Interviewing

[Anonymous]

confused. went on an interview for a pharma sales position selling to ENTs. Though the interview went well. two days later I see that same job posted on the internet. obviously the company did not like anyone they interviewed. they were there from out of state.
Im really getting confused as to how to act on interviews these days. Did I not sell myself, did I sell myself too much? Was I too aggressive? Was I not aggressive enough? I get an email this week that says they are continuing their search. So sick of this shit!!!
Help, you really start to wonder about yourself? I am a too old (im 41) Am I too this, Am I too that? or am I just paranoid?

 

[Anonymous]

confused. went on an interview for a pharma sales position selling to ENTs. Though the interview went well. two days later I see that same job posted on the internet. obviously the company did not like anyone they interviewed. they were there from out of state.
Im really getting confused as to how to act on interviews these days. Did I not sell myself, did I sell myself too much? Was I too aggressive? Was I not aggressive enough? I get an email this week that says they are continuing their search. So sick of this shit!!!
Help, you really start to wonder about yourself? I am a too old (im 41) Am I too this, Am I too that? or am I just paranoid?

First, there is likely nothing wrong with you.

This is more of a reflection of the jerk off company you interviewed with.

Second, you just have to face the facts, that you are going to have to go on many interviews before you land, as this is the way of the world with a Communist President that is ruining the economy.

Lastly, keep you head up and stay confident, because if you let them cut your nuts off, then you are done.

I say fuck them, and build up your skill set and keep networking.

Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

confused. went on an interview for a pharma sales position selling to ENTs. Though the interview went well. two days later I see that same job posted on the internet. obviously the company did not like anyone they interviewed. they were there from out of state.
Im really getting confused as to how to act on interviews these days. Did I not sell myself, did I sell myself too much? Was I too aggressive? Was I not aggressive enough? I get an email this week that says they are continuing their search. So sick of this shit!!!
Help, you really start to wonder about yourself? I am a too old (im 41) Am I too this, Am I too that? or am I just paranoid?

Seriously? The same job is posted JUST 2 days after your interview??? Just because they interviewed YOU does not mean they rush to the sites and remove the job posting. Many jobs remain on a job site for weeks if not longer even after they hire someone.

I would not sweat that. I personally think a company should remove a job posting immediately after the position is filled; but it usually doesn't work that way.

 

[Anonymous]

ALL companies suck. Learn that now and let it sink in.

That is why the smartest workers are those that produce AND fuck off at the same time. Its hard to do both, as it takes great talent and brains to pull it off.

But, that is the only way to be, because companies today are gutless.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma during your recent attempt for employment. I live in the Uk, and believe me the situation here is exactly the same.

I have been looking to change my career over the past 2.5 years and have been for a few interviews, some of which I thought went very well but did not become fruitful, problem is companies now have the pick of the bunch, they know there are so many people looking for work they can wait until they get exactly what they are looking for, and actually don't we do the same when we go shopping be it for clothes, holiday etc.

I have tried (and it is not easy at times) to have PMT (possertive mental thinking) and remind myself that what is meant for me will not pass me by.

Wish you every success for the position you eventually gain, because it has your name on it and is meant for you.

 

[Anonymous]

What is the most amazing thing about "job listings" is this ... pharmaceutical and otherwise ...

In today's job market, with many of the pharmaceutical jobs getting 2000-3000 applicants, it amazes me that a company cannot come up with 50 or more QUALITY people, any of which could probably do the job on a more than adequate basis.

But because we are in an industry full of doofuses that have been promoted to the DM ranks ... and from those doofuses, to RM and other "executive level" positions, none of them can make a decision or even find their ass with both hands.

Yes, sometimes you (or the selected applicant) make a bad choice and the job opens up soon after ... but what I think happens a lot of times is that the aforementioned legends-in-their-own-minds managers (be it at the DM, RM or other level) have this "perfect" picture of the rep they want to hire and will go through the process several times before either they find what they perceieve to meet that standard or just say to heck with it and hire the next "qualified" applicant.

If you can't fill an open pharma rep territory in three months, you aren't really serious about it. You could do it in three weeks, but that's another story.

