends realize this and pull the trigger?

 

Ask yourself one simple question; if you owned the company would you pay you to do what you do on a daily basis? Would you pay someone your salary, car expenses, meals, travel etc. to produce what you produce on a typical day?
The answer has been obvious for so long that even the paid consultants who rely on the stupidity of big Pharma know it can't last much longer. When they start projecting reality into the productivity numbers is when all hell will break loose for us. Tic Toc Tic Toc....

 

The answer is NO! Look at Novartis they got rid of 100 percent of its Psych, Resp and PCP salesforce and have not missed a beat. Their MS, Onc and Hosp divisions were unscathed but for how long? Honestly I'm shocked AZ hasn't caught on

 

Oh, they will.

Just hope you have a lot of years under your belt that at least the severance is OK.

 

Companies like ZS associates has made millions off of Phrama selling their territory design maps all based on bullshit data entered by lying PSSs throughout Pharma. Bullshit sales numbers projected from partial data at best and reach and frequency based on 75% of faked calls reported.

 

IMO, Look no further than late this year--like an email before Christmas holidays, as in early Dec.2011. They only need numbers from Q1-q3 this year to decide, especially if falling revenue isn't addressed with some cost cutting measures. This go around, IF any type of severance is offered, look for hundreds, if not more, of Long tenured reps to say bye bye to AZ, maybe the industry. Now, I may be 100% wrong. But as we have all said, how long can this roll on? AZ must have more $ than Pfizer in its coffers that no one knows about to offset losses with our blockbusters going generic next year. I don't get it, how we've not had reductions in sales while virtually every other large company has (recently). At least for today, we haven't been given a WARN notice.

 

Great post and sums things up very nicely! I am looking when i can. I work half-days, most days, and try to check out the job sites. I am constantly networking. It is strange as hell that AZ has not had a layoff in 3 years! Back then, I saw what I considered good/great reps get let go over ass kissers, and fuck-offs. Right then and there I decided that I wasn't going to bust my ass anymore, because it didn't matter. AZ needs a 50% + layoff across the board, but they just keep on hiring! There is only one word for it…lunacy!

 

Primary Care will be wiped out when Crestor goes generic in May of 2016. There may be a small layoff in the fall, but by spring of 16' with no more XR and no more Crestor, something will have to give.

 

Never mind that diabetes can't sell squat with way too many reps out there.

 

OP here. Glad I'm not the only one. But wanted to get ideas as to how we can leave this industry? It's not an AZ problem. It's an industry problem. The Medical Device companies won't look at me. Any other thoughts as to how to leave this industry and at least make the same amount of money?

 

Nobody short of the silicon valley is going to pay you this kind of money for so little work. I have been interviewing for 9 months and realize that I will have to take a pay cut but I have to get out of this mind numbing job before it ruins my home life and my prospects for any kind of meaningful career.

 

You can get a job at Merrill or Morgan as a FA. You will get a 65-75k base for 2 years while you build your book of business. You will work very very very hard, but if you are willing to do this you can make 200k within 3-4 years and be on track to earn more as the years go by.

 

I can't tell. Is this just a repost from 1999?

 

I'd guess by the end of this year, huge layoffs. Rumors that we will sell off Brillenta.