New MBA here, and six months into this I am ready to quit.

I am so glad that you have the insight to know what God cares about. Did this come in a dream, or were you always able to divine this knowledge?

 

There is a book called the Bible and it has lots of God stuff in it. Have you heard of it? It is the best selling book in the history of the world!

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

 

So, where do you get your insight, the Devil?

Sucks to be you.

 

God, Devil, Grimms Fairytails, what is the difference?

 

Congrats!

As I am sure you will agree...the industry has changed DRAMATICALLY over the past 31 years. 31 years ago...you could truly sell your products. Yet, now, the industry is so driven by formularies. That is selling?

Made me laugh how many times the "best" rep was recognized for "top" sales. Hmmmmmm, best coverage, best pharmacies, high population of the plan's patients, etc.

As you have seen...the glory years of pharma reps is gone. They are a dying breed. Life support is out for what is left.

How this thread began...the MBA.

I earned an MBA...immediately after undergrad. Glad I did. Got me my first job, pharma. Stayed for the experience. Moved on. Got additional experience elsewhere...and moved on again. 3rd position (in ~20 years)...hoping the last before retirement. Wouldn't have acquired this position without the MBA, pharma and the previous experience. So...your career is a journey...make the best of it.

Blessings!

 

Because it's not sales...yet, mere promotion. Try to get a SALES job out of the industry...you will have a hard time. Most don't few it as a true SALES job.

Think about it...

 

You are so full of shit.

It is NOT that hard to get a job outside of the industry if you can present yourself well in the interview and have a good education behind you.

I get offers all the time, but choose to stay in pharma for my big severance package if I get downsized.

You people that think your sales jobs outside of pharma are so stupid.

SALES IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE A SIMPLE MODEL TO FOLLOW TO SUCESS. It is not fucking Rocket Science that you all claim it is.

Now, shut the hell up with pharmaceuticals not being sales and grow up.

 

Pharma is not sales, because the person we are detailing(marketing) to, the doctor, is not making a buying decision.

A signature on a computer for samples is much different than a signature on a contract.

 

There is a reason why other industries don't even look at pharma reps' resumes. That is because it isn't real sales. Which is fine... it's a good paying, low stress, easy job for as long as I have it. It's also the reason why more and more pharma companies are moving away from sales commission and they are measuring reps on things like teamwork and other non sales dimensions.

 

r.

If you need an MBA for your positition it makes sense. (I work in medical device and all they care about is sales numbers).

However, I see a lot of people who get an MBA because they think advanced degrees give them more bragging rights, another degree to post on a wall for those that collect degrees, or MANY that I have seen get one because they graduate with their bachelors and go right into getting an MBA because they don't know what else to do (which is stupid because they don't know business anyways, they haven't lived it.)

The irony is, several of my neighbors have MBAs. I am younger than they (by 20 years) and make a lot more money (about $50,000 more per year on average). Why? Because I have chosen a profession (medical device sales) that pays for performance, not because I have letters after my name. The ironic thing is, I know what my Doctors I sell to make on average. And my income is not far behind theirs. (Maybe 20% less). And I work less than they do, am not as stressed, don't have people's lives in my hands, and don't have to run my own business like they do.

So perhaps an MBA is useful is useful for some, but I would be wasting my money if I got one. It isn't worth 2 years and $50,000+ to get something that would be unlikely to boost by $170,000+ a year income (The good years would bring 200+) Perhaps in some fields an MBA is not worth, just not in this field.

Collecting degrees to me is pointless.

 

This post perfectly explains why I stay in this industry (good pay), while at the same time can't stand it (team selling approach and spread the incentive).

good work here. Please expand and convince me to grow a pair and move on! You da man.

 

Your original post states that you are unhappy after 6 mos. I was unhappy after 6 mos - stayed 14 years. Put your MBA to use and recognize what you already know - This job isn't what it's cracked up to be. I liked looking at my business card and driving the co car and SAYING I was a "Pharmaceutical Rep", while living in constant misery. Being downsized last year (nationwide, not as an individual lay-off) was a blessing in disguise!

 

What do you do now?

 

Dental - absolutely Love It

 

Even if true, pharma is still sales based upon the nature of the job.

 

It absolutely is.

Those that think medical device is so much more advanced, really have their heads up their ass.

 

It is marketing and customer service, not sales.

 

Face to face marketing IS sales. Pharma is sales. Medical is sales. Both are face to face marketing to generate sales. Period.

 

No pharma isn't sales. You are providing customer service (samples and lunch) and marketing (repeating corporate messaging during the call). It is in no way sales.