I'm very interested in breaking into pharmaceutical sales. Can anyone offer any advice?

I have a strong resume with a background in sales, marketing and management, so I know I can meet the qualifications. However, this just seems like a difficult field to break into. Any advice would be welcome.I'm very interested in breaking into pharmaceutical sales. Can anyone offer any advice?
Below is a copy of an answer I posted recently in response to a question similar to yours. Hope it helps.








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Why would you want to get into pharmaceutical sales? What motivated you into it? Who/what influenced you? What do you know about the industry, the companies, the products? What do you know about the job? What have you done so far to prepare yourself for a career in pharmaceutical sales? Ask yourself these questions now because if you are interviewed, the hiring manager is going to ask you these same questions. In getting to know you, your work experience and your skills, they like to ask questions that require answers given in the STAR format (what was the Situation or Task, what Action did you take to solve it, and what was/were the Result(s)).





Below are the basic qualifications pharma companies look for in a candidate:





1. A 4-year bachelors degree with excellent grades (in any field, although science may help)


2. At least 2 years of successful, documented, business-to-business sales experience


3. A good driving record


4. A good credit background


5. Passion and personality





I recommend that you check out opportunities with contract companies like PDI, InVentiv and Innovex. These companies contract with big pharma companies by providing supplemental sales force. This would be a good and ';easier'; way for you to get your foot in the door rather than trying it out directly with big pharma companies.





Yes, I recommend this profession to anyone with the above qualifications and not afraid to work hard and long hours to reap the many rewards provided by this profession.





Good luck!I'm very interested in breaking into pharmaceutical sales. Can anyone offer any advice?
Why do you want to break into this field?





I ask it not to be mean, but just to get you to examine your motives and to get to know the field better. I spent my years in college and immediately after building up for a career in the pharmaceutical sales industry. I was so excited when I got my first job. However, my ';dream job'; soon turned out to be a nightmare.





It's going to be hard to break in these days with so many companies letting go. Have you heard about the massive (5,000+) layoffs that most companies have been doing? You will be overshadowed by the tens of thousands of seasoned drug reps who are currently out of work and clamoring for the positions you want.





Do you understand how the sales metrics work?


Getting into ';no-see'; doctors' offices?


How to deal with a receptionist who shuts you down just because you can't bring pens/clocks/notepads/staplers to the office anymore?


What about doctors chewing you out because they don't like the free lunch you just brought the entire office?


What about places where you have terrible formulary coverage and the doctor won't prescribe because of the cost?


Can you even get in to see the doctor and explain your products benefits?


Are you willing to work 80 hours a week, Saturdays included, just to be told that you aren't ';working smart'; enough because your numbers are awful?


Will you drive 300 miles/day to make 10 calls from 8-5 and then spend 4 hours in the evening calling on pharmacies to stock your product?


Can you deal with someone constantly threatening to ';get your numbers up or else';, even when you're working your tail off?





I wasted 2 years of my life in a nightmare doing this job and would not recommend it to anyone.
take some courses in prepharm: bio, chem, neuro, etc