 

[Anonymous]

confused. went on an interview for a pharma sales position selling to ENTs. Though the interview went well. two days later I see that same job posted on the internet. obviously the company did not like anyone they interviewed. they were there from out of state.
Im really getting confused as to how to act on interviews these days. Did I not sell myself, did I sell myself too much? Was I too aggressive? Was I not aggressive enough? I get an email this week that says they are continuing their search. So sick of this shit!!!
Help, you really start to wonder about yourself? I am a too old (im 41) Am I too this, Am I too that? or am I just paranoid?

You should wonder about yourself. If you are 41 and interviewing for jobs calling on ENT’s you have missed the boat. You should have either climbed the career path ladder or climbed the specialty ladder. ENT = primary care, so why would any company hire a 41 year old person with a higher base salary expectation versus hiring a 25 year old, eager beaver who thinks making $85K a year is a ton of money? Selling to an ENT is as basic as it gets so why pay for your experience? There is little to no upside in carrying your salary. Also at 41 have you not established a strong network of colleagues in this industry? If you are 41 and are interviewing “cold” for positions than you have not done a good job of networking. I’m 40 and the only time I take a phone call for a job is if it is a former colleague who is referring me in. I would never take a job where I DIDN’T know the people I was going to work for! Internal referrals are still king.

I know this sounds harsh and you don’t want to hear it but I think you need a serious dose of tough love or reality. I interview people like you all the time. They got into Primary Care in their twenties, never got promoted, and never got into the highly specialized therapeutic areas that pay substantially more. So here they are with all the contractions and reorganizations of the industry looking for a job but all they did for the last 15 to 20 years is stay in brain dead sample rep mass market job and now they are confused that no one wants to hire them. It’s too late to break into the higher paying jobs like oncology, ID, MS, HCV, etc. and it’s probably too late to get promoted in mass market. I know we all make choices in life such as staying loyal to an employer, family choices, moving, etc. I’m not saying any of those choices are right wrong or indifferent. What I’m saying is choices come with consequences. Again someone who went from PC to specialty to HIV/ID is far more impressive than someone who has sold antibiotics or asthma drugs for 15 years.

I hate to say this but it is going to be a tough road for you and others in your situation. I work for a biotech and we would never give you a call. We want 30 something’s that have a solid rolodex of customers that we call on and 5 years’ experience in the specialty. We are not interviewing in the “STAR” format or other goofball HR methods. That is reserved for BS primary care companies. We are asking ‘who do you know, what do you know, what will you bring to the table, and will you be easy to work with. If you are missing one of those components you will never get hired. If you do not have that, which it sounds like you don’t you are stuck in a bad spot trying to get a mass market job with thousands of reps looking for work. I work in a highly specialized field and I will get 200 resumes all with 5 plus years experience without going to a recruiter. 90% of those candidates would be great at the job, so the selection criteria can be paper thin and usually comes down to who internally referred them and what my gut tells me about this person, as well as their physician references which plays a huge roll. If you do not have ten physicians in the specialty we call on that will go to bat for you, again you are in a bad place.

Sorry if this is not the reply you wanted to hear but I am truly trying to give you a dose of perspective that I believe you are lacking.

 

[Anonymous]

You should wonder about yourself. If you are 41 and interviewing for jobs calling on ENT’s you have missed the boat. You should have either climbed the career path ladder or climbed the specialty ladder. ENT = primary care, so why would any company hire a 41 year old person with a higher base salary expectation versus hiring a 25 year old, eager beaver who thinks making $85K a year is a ton of money? Selling to an ENT is as basic as it gets so why pay for your experience? There is little to no upside in carrying your salary. Also at 41 have you not established a strong network of colleagues in this industry? If you are 41 and are interviewing “cold” for positions than you have not done a good job of networking. I’m 40 and the only time I take a phone call for a job is if it is a former colleague who is referring me in. I would never take a job where I DIDN’T know the people I was going to work for! Internal referrals are still king.

