So our boisterous VP stands on stage at NSM closing session & tells us we our it to ourselves and families to talk to other companies then if we get an offer he will try to match it. After hearing at the mtg a Xeljanz DM got an offer countered, I took my VP up on his advise. I got an offer from another company which i told my RD & VP Well after 1000 questions getting information regarding the other company & stringing it out, the VP says he is not going to match a verbal offer, and now MIGHT consider if you have a written offer that you dont get until after you take background & drug tests. No verbal offers will be considered. So i move forward w the new company only to find out they heard I try counter w Pfizer & withdrew my offer! (The only way they found out is thru Pfizer mgt because nobody else knew!) Now I am stuck w same salary, missing out on a 20k pay increase, no new job & stuck w a burned bridge reputation with Pfizer. I totally blew up myself by trusting Xeljanz VP words on the big stage in front of entire division. I should never even try to get a counter as now I am in a worse place than were I started. Stupid of me for trusting an arrogant big mouth who is all hot wind and just used me for competitive info then threw me in the water. My reputation w Pfizer is ruined now. Advise -do not believe one word management says about getting a counter, it is a trap for intel and you might or in my case might not get one then ruin entire career w Pfizer If you go through the time & effort with another company who actually sees your value & skills to reward you with a nice offer, just take it as they value you more than Pfizer does. (If you are one or lucky ones who gets a counter, were has Pfizer been all those years for you with measly 2-3% merit raises & the worse career ladder in the industry. Also what are your peers or counterparts going to think of when hearing that you got a 20k pay raise and are making more than they are---just creates a more toxic distrusting culture to work in, once again fueled by new VP) Lesson learned- get an offer TAKE IT and do not try to pit companies or people against each other like the recent DM did. It only creates conflicts all around.
DOH! Counteroffers are the kiss of death. Attempting to shake down liars and r*****s for more money was not a good idea. And it is not an offer until all background is 100% done and you have a start date.
Also a way to see who wasnt loyal (even if he snowball BS the reps to encourage to interview w other companies to see their mkt value) It is also a way to accomplish 2 things: 1- competitive intel from you before they tell you they can not match 2- rope you into a Non Compete if you did not have one before Bottom line they will never trust or promote you again even if you were just following VP advise
Any attorney would drool to get this case.... bring it all the way to court, subpoena everyone, get parties on stand or deposed .. lawyer up!!!!
If anyone really know the current VP, you knew that encourage to talk with competitors was just ego not thinking other companies can pay more. Little did he know biotechs pay a lot more than big pharma. He will probably loose maybe 20% in 2021 but not a massive amount of reps because not a lot of companies hire large salesforces.
and now he knows who is slandering his name on CP and you are totally doomed because he is going to fire your a$$
Tough lesson but any big company will cut your nuts and hand them to you with a smile. To your point, if you like offer then go, trying to negotiate with PFE is futile and dangerous
LOL Anyone with any business experience knows you do not try get your company to counter an external offer as you risk blowing up 2 bridges. Never play one off the other. All your VP is trying to do is get competitive info from you and like previous post mentioned- to trap you into a non compete.
All talk and BS, normal action from arrogant cocky people when they get threatened or scared. Would not make it 1 day on my sides of the tracks
What is the $$ benefit of signing a "non-compete" ........PFE handcuff's employee.....what does employee get?
Employee gets zippo. Its just a scare tactic to keep reps from going to competitors. Facts are at the rep level they are not enforceable in Right to Work states. Also not enforceable if geography or docs isnt 100% identical which most times they are not. Finally non competes w Pfizer are for mgt and those who know patents & trademarks. Even then they are easy to get out of . My step father is one of the biggest employment lawyers in East. He has represented but big pharma & biotechs companies as well as key executives and employees. So he has both sides of exp. He says at rep and even mgt level its almost impossible to enforce. They use it as a threat but cant enforce for reps. In the few cases they did threaten a rep, he shut it down with 1 letter (for him its a $1,000 letter but puts it to bed) Some states non competes are illegal and if try to use as a threat, the employee is allowed to sue for harassment in some states. Nationally they are trying to make non competes at all levels illegal. Said if geography slightly different, or higher pay then new job is different than old job. Bottom line companies can not prevent a person from making a living. Dont worry about non compete and you shouldnt tell Pfizer or any co where you are going. They dont need to know & legally do not have the right. So just resign to pursue other opportunities & you are looking at several offers. Period. End of story
Do not trust Pfizer management. Take care of yourself. When dust settles plan on major cuts, regardless of what the say now
And pfizer has never gone after a rep for trying to make a living for their families. Plus as defense evidence, VP stood on the stage at National Meeting in front of the entire division and said after talking about Gilead coming after our best people-, "you owe it to yourself & your family to talk to other companies and see your market value. I myself would talk to companies. The grass is green on both sides, just after talking w others need to decide which grass you want to play on......" So Pfizer now has zero grounds on non compete given this. Also you are not require to tell any company where you are going.
His bravo look at me mouth has got him in trouble with his NSM direction to the entire sales force. Now he has to pay the Piper & eat his own words----- sometimes Humility is the best medicine for some
Yes all 265 of us reps are heeding his advise, direction, guideness, encouragement & support in talking with other companies about positions. We will also help shareholder value when we leave by reducing costs & overhead in a division with 2x too many reps. We will assist in attrition so it is a Win Win for both the Xeljanz reps & Pfizer.
