Does anyone ever really think pharmaceutical sales is stressful?

I think initially it can be stressful, depending on your manager, MC situations, company layoffs, etc. Eventually, though, it just becomes depressing once you see how it all works. You can't possibly do everything that's demanded of you in most companies, so you start to let things slide. You miss deadlines, enter calls that aren't really calls, cheat on tests to get them done (usually on your own time at home), etc. You're expected to make 15 calls a day in a territory where no one sees reps on Mondays. You're fed platitudes like, "There's no such thing as a no-see doctor." You see the huge waste of time and money as we play games at POA and have useless cartons of promo materials shipped overnight. The guys at the top are making millions trading options while the industry is imploding, and middle management is scared shitless, so they spend all their time rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. All those new, useless metrics that treat us like kindergarteners. This while layoffs continue and patients still can't afford their meds. The doctors hate us, the politicians hate us, and the media hate us. It just slowly sucks the life right out of you. Look at how cynical (or just plain mean and nasty) everyone is on this site.

 

this is the best, smartest post i have ever read on CP...this industry truly sucks the life out of you...

 

I agree with the posts referring to the type of DM you have as it relates to your job stress. I have been in pharm. sales since the 80's, and the only time I felt stress was with moron managers who don't understand what it takes to be successful in this industry. I tend to place stress on myself to achieve quota for financial reasons, but overall it's a nice place to be. Many of the posts talk about boredom. It is tough to be motivated and excited every single day week after week. I try to pick my moments and hope at the end of the day I made a difference in at least one or two offices. Keep the Faith everyone.

 

It was a good post, yes.

 

I have a problem with the your last statement. "I try to pick my moments and hope at the end of the day I made a difference in at least one or two offices". How pathetic of a job is that? That statement is exactly why reps are bored and disgruntled. Most reps are competitive, driven, passionate, but in pharma you hope you made an impact, maybe? There is just something missing there for me. I think what is missing is that the companies call us sales reps when the job is marketing and messaging. Pharma to me is like running around chasing your tail with no end result. But as long as you accept the impact BS this job is perfect for you. Keep the faith I guess!

 

I am sorry for your anger concerning my post. What I'm trying to say is we're not going to make a difference on every call every day. If you can move one or two physicians a day to prescribe more of your products, you will be successful. Reps with your hostility should find other work.

 

This person is stressed

 

Only when you think you're going to lose your job. And then when you start looking for a new one and realize that there are not enough in your area.

 

Pharma stressed the shit out of me. The reason it was stressfull was because my success had no correlation with how hard I worked, and that fucking sucks if you are motivated to succeed. The stress doubles if you have pressure from a manager to increase your ranking. Make no mistake about it, 90% of pharma sales has NOTHING to do with what you do day in and day out! I was in pharma for four years and had good years and bad years, and there never was a rhyme or reason why my performance changed from year to year.

I was so stressed out with pharma I quit and went to work on 100% commision in medical device. I am happier than I ever thought I could be at a job and totaly stress free because I eat what I kill. I have control
of my circumstances and love what I do. No charades, no BS, no disrespect from drs or staff. So in my opinion, pharma is the more stessful than a 100% commision device job hands down!

On a side note, most pharma reps would be very succesfull in device reps despite what device boards on CP say.

 

Wow it's like I wrote this myself! I started feeling this way even before I started working for SP. The only thing I could add is that the little old ladies hate us and it also takes every last drop of integrity out of you. It's all bullshit and street level were hung out to dry. " i sure hope someone comes to my dinner program on Friday" BUllshit I say!!

 

I have been a rep. for 10 years in the same territory and my ranking goes up/down and I am not doing anything different at all. Its just funny how a a barbie doll rep. less than 2 years comes in to a territory and she is in top 10% ranking . I guess she just landed in a territory with good ranking , I know this rep. is not doing anything different than me. This job ia a complete joke and we do not sell anyhting but just marketing people. This job is so mindless and I can not picture myself doing this for the next 10 years. How does a rep. who has been doing this job ofr so long be motivated and what makes you stay in this mindless job????

 

Many good answers. A person with a strong work ethic will ultimately become stressed and burn out in this "job".

 

I look at it this way....it's the easiest job I've ever had, bar none. It's the highest paying job, 2x as much as any job I've ever had. No job has ever let me sleep in, EVER!

I recall for years on end just wishing that I could put up with even much more shit if I was just compensated for it. Now I put up with 1000% less shit, if you can believe that, than ever before and I doubled my income. I will ride this barely bucking bronco until they kick me off. Which with layoffs every year, might be sooner than later. That's the only stress.

oh yes, and if you have a moronic asshole for a DM, the only stress is keeping yourself from literally killing her/him. I do weigh my options quite often when I've had such a DM over the years.

 

You nailed it! I also think boredom can be extremely stressful.

 

Hey you have other career options, you know that there is a nursing shortage, you can always go into nursing wiping asses and cleaning shit, exposure to disease as well as constantly being threatened to lose your license, as well as needle sticks.Its a noble job! You really dont know how good you have it.

 

I agree, full commission is stressful, but the rewards are much greater. If you truly can sell, then there is no fear of not selling anything. I got out of pharma years ago and have been full commission in another industry. See the mentality of a lot of the fresh out of college grads that pharma hires , is that 50-60K base plus bonuses is awesome money. Now granted, it is very decent money, but it all depends on your perspective.

You are capped in most pharma jobs. You will never make 400K in one year. Now granted some years I struggle to make 100K, but those big years, the really big years is where it pays off.

This is just my perspective. I'm sure there are other people out there who think 400K is pocket change.

My point here? Who the fuck knows. THINK BIG !!!!

 

I have known of people that quite the job in less than 1 month. They could not take it.

 

Definitely not stressful. At the PC level the job is meaningless and once you realize that it is time to get out or you will die a slow death. If you are really a numbers driven and ambitious person, this job is not for you(at least in PC). I got in thinking that you could really make some good commission but that is not the way it works. Left two years ago and couldn't be happier.

 

Try working for Novartis and then you will know about stress pal.

 

Novartis eh?
Your statement really made me lol.

Do you really think your efforts mean anything to the Big N? No, they don't. Therefore, do your job to the best of your ability, and forget the rest.

Worse thing that can happen is that you lose your job.

Big deal. There are lots of jobs out there.