Sharon writes:
I desperately want to jump into a new career. I am a Licensed Practical Nurse with some college in business management. I am looking for a career in pharmaceutical sales. My question is how can I get my foot in the door.
The Career Doctor responds:
Who doesn’t want a career in pharmaceutical sales? Over the last couple of years, as pharmaceutical companies changed marketing tactics and increased the number of lifestyle drugs, the need for sales representatives soared. And as job-seekers heard of the potential income, interest in these jobs also jumped dramatically. Pharmaceutical sales is the job — by far — I am asked about most, which is pretty amazing given the plethora of jobs and careers available to job-seekers.
Acknowledging the stiff competition for these jobs — especially from younger job-seekers — how can you break into the field? You certainly have the medical expertise and know-how to handle the technical side of the job — and how to interact with doctors, but what about the sales side? Do you have any experience in sales?
My best advice for you is a two-part strategy — both designed to help you learn more about the field and expand your network. The first part is to begin networking with the pharmaceutical reps that call on your workplace. The second part is contacting your former college and getting a list of alums who work in pharmaceutical sales — and network with them. Ideally you’ll get friendly enough with a few of them so that you can go further in depth by conducting informational interviews, and going with them for a day as they make their sales calls.
Learn more about networking in this section of Quintessential Careers: The Art of Networking. I also recommend using our job board, where you can search for pharmaceutical jobs — as well as post your resume.
