Good Afternoon everyone,

 

I recently graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas with a bachelor of arts in biology and am interested in pursuing a career in Pharmaceutical Sales/ Medical Sales. I am eager to grow in a pharmaceutical sales role in order to successfully help company increase market penetration and offer solutions to all customers. 

If anyone has any advice for an individual beginning her career in this industry, I would appreciate it very much.

 

Thank you,

 

Claudia

Claudia, like many jobs in the pharma sector, it can be a gradual process to achieve your ideal position. To be in the best position to get hired for pharma/medical sales role, I would recommend getting in touch with a local recruitment agency that focuses on medical sales. They will probably suggest shadowing a rep., which is often the starting point for most reps or they may be aware of introductory positions. I recommend candidates to build up some sales experience outside the healthcare sector if they are finding it difficult to make the breakthrough. Sales experience is a big plus, no matter where it is gained – product knowledge is something that can be easily learnt and you already have a life science degree, which is a big plus. It may also be a good idea to connect with some local reps , they may be able to keep you in the loop on graduate vacancies within their companies or elsewhere. You may be lucky enough to get hired quickly or it may take a bit longer, but if you persevere, I’m confident you will get there eventually.

Paul, thank you for replying. The sales experience I have is in optical sales for my previous employer. I worked as an optician for 2 years and had to consistently exceed monthly spectacle hardware sales quotas. I left that position and became an optometric assistant for another doctor who I am currently working for as I had planned to apply to Optometry School.

I have kept a great relationship with my previous employer. He actually has been helping me connect to a few district managers of the pharmaceutical reps that come to his practice. I have contacted them and asked if I could do ride alongs with their reps. I actually am going on a ride along in a couple of weeks. Do you or anyone have any recommendations or advice that may help me prepare for this ride along?

Thanks again!

  

 

 

Paul Healy said:
Claudia, like many jobs in the pharma sector, it can be a gradual process to achieve your ideal position. To be in the best position to get hired for pharma/medical sales role, I would recommend getting in touch with a local recruitment agency that focuses on medical sales. They will probably suggest shadowing a rep., which is often the starting point for most reps or they may be aware of introductory positions. I recommend candidates to build up some sales experience outside the healthcare sector if they are finding it difficult to make the breakthrough. Sales experience is a big plus, no matter where it is gained – product knowledge is something that can be easily learnt and you already have a life science degree, which is a big plus. It may also be a good idea to connect with some local reps , they may be able to keep you in the loop on graduate vacancies within their companies or elsewhere. You may be lucky enough to get hired quickly or it may take a bit longer, but if you persevere, I’m confident you will get there eventually.