Getting a Job in Pharmaceutical Sales

The optimal job experience to secure a pharmaceutical sales job is at least two years prior "outside sales" experience. The definition of outside sales means not retail sales. This means selling to a customer base outside the office. Selling products to customers that you initiate yourself is called "cold calling" Jobs such as office equipment, healthcare related products, uniforms, bandages and telephone sales are good examples of jobs where you cold call for customers. Generally, your employer will give you a listing of established customers and a list of potential customers. You may have to find your own leads. Your job is to increase sales.

Often these jobs pay you a commission on your sales, or a draw versus commission. If you don't sell, you won't make money. This type of experience is optimal because it proves you have been able to find a customer, present a proposal and close the sale. If your job involves repeat business, you will be demonstrating rapport building. These are the same ingredients that make up pharmaceutical sales. Keep records of your sales with commission receipts, sales quotas and achievement letters, etc.

Don't worry if your only sales experience is in retail sales. You are not automatically eliminated from the candidate pool.

Ordinarily, as a recruiter, you provide the customer with what they want. A few years ago, I was in a position to supply candidates for a direct job with Abbott Laboratories. I was not the hiring Manager this time, but the recruiter supplying qualified candidates. Abbott wanted candidates with outside selling experience.

I made the decision to forward Sue, a candidate with no outside sales experience, for the job.
Why did I recommend her and why did she win the job?

Sue had a degree in Sports Medicine, which was a plus, and the conviction energy and motivation for this position. But, her professional experience was all retail. At least that was what her resume told me. She sold clinique makeup at Macy's department store.

As it turned out her job was not merely standing behind a counter taking orders, but also involved actual selling, some even outside the store. As I questioned Sue about the responsibilities of her job, she described her activities. Sue developed sales outside the store. On her own time she gave makeup classes at health spas to meet customers. Sales increased by her initiative. She did have experience in selling to customers! She had experience cold calling. She arranged for the sales clinics, secured the appointments and sold products. She retained these customers for repeat business. This experience is analogous to pharmaceutical sales and outside sales.

If Sue had not been a friend of a friend, I would not have met with her for an initial interview. Her resume indicated no outside sales. After our meeting, we reworded her resume, emphasized her sales experience and accomplishments. Sue got the job!

The moral of the story is that your retail experience can be as valuable as outside experience. But outside sales experience is more similar to pharmaceutical selling. Just use examples of your selling experience (retail or outside) that are as similar to pharmaceutical sales as possible.

by Lisa Alexander (chapter six) Prior Sales Experience

Lisa Alexander has written PharmRepSelect®. Books and CDs that bring pharmaceutical sales industry specific information along with practical job interviewing skill techniques to candidates looking to secure employment in this industry. Geared toward recent college graduates and career changers, Lisa explains the reasons it's difficult to penetrate this industry and what you must demonstrate in order to get a job offer. Lisa Alexander is the only author on this subject that has been a successful sales representative, district trainer, district manager and recruiter employed with major pharma such as Pfizer, Novartis and Wyeth. Lisa has trained managers on how to interview and knows not only what questions you will be asked, but how you will be evaluated. As Director of LA Consulting, Lisa identifies and places top candidates for sales representative and sales management positions with major pharmaceutical and medical companies. Please visit her at www.pharmrepselect.com. Books and CDs available through website.

An interview with Lisa:

Lisa, how many candidates have you interviewed? What is the most common question you are asked?
I've met thousands of candidates throughout the country. I visit college and university campuses and hold informational talks with question and answer sessions. By far the most common question I am asked is "how can I get into this industry without prior industry experience?"- Well, not every company only hires representatives that have prior pharmaceutical sales experience. Your first step is to research which companies hire candidates that do not come in with previous pharmaceutical sales experience, such as Pfizer, Novartis and several others. Don't waste your time interviewing with companies that have a record of hiring only experienced reps, that's your first step. Once you have researched where to apply, you will have increased your chances dramatically.

Okay, Now what?
You must however, be able to present your own background and successes the same way in which an experienced sales person sells products. These interview techniques are outlined in PharmRepSelect® . You must document your professional or academic experiences. You need to format and present your answers "Correctly" during your interview. Have you learned the situational behavior questions you will be asked and how to best answer them? For example, are you able to answer a question like, "tell me about your best selling experience." If you are a nurse or pharmacist or have just graduated college are you able to think of a great answer? Your answer will need to incorporate an example of your ability to sell, and how you sold the idea or product. You need to clearly and concisely explain the results for all involved. If you cannot do this-you have just eliminated yourself from the candidate pool. Your answer will be formatted just the way that your interviewer- has sold pharmaceutical products, successfully, I might add, to physicians. They expect you to be able to do this and if you can't you won't be asked back for a second interview. There are plenty of examples in PharmRepSelect®, my book will explain how and the CD will let you listen to some great answers.

What else will candidates need to know before they interview?
Every successful candidate needs to know the job description, what do Pharmaceutical Sales Reps do? What are their daily responsibilities?
Why is this job right for me? Every successful candidate will need to know interview techniques. You have to know and demonstrate steps that come after your interview to secure the job offer.

Let's say your interview went real well. You closed, asked for the job offer, and you were told: "I enjoyed meeting you, but you don't have any outside sales experience, what would you do?"
It is very likely that the manager will say this to the candidate with out experience just to listen and evaluate the response .This will make you or break you. This is actually when the sale begins and the successful candidate has brought with them the substantiated information to use for this answer.