I know this sounds harsh and you don’t want to hear it but I think you need a serious dose of tough love or reality. I interview people like you all the time. They got into Primary Care in their twenties, never got promoted, and never got into the highly specialized therapeutic areas that pay substantially more. So here they are with all the contractions and reorganizations of the industry looking for a job but all they did for the last 15 to 20 years is stay in brain dead sample rep mass market job and now they are confused that no one wants to hire them. It’s too late to break into the higher paying jobs like oncology, ID, MS, HCV, etc. and it’s probably too late to get promoted in mass market. I know we all make choices in life such as staying loyal to an employer, family choices, moving, etc. I’m not saying any of those choices are right wrong or indifferent. What I’m saying is choices come with consequences. Again someone who went from PC to specialty to HIV/ID is far more impressive than someone who has sold antibiotics or asthma drugs for 15 years.

I hate to say this but it is going to be a tough road for you and others in your situation. I work for a biotech and we would never give you a call. We want 30 something’s that have a solid rolodex of customers that we call on and 5 years’ experience in the specialty. We are not interviewing in the “STAR” format or other goofball HR methods. That is reserved for BS primary care companies. We are asking ‘who do you know, what do you know, what will you bring to the table, and will you be easy to work with. If you are missing one of those components you will never get hired. If you do not have that, which it sounds like you don’t you are stuck in a bad spot trying to get a mass market job with thousands of reps looking for work. I work in a highly specialized field and I will get 200 resumes all with 5 plus years experience without going to a recruiter. 90% of those candidates would be great at the job, so the selection criteria can be paper thin and usually comes down to who internally referred them and what my gut tells me about this person, as well as their physician references which plays a huge roll. If you do not have ten physicians in the specialty we call on that will go to bat for you, again you are in a bad place.

Sorry if this is not the reply you wanted to hear but I am truly trying to give you a dose of perspective that I believe you are lacking.

sounds like you have have been lucky in your career, so don't knock others that have not been as lucky as you.

you are just like anyone in sales, you are not special. And if you think otherwise, then you are stupid.

And your idea that these jobs are so complex, or that the sales model is so different or so advanced, in other specialized areas, is bull. Sales is sales. Its about working with customers, working hard, and understanding your product and its place in the market. Its not complex.

Keep your cocky attitude. People like me, that see life as more than the need to get rich in a short life, don't want to work for cocky people like you anyway.

We have already moved on to better things, like independent reps (me) or staring our own business.

We are not corporate ass kissers like you.

 

[Anonymous]

You should wonder about yourself. If you are 41 and interviewing for jobs calling on ENT’s you have missed the boat. You should have either climbed the career path ladder or climbed the specialty ladder. ENT = primary care, so why would any company hire a 41 year old person with a higher base salary expectation versus hiring a 25 year old, eager beaver who thinks making $85K a year is a ton of money? Selling to an ENT is as basic as it gets so why pay for your experience? There is little to no upside in carrying your salary. Also at 41 have you not established a strong network of colleagues in this industry? If you are 41 and are interviewing “cold” for positions than you have not done a good job of networking. I’m 40 and the only time I take a phone call for a job is if it is a former colleague who is referring me in. I would never take a job where I DIDN’T know the people I was going to work for! Internal referrals are still king.

I know this sounds harsh and you don’t want to hear it but I think you need a serious dose of tough love or reality. I interview people like you all the time. They got into Primary Care in their twenties, never got promoted, and never got into the highly specialized therapeutic areas that pay substantially more. So here they are with all the contractions and reorganizations of the industry looking for a job but all they did for the last 15 to 20 years is stay in brain dead sample rep mass market job and now they are confused that no one wants to hire them. It’s too late to break into the higher paying jobs like oncology, ID, MS, HCV, etc. and it’s probably too late to get promoted in mass market. I know we all make choices in life such as staying loyal to an employer, family choices, moving, etc. I’m not saying any of those choices are right wrong or indifferent. What I’m saying is choices come with consequences. Again someone who went from PC to specialty to HIV/ID is far more impressive than someone who has sold antibiotics or asthma drugs for 15 years.

