The problem you are going to run into in pharma/medical device sales is many companies are still falling off the patent cliff or they have drugs a year or so out from market. They've been shedding sales jobs, heck entire sales forces for at least half a decade now. The reduction of headcount is much greater than the positions opening. A lot of companies are going to contract reps, which has even less security/benefits. But getting a contract job is a good springboard into landing with a different company.

I know managers in my market who won't even look at a pharma resume if they've been outside the top 25% of their company in the last 3-5 years. It's that competitive in places. I know at least one manager who won't look at a resume that isn't handed in by one of his reps or a rep he knows. His thinking is that the reps know who the best reps are and you're not going to give him the resume of a dumb ass.

Merck has traditionally been a company that has hired a lot of former teachers.

The best advice I can give you if you really want to break into the medical/pharma industry is to get some sales experience. Sell something, anything. After 6 mo with sales experience, assuming it went well, you suddenly are a much more employable candidate.

My advice would be to look in medical before pharma or get into pharma and then get into medical within 2 years.

I enjoyed my time in pharma for 11.5 years. But if I were going back it'd be into surgical, devices or plastics.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
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