Did the Pharma gig for 5 years, did pretty good, won the company trip every year, and made pretty good money. The last two years I began to have sleepless nights and panic attacks. My territory was doing well as always but I began to have a sinking feeling. People kept asking me how I continued to do so well and I would give this speech about calls and asking open ended questions, closing, quoting studies etc, but in all honesty I had know Idea. I knew nothing i did in the field had any real impact, and after a while I couldn't really figure out what the hell I was really doing anyways. The real fear came from realizing I was not growing or learning any new skills. I was trying to look 5-10 years down the road at my future and I was terrified. Nothing I was doing was increasing my value, my value was actually stagnate or diminishing every year.
That was three years ago. I was able to convince a ortho device company to hire me. My first year was grueling, Im commission only, and made 80k. Which wasn't much after deducting all the operating cost, gas, car, toll, parking, etc. after about 9mo. of slowly proving my knowledge, abilities, and building my reputation, Surgeons starting asking me to go over Xrays and MRI's with them and for my opinion on treatment recommendations for patients. Since then I realize that I am becoming an entity upon myself. My knowledge, relationships, and skill sets have increased my marketable skills and placed me in the position of actually being able to be a true consultant and problem solver. DOn't get me wrong, it's still a sales job but one I enjoy.
