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Getting started in Medical / Pharmaceutical Sales - articles

The pharmaceutical / medical / scientific / healthcare sales sector offers an attractive and highly competitive professional sales career route. Below are a number of articles, books and other recommended career resources for those looking to get started.

Getting started in Medical / Pharmaceutical Sales

Pharmaceutical Sales for Phools: The Beginners Guide for Medical Sales Representatives
(Date published: 24 April 2006)

Like many others, when Sahil Syed first joined the pharmaceutical industry, he was unable to find a UK focused publication offering guidance regarding a career in medical / pharmaceutical / scientific sales. Four years later and as an award winning pharmaceutical sales representative, Sahil Syed embarked on writing 'Pharmaceutical Sales for Phools, a definitive guide for those wishing to embark on this highly rewarding career. [read more]

Smart guide to becoming a medical sales representative
(Date published: 5 December 2006)

Following graduation, Penny Dhanjal spent over 12 years within the pharmaceutical industry, with her first sales post being within contract pharmaceutical sales, selling to retail pharmacists. Once this contract ended Penny strengthened her pharmaceutical sales experience, via a sideways move to GP/Hospital sales. After 18 months, this in turn led to a full-time (headcount) pharmaceutical sales position with an ethical sales company, selling to GP's, hospital doctors and retail pharmacists and thereafter, 18 months with Lorex pharmaceuticals. During her 12 years, Penny has been a consistent top performer in respect of call rate and sales targets, and has enjoyed the challenges of various pharmaceutical sales roles - Sales Representative, Field Trainer and Regional Sales Manager. This book offers real experience and tips which are invaluable for any one new to the industry. [read more]

The Role of the Medical Representative
(Date published: 1 December 2006)

Medical representatives are the key contacts between the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession. They have the responsibility of promoting their companies major products directly to GP's and hospital doctors. They do this via face to face meetings or medical presentations at various types of meetings. All representatives tend to work what is a called a 'territory'. A territory is your area, or you and your territory team area. As sometimes companies have double manned territories rather than single manned territories. The territory size, geography etc varies according to companies. The day to day work of the representative tends to be target based around, sales, call rates and other objectives set around individual personal development plans. [read more]

Be Brief. Be Bright. Be Gone
Career Essentials for Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Sales Representatives
(Date published: 6 December 2005)

A great way to jump-start your career in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sales! 'Be brief, be bright, be gone" is the philosophy that launched David Currier to a successful career as a pharmaceutical sales representative. Simply stated, this approach encourages aspiring sales professionals to: Be brief, Be bright, Be gone. But that is only one piece of advice an aspiring representative should retain from this book. [read more]

Insider's Guide to the World of Pharmaceutical Sales
(Date published: 25 June 2005)

196 pages of outstanding pharmaceutical sales job interview and selling information including 155 specific pharmaceutical sales interview questions and answers. It is a complete pharmaceutical sales interview guide offering step-by-step instructions on how to gain a pharmaceutical sales position and then excel at the position. [read more]

Professional Pharmaceutical Selling
(Date published: 1 June 2005)

Professional Pharmaceutical Selling has been written with the new pharmaceutical sales representative in mind. The information in this book will help prevent new rep mistakes and accelerate the new rep's sales growth by providing information that is generally learned through months and years of hard work. Jane Williams, author of the Insider's Guide to the World of Pharmaceutical Sales, top-selling pharmaceutical sales job interview guide, provides information that has taken others significant time to learn; information that you may not be given at all by your perspective employer. [read more]

Personality Tests
(Date published: 26 February 2004)

Personality profilers do not consider your education, qualifications or experience. They purely look at your personality. It is not an exact science and potential employers often miss-use the system and depend upon it too much. Some people come across differently than they would imagine so it is important that you know how you are coming across. They are not perfect and they do get it wrong. Do not assume you know what your report says until you have tried a report and read the results. [read article]

All you need to know about working part-time as a Medical Representative
(Date published: 21 October 2002)

There are many opportunities for part time or reduced hours employment in pharmaceuticals sales forces. Increasingly employers recognise the benefits that part time staff can bring to their companies. There are a variety of part time options available for people. Some companies will allow you to work three full days of the week, others prefer you to work five shortened is in a week. Some companies were even allow you to work reduced hours each week and also have the school holidays off too. [read article]