I hate to say this but it is going to be a tough road for you and others in your situation. I work for a biotech and we would never give you a call. We want 30 something’s that have a solid rolodex of customers that we call on and 5 years’ experience in the specialty. We are not interviewing in the “STAR” format or other goofball HR methods. That is reserved for BS primary care companies. We are asking ‘who do you know, what do you know, what will you bring to the table, and will you be easy to work with. If you are missing one of those components you will never get hired. If you do not have that, which it sounds like you don’t you are stuck in a bad spot trying to get a mass market job with thousands of reps looking for work. I work in a highly specialized field and I will get 200 resumes all with 5 plus years experience without going to a recruiter. 90% of those candidates would be great at the job, so the selection criteria can be paper thin and usually comes down to who internally referred them and what my gut tells me about this person, as well as their physician references which plays a huge roll. If you do not have ten physicians in the specialty we call on that will go to bat for you, again you are in a bad place.

Sorry if this is not the reply you wanted to hear but I am truly trying to give you a dose of perspective that I believe you are lacking.

What you fail to see is that you are just a corporate slave, and that getting rejected for these corporate jobs is not a big deal, when you consider who they tend to treat their reps like crap and can get rid of you whenever they see fit.

You say others are not leaving in reality, but the truth is that you think you are so secure and bring so much to the table, when in fact, you are just a corporate politician that gets by, by kissing ass.

Truly smart people in this world work less hours and get paid more.

Your model of "living life" is a terrible existence, and you likely think that buying a house over 2500 sq ft or buying a boat or sending your kids to over priced schools are good investments.

You are more clueless than you think.

 

[Anonymous]

You should wonder about yourself. If you are 41 and interviewing for jobs calling on ENT’s you have missed the boat. You should have either climbed the career path ladder or climbed the specialty ladder. ENT = primary care, so why would any company hire a 41 year old person with a higher base salary expectation versus hiring a 25 year old, eager beaver who thinks making $85K a year is a ton of money? Selling to an ENT is as basic as it gets so why pay for your experience? There is little to no upside in carrying your salary. Also at 41 have you not established a strong network of colleagues in this industry? If you are 41 and are interviewing “cold” for positions than you have not done a good job of networking. I’m 40 and the only time I take a phone call for a job is if it is a former colleague who is referring me in. I would never take a job where I DIDN’T know the people I was going to work for! Internal referrals are still king.

I know this sounds harsh and you don’t want to hear it but I think you need a serious dose of tough love or reality. I interview people like you all the time. They got into Primary Care in their twenties, never got promoted, and never got into the highly specialized therapeutic areas that pay substantially more. So here they are with all the contractions and reorganizations of the industry looking for a job but all they did for the last 15 to 20 years is stay in brain dead sample rep mass market job and now they are confused that no one wants to hire them. It’s too late to break into the higher paying jobs like oncology, ID, MS, HCV, etc. and it’s probably too late to get promoted in mass market. I know we all make choices in life such as staying loyal to an employer, family choices, moving, etc. I’m not saying any of those choices are right wrong or indifferent. What I’m saying is choices come with consequences. Again someone who went from PC to specialty to HIV/ID is far more impressive than someone who has sold antibiotics or asthma drugs for 15 years.

I hate to say this but it is going to be a tough road for you and others in your situation. I work for a biotech and we would never give you a call. We want 30 something’s that have a solid rolodex of customers that we call on and 5 years’ experience in the specialty. We are not interviewing in the “STAR” format or other goofball HR methods. That is reserved for BS primary care companies. We are asking ‘who do you know, what do you know, what will you bring to the table, and will you be easy to work with. If you are missing one of those components you will never get hired. If you do not have that, which it sounds like you don’t you are stuck in a bad spot trying to get a mass market job with thousands of reps looking for work. I work in a highly specialized field and I will get 200 resumes all with 5 plus years experience without going to a recruiter. 90% of those candidates would be great at the job, so the selection criteria can be paper thin and usually comes down to who internally referred them and what my gut tells me about this person, as well as their physician references which plays a huge roll. If you do not have ten physicians in the specialty we call on that will go to bat for you, again you are in a bad place.

Sorry if this is not the reply you wanted to hear but I am truly trying to give you a dose of perspective that I believe you are lacking.

first, you dont know it all, so stop trying to write like you are an authority

second, a career takes time to develop and nobody is washed up if they work had and are smart


third, this economy stinks, and many great sales reps got screwed

so, count your blessings and stop being a dick

 

[Anonymous]

first, you dont know it all, so stop trying to write like you are an authority

second, a career takes time to develop and nobody is washed up if they work had and are smart


third, this economy stinks, and many great sales reps got screwed

so, count your blessings and stop being a dick

First I was not trying to be a jerk. I was trying to give the OP some perspective from someone who has been in this business for 18 years and in a variety of roles in those years. If people don’t want truthful and frank answers than don’t post on here. If all they wanted was a “it’s ok you’ll be fine, all those hiring managers are idiots” than they should save that for their friends and family. The OP asked a question, I am guessing, to get some honest feedback so I provided them with some feedback. They don’t have to agree with it but it is not an uncommon perception that I put forth.

Second, there are jobs out there, just talk to any recruiter, or go on medizilla, HC reps/MedReps, etc. so save the “economy sucks” excuse – there is not going to be a mass hiring in bio/pharm when the economy rights itself. This is what the space will look like for the foreseeable future. The fact is that many of those let go needed to be let go, and if they are struggling to get back in it only justifies that they probably weren’t that valuable in the first place. I know it is harsh but it is honest. The PC rep will continue to dwindle and if you do not have a strong background in one of the growth specialties you are in big trouble.

Third, you are right, careers do take time, one should be building in their 20’s and 30’s. If you are at an entry level PC job at 41 you did not build a career you got an entry level job and became complacent. Again what skill set are you bringing to the table that thousands of other PC reps don’t have if all you did was work in mass market?

It is what it is, and I know that reality is in short supply on Café Pharma, but in all honestly nothing I said was personal or hurtful, it was just truthful.

 

[Anonymous]

sounds like you have have been lucky in your career, so don't knock others that have not been as lucky as you.

you are just like anyone in sales, you are not special. And if you think otherwise, then you are stupid.

And your idea that these jobs are so complex, or that the sales model is so different or so advanced, in other specialized areas, is bull. Sales is sales. Its about working with customers, working hard, and understanding your product and its place in the market. Its not complex.

Keep your cocky attitude. People like me, that see life as more than the need to get rich in a short life, don't want to work for cocky people like you anyway.

We have already moved on to better things, like independent reps (me) or staring our own business.

We are not corporate ass kissers like you.

You know I love you. . . call me!

 

[Anonymous]

KUDOS to the above posts. I have walked into the room with these "types" and leave wondering why they think they are so cool.

I'm specialized. I look for the Rolodex. What can you do for me? I am a player in this world. I have relationships.

That one is my favorite. Every hiring manager wants relationships. Outside of trauma and surgical. Relationships mean very little in most cases. How many physicians use a product because of the rep? Not many.

People like this have to be the most insecure people on the planet.

You are a creepy little person. You are as vulnerable as the rest of us.

For a fact you have to be in your early to mid- 30's. I too, thought I was pretty "special" flying all over the nation wearing fancy suits and staying in all the first-class hotels until one day a little over 40 they handed me my as* after 12 years and I quickly learned I was not so special and was not considered to be talented whatsoever by corporate America.

I was laughed at and humiliated. I learned that I am not what I earn or what I do after sinking like a rock on the social and income strata. My high powered, big time guy. Your day is coming far sooner than you think.

Please post back and let us know how cool you are sitting home when you have no were to go in the morning and the afternoon is relegated to filling out stupid boxes on career websites after you go through your first initial network. Clown!

 

[Anonymous]

First I was not trying to be a jerk. I was trying to give the OP some perspective from someone who has been in this business for 18 years and in a variety of roles in those years. If people don’t want truthful and frank answers than don’t post on here. If all they wanted was a “it’s ok you’ll be fine, all those hiring managers are idiots” than they should save that for their friends and family. The OP asked a question, I am guessing, to get some honest feedback so I provided them with some feedback. They don’t have to agree with it but it is not an uncommon perception that I put forth.

Second, there are jobs out there, just talk to any recruiter, or go on medizilla, HC reps/MedReps, etc. so save the “economy sucks” excuse – there is not going to be a mass hiring in bio/pharm when the economy rights itself. This is what the space will look like for the foreseeable future. The fact is that many of those let go needed to be let go, and if they are struggling to get back in it only justifies that they probably weren’t that valuable in the first place. I know it is harsh but it is honest. The PC rep will continue to dwindle and if you do not have a strong background in one of the growth specialties you are in big trouble.

Third, you are right, careers do take time, one should be building in their 20’s and 30’s. If you are at an entry level PC job at 41 you did not build a career you got an entry level job and became complacent. Again what skill set are you bringing to the table that thousands of other PC reps don’t have if all you did was work in mass market?

It is what it is, and I know that reality is in short supply on Café Pharma, but in all honestly nothing I said was personal or hurtful, it was just truthful.

Too late you are still a major tool and a commodity yourself. People are out of work and losing everything they have worked years for. We know the story and do not need you to read it to us.
Now jump out there and let the world know what powerful prospect you are. By 2014 they wont need you and your "specialized" skill set. It does not take wonder person to tell a provider they will need a prior authorization if the patient fails miserably after 10 attempts with a generic formula.

 

[Anonymous]

What you fail to see is that you are just a corporate slave, and that getting rejected for these corporate jobs is not a big deal, when you consider who they tend to treat their reps like crap and can get rid of you whenever they see fit.

You say others are not leaving in reality, but the truth is that you think you are so secure and bring so much to the table, when in fact, you are just a corporate politician that gets by, by kissing ass.

Truly smart people in this world work less hours and get paid more.

Your model of "living life" is a terrible existence, and you likely think that buying a house over 2500 sq ft or buying a boat or sending your kids to over priced schools are good investments.

You are more clueless than you think.

What you fail to see is that you are just a corporate slave, and that getting rejected for these corporate jobs is not a big deal, when you consider who they tend to treat their reps like crap and can get rid of you whenever they see fit.

First most of us are slaves to something. I’ve owned my own business and I was a slave to my employees, my customers, my investors etc. The CEO of the biotech I work for is a slave to the BOD, the investors, the customers, and to some extent his employees. So unless you are homeless you are probably a slave to something. Second, I know that many companies do not treat their reps well, I get that. I stay away from those companies and you should too…it is making you bitter.


You say others are not leaving in reality, but the truth is that you think you are so secure and bring so much to the table, when in fact, you are just a corporate politician that gets by, by kissing ass.

Never said I was “so secure” nor that I bring “so much to the table” so please stop telling me what I “think”. What I said was that unless you progressed through your career you are in a tough spot. Also I said nothing about bringing so much to the table all I was giving was my perspective on their situation from an industry veteran’s point of view from someone who actually hires people. See I don’t work at your big pharma conglomerate. I work for a highly specialized biotech where we don’t have a culture of “ass kissing” and “politicking”. We tend not to hire from the PFE’s J&J’s GSK’s, BMS’s, and Merk’s of the world because we know that those cultures are rampant with what you speak. Cleary you have had bad experiences at bad companies and that again has made you bitter.

Truly smart people in this world work less hours and get paid more.

I agree. Not sure what that is in reference to, as I didn’t state anything about work/life balance or work hours vs. income. I said that people make choices and those choices have consequences. I think you are reading into that statement a little too deeply.

Your model of "living life" is a terrible existence, and you likely think that buying a house over 2500 sq ft or buying a boat or sending your kids to over priced schools are good investments.

Again, not sure when I wrote anything about my “model of ‘living life’” or what I consider a “good investment”. You seem to be projecting a little bit.

I think you are consumed with bitterness to those who have any sort of success in life, real or perceived by you, especially in this industry. I never bragged about money, a house, a boat, or anything else. You have a fanciful imagination that is being wasted in pharma. Maybe that is why you are bitter…


You are more clueless than you think.

Well here is what I’m not clueless about...NONE of your responses where directed at the actual things I wrote but rather your imagination and perception of who you think I am. I noticed you failed to contradict anything I wrote you just attacked me personally.

So I’m writing from experience and you are writing from your imagination…who’s clueless now?

 

[Anonymous]

sounds like you have have been lucky in your career, so don't knock others that have not been as lucky as you.

you are just like anyone in sales, you are not special. And if you think otherwise, then you are stupid.

And your idea that these jobs are so complex, or that the sales model is so different or so advanced, in other specialized areas, is bull. Sales is sales. Its about working with customers, working hard, and understanding your product and its place in the market. Its not complex.

Keep your cocky attitude. People like me, that see life as more than the need to get rich in a short life, don't want to work for cocky people like you anyway.

We have already moved on to better things, like independent reps (me) or staring our own business.

We are not corporate ass kissers like you.

Ah, yet you are spending your evenings on Café Pharma…

If sales were sales than device companies would be hiring PC pharma reps right and left and oncology companies would hire kids right out of college. Does that happen? Of course not. Cleary almost all people see value in specialization of skills and experience in an industry. Just selling Hyundai’s is different than selling Rolls Royce’s so is selling beta blockers to a primary care doc versus selling chemotherapy. Sure they are both cars and both drugs but that is where is where the similarities start and stop. But how would you know you never made out of a sample rep job…

If sales were sales than I could just sign up and sell jet engines for General Electric to Boeing, regardless of the fact that I have zero working knowledge or industry contacts or the airline business.

You are an idiot if you think all sales jobs are the same. If that were the fact than EVEYONE else in EVERY industry has it wrong and you have it right, that specialization of skills and direct experience has no value. I have hired people with no experience and it takes them a year or two to even have the knowledge base in oncology to have a coherent conversation with their peers let alone an oncologists, let alone an oncology researcher at an academic institution. Every person I’ve hired with no oncology experience in the past, always said the same thing…that they never imagined how different and how much more they had to learn to do the job...

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, yet you are spending your evenings on Café Pharma…

If sales were sales than device companies would be hiring PC pharma reps right and left and oncology companies would hire kids right out of college. Does that happen? Of course not. Cleary almost all people see value in specialization of skills and experience in an industry. Just selling Hyundai’s is different than selling Rolls Royce’s so is selling beta blockers to a primary care doc versus selling chemotherapy. Sure they are both cars and both drugs but that is where is where the similarities start and stop. But how would you know you never made out of a sample rep job…

If sales were sales than I could just sign up and sell jet engines for General Electric to Boeing, regardless of the fact that I have zero working knowledge or industry contacts or the airline business.

You are an idiot if you think all sales jobs are the same. If that were the fact than EVEYONE else in EVERY industry has it wrong and you have it right, that specialization of skills and direct experience has no value. I have hired people with no experience and it takes them a year or two to even have the knowledge base in oncology to have a coherent conversation with their peers let alone an oncologists, let alone an oncology researcher at an academic institution. Every person I’ve hired with no oncology experience in the past, always said the same thing…that they never imagined how different and how much more they had to learn to do the job...

99 out of 100 times, a top salesperson in one industry, will do well is another industry.

If you don't understand that, you are stupid.

Well, we already know that you are cocky. You may be stupid too, and you keep digging a bigger hole for yourself with you "know it all" attitude.

Sales is simply understanding markets, working hard to earn customer trust in your products, staying organized, and following up. These "specialized" skills you are referring too are very over-rated.

And you don't have to be super smart to sell a medical device or other BS. A four year degree from a decent school is good enough.

I know plenty of people in these markets that majored in drinking beer and still snot crap every week, because they are losers like you. Thankfully, these are only people I know, and I don't care to kiss their butts (something you would do), to get similar lucrative jobs.

You can't fool vets like us on this forum.

 

[Anonymous]

KUDOS to the above posts. I have walked into the room with these "types" and leave wondering why they think they are so cool.

I'm specialized. I look for the Rolodex. What can you do for me? I am a player in this world. I have relationships.

That one is my favorite. Every hiring manager wants relationships. Outside of trauma and surgical. Relationships mean very little in most cases. How many physicians use a product because of the rep? Not many.

People like this have to be the most insecure people on the planet.

You are a creepy little person. You are as vulnerable as the rest of us.

For a fact you have to be in your early to mid- 30's. I too, thought I was pretty "special" flying all over the nation wearing fancy suits and staying in all the first-class hotels until one day a little over 40 they handed me my as* after 12 years and I quickly learned I was not so special and was not considered to be talented whatsoever by corporate America.

I was laughed at and humiliated. I learned that I am not what I earn or what I do after sinking like a rock on the social and income strata. My high powered, big time guy. Your day is coming far sooner than you think.

Please post back and let us know how cool you are sitting home when you have no were to go in the morning and the afternoon is relegated to filling out stupid boxes on career websites after you go through your first initial network. Clown!

great flipping post!

Good for you, that you were able to recognize the stupid game played on so many of us.

Some never get it. These are the types that are still thinking their 401k is going to bring them happiness or that they will be content when the stock price goes up. They go through life as terrible people, thinking that if they only made more money or had a bigger home or drove a nicer car, they would be happy.

I recall reading a book about a Wall Street wife, whose husband would caught up in the Lehman downsize/scandal or whatever...well, when the company got rid of him, she never heard from her so-called "friends" anymore, because her husband was no longer in the game. All this time, she thought that they actually liked her and had her back and would always be there. Her family went from riches to rags in months, and nobody called, nothing.

its so true, and its a reason that my best friends are people I grew up with, and not fakes that are so dam common in the world of corporate BS USA.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, yet you are spending your evenings on Café Pharma…

If sales were sales than device companies would be hiring PC pharma reps right and left and oncology companies would hire kids right out of college. Does that happen? Of course not. Cleary almost all people see value in specialization of skills and experience in an industry. Just selling Hyundai’s is different than selling Rolls Royce’s so is selling beta blockers to a primary care doc versus selling chemotherapy. Sure they are both cars and both drugs but that is where is where the similarities start and stop. But how would you know you never made out of a sample rep job…

If sales were sales than I could just sign up and sell jet engines for General Electric to Boeing, regardless of the fact that I have zero working knowledge or industry contacts or the airline business.

You are an idiot if you think all sales jobs are the same. If that were the fact than EVEYONE else in EVERY industry has it wrong and you have it right, that specialization of skills and direct experience has no value. I have hired people with no experience and it takes them a year or two to even have the knowledge base in oncology to have a coherent conversation with their peers let alone an oncologists, let alone an oncology researcher at an academic institution. Every person I’ve hired with no oncology experience in the past, always said the same thing…that they never imagined how different and how much more they had to learn to do the job...

You are clearly a smart person. I won't deny that.

But, you are out numbered on this topic, and that should get you thinking about your paradigm and your place in the corporate scheme.

And even though you are smart, I wouldn't hire you because you think you know it all.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, yet you are spending your evenings on Café Pharma…

If sales were sales than device companies would be hiring PC pharma reps right and left and oncology companies would hire kids right out of college. Does that happen? Of course not. Cleary almost all people see value in specialization of skills and experience in an industry. Just selling Hyundai’s is different than selling Rolls Royce’s so is selling beta blockers to a primary care doc versus selling chemotherapy. Sure they are both cars and both drugs but that is where is where the similarities start and stop. But how would you know you never made out of a sample rep job…

If sales were sales than I could just sign up and sell jet engines for General Electric to Boeing, regardless of the fact that I have zero working knowledge or industry contacts or the airline business.

You are an idiot if you think all sales jobs are the same. If that were the fact than EVEYONE else in EVERY industry has it wrong and you have it right, that specialization of skills and direct experience has no value. I have hired people with no experience and it takes them a year or two to even have the knowledge base in oncology to have a coherent conversation with their peers let alone an oncologists, let alone an oncology researcher at an academic institution. Every person I’ve hired with no oncology experience in the past, always said the same thing…that they never imagined how different and how much more they had to learn to do the job...

Please another oncology power player in the "real world" of business. Please grab my bag and sodas from the trunk the staff gets upset when we are late with lunch. You too will soon be out work like much of the industry. Oh sorry! I forgot you are special and smart person that sells oncology or an over priced device.

The world of science will stop the minute you are no longer applying your great insight to this world. It's bed time Junior. Busy day tomorrow schooling the world with your knowledge.

Do the tumor boards and advisory meetings wait for you to arrive before they start at the all important research centers were you grace them with your knowledge?