| After a decade of riding the ups and downs of | | | | Even though Adam was making close to USD |
| pharmaceutical industry, having choosing a sales rep | | | | 30,000.00 in incentive alone at that point of time, he |
| job, recently I came across a very intriguing question: | | | | was dumbfounded. He did not seem to have the |
| Will a pharmaceutical sales representative be a job to | | | | right answer. |
| try to get into or will it become extinct? Clearly, this | | | | But today, I am happy to report that Adam is the |
| question got mixed up and I will use my own | | | | Regional Sales Manager for a local generics company, |
| personal experience to explain why. | | | | promoting Antihypertensive product range |
| The Thin Line Between a Career and a Job | | | | throughout the country. He got people reporting to |
| Remember the all time favorite quotes, "Give | | | | him, and his main task is to penetrate, develop and |
| someone a fish and you feed for a day. Teach | | | | maintain account, especially Government Hospital |
| someone to fish and you feed for a lifetime." And | | | | sectors. |
| that exactly separates a career from a job. Right | | | | He could not have such a flying color pharmaceutical |
| now, I work for a pharmaceutical company | | | | sales career without the sweat and blood as a sales |
| promoting their brand of Diagnostics equipment. That | | | | representative beforehand. He still carry bag but with |
| is my job. But if I got people working for me selling | | | | different content, style and purpose. He got himself a |
| my brand of equipments - that is a career. | | | | career - for now. Knowing him, I know this is just |
| My point here is simply this: A job is a stepping stone | | | | another job before he moves forward. |
| to a career. A job prepares you to move ahead to | | | | So, if I was asked the question whether a |
| your career; which bring us to the next point. | | | | pharmaceutical sales representative is a dream job or |
| Is Pharmaceutical Sales Representative a Dream Job? | | | | another dead end job, my answer is simply |
| I got a friend (let us call him Adam for example sake) | | | | depending on what you want to make out of it. You |
| and he used to work for a Pharmaceutical company | | | | can stick in that job; carrying detailing bags and |
| selling Orthopedics implant. One day, a mutual friend | | | | begging for sales all your working life or you can |
| asked him, "Adam, how long will you work like this, | | | | decide to move ahead and make a career out of it. |
| carry that big bag around, and begging for sales?" | | | | It is totally up to you. |