Getting to grips with online career management - a candidate perspective
(Date published: 20 October 2002)

In an increasingly IT literate society, where 'search engines' are fast replacing more traditional sources of reference, it is inevitable that recruiters will look more to technology and the internet in their quest for improved recruitment efficiency. Despite the fact that recruitment will always remain a 'people business', the trend towards e-recruitment presents a wealth of benefits to recruiters, employers and candidates alike. This article is for the benefit of the candidate and was written as a practical guide to ensure that you gain maximum advantage in your online job search activities. Take heed of the following advice, apply a strong dose of quality and make your e-applications shine. [read article]

Career Fair Success
(Date published: 18 August 2002)

Be ready with your curriculum vitae. If you don't have a curriculum vitae to take with you to a career fair, seek advice from a professional who can help you portray your previous work, academic, and university experiences effectively. If you have already written a curriculum vitae, consider having a career services professional review it before it makes its professional debut. [read article]

Personality Profiling - An Interviewers Perspective
(Date published: 04 June 2002)

A sobering statistic that is often banded around is that we can create a lasting impression within 20 seconds of meeting someone for the first time. Further to this, it is said that we make a decision to recruit someone within the first minute of the interview, and then spend the rest of the interview justifying our decision! [read article]

Discussing Recruitment Agencies - essential advice on managing recruitment agencies
(Date published: 19 February 2002)

Your relationship with recruitment agencies and consultants is of critical importance if you are to quickly secure employment. This document will help you to better understand the dynamics of this relationship and how to ensure that your job search activities are geared to your best advantage. [read article]

An Overview of the Pharmaceutical Industry In the UK
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

The Pharmaceutical Industry is the second largest contributor to Gross Domestic Product behind Financial Services. There are several very big players in the UK with GlaxoWelcome, SmithKline Beecham and AstraZeneca being the three largest UK based companies. In America the largest organization (in capital terms) is Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD), and until recently this was the worlds largest company. In recent years with the merger of Glaxo Welcome and Smithkline Beecham to form GSK, Merck Sharp & Dohme have been relegated to second position. [read article]

Dress For Success
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

The clothing you wear to your interview should make you look like you will fit in at your prospective employer. When in doubt, err on the side of conservatism, suggest the experts. Even if the company has a "business casual" dress policy, you're better off dressing a bit on the stuffy side than in taking a gamble only to find that your idea of casual doesn't match that of your prospective employer. [read article]

Prepare for Interview - simple tips
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

An interview is much the same as a sales call. You are the product and your interviewer is your customer. If you don't effectively sell yourself your chances of success are minimal. Preparation is an integral element of the sales process. It will give you confidence and will demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to your future employer. [read article]

More Interview Preparation
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

The interviewer is simply looking for you to show them that you are capable of being their next top performing representative. The question is, "What makes a top representative and how do I display that I have these skills". The answer lies in 'key skills' (often known as Critical Competencies, Critical Behaviours, etc.). Every character has different key skills, this makes different people suitable for different jobs i.e. the key skills required for a computer analyst would be very different from someone who has to deal with customer complaints every day. [read article]

Writing Your First Professional CV Some Tough Talk For Graduates
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

Young graduates face one of the hardest tasks in all CV writing, which is how to differentiate themselves from everyone else and not come across as a wannabe with overblown intentions but little to offer. Contrary to popular belief, naked ambition is not highly regarded by recruiters, who are actually looking for evidence of maturity and judgement, at least an appearance of originality and creativity and the definite hint of potential commitment. [read article]

CV writing advice / CV writing service
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

It takes at least two days to write a superb new application, addressing the issues and organising the information so that you sell yourself. The biggest error most people make is throwing away a great chance by rushing a mediocre CV out at the last minute. Regard your CV and application letter as work in progress and give it a polish every couple of months. You never know when you will be asked for it. [read article]

How do I arrange to 'shadow' a Medical Representative?
(Date published: 13 January 2002)

Every day at AllAboutMedicalSales.com we receