Breaking in, no experience 2 offers

Discussion in 'Industry Veterans' started by Anonymous, May 5, 2015 at 12:07 PM.

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  1. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    I have two offers. I am changing careers from clinical, speech therapy, into sales. I have one offer for biologics with a small distributor of orthofix biologics and then a diabetes rep with AstraZeneca. Just for reference, I am a 23 year old single woman.

    What would be better in terms of a career move? I have weighed my pros and cons below and would love your input.

    1. Biologics- small company, limited formal sales training, higher interest for me, longer training period before making sales calls, paid as 1099, I am trying to get them to give me a 50,000 guarantee for the first 3 months since I will not have much commission. This is a 20,000 pay cut from what I do currently, but my research shows that surgical/device sales is the hardest to get into and the OR experience would hopefully set me up for some good opportunities in the future. Im thinking this would be risker up front and lower pay, but that over time, it would be a good career move.

    2. AstraZeneca- formal sales training, new territory, great benefits, higher base salary ~ 60,000 and shorter training period, can start calling on doctors more quickly. Bigger company, more structured management and I somewhat know who my manager would be (have met her a few times). I think I would enjoy this as well and a well-known name and formal training may be a good start for me and for the first year, pay would definitely be better. AZ's oral diabetes medical is under investigation by FDA (what I would be repping). Afraid of potential layoff depending on results.

    I have shadowed both reps, but the biologics rep was only a surgery shadow, I did not shadow any sales. I have not shadowed the diabetes rep, but I have shadowed other pharma reps.

    I appreciate any advice!
     

  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    #1, easily.
     
  3. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    #2, easily
     
  4. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Well, obviously its settled....easily.
     
  5. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Its an obvious troll post.
    Regular job is almost always going to be better than 1099, unless you have an insight into the 1099 through a friend that is doing well with it.
    I knew a man selling enzymes that absolutely killed it in a 1099 situation, and had no field rides, nothing. Key is to know the industry you are entering in and make it happen.
    AZ is old hat, but its still a very good job, but you just have a lot of hoops to jump, and that gets old.
     
  6. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Thank you! I'm looking for what's best for my career at this point and they are do different, but not at the same time. Not sure to go for money and stability or risk and maybe better career? I guess neither is a sure thing
     
  7. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    I would go with #1, because #2 is a corporate sales job. Corporate sales is NOT a good direction to take, unless you can handle being treated like a 1st grader for the rest of your life.

    Since you are young, explore different companies.

    Also, here is an import an piece of advice for you: COMPANY CULTURE MATTERS! Stay away from companies that don't develop their people OR don't care to promote from within. Find a company that has a CEO that cares. This is often overlooked, because most people just look at the salary when considering a career…and that is dumb and short sighted. Good luck and keep us posted!
     
  8. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    I would start with #2, get good, solid 'sales' experience (product knowledge is all you'll get now. they used to train on the whole sales cycle: open/icebreak/transition/productive questions/close (limited, total,etc>.)). Plan to work 2-3 yrs and GET OUT. Then, go 1099. You will feel more confident on how to manage a territory on your own and how to engage etc.

    Best of luck (15+ yrs and I'm out)
     
  9. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

     
  10. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    neither job is a good move…this is an awful industry where you will learn no valuable skills and it is not even considered real sales…

    run as fast as you can from pharma…you are making a big mistake otherwise…

    if you really want to be in sales, get into a different industry...
     
  11. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    First of all, the original post was made back in May, so it is likely this person has already made a decision. Secondly, this is a good industry if you are lucky enough to get in. The pay is great and the job is easy. You just need to milk it as long as you can and put away $$$. With experience, it is also easy to get a job elsewhere when the time comes.

    Just like any other industry, if you are a low performer, you will always have trouble finding another job.
     
  12. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Low Performer? What does that mean? You are careless with the olives dropping off of the deli trays that you deliver…the job is a friggin' joke…most of the time, vacant territories will outperform those with reps assigned to them…puhleeze…take your pablum elsewhere.
     
  13. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    As if YOUR job is any different.

    What do you sell? Monitors? LOL.

    Stop being so full of yourself, sparkles.
     
  14. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Anyone that has a job is doing better than you, Skippy.
     
  15. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    Sure thing, Richard Head.
     
  16. anonymous

    anonymous Guest

    You can tell by his reaction that you struck a nerve, so go easy on Skippy. He has a job. Just because it is a part-time fast food job, doesn't mean it doesn't count as a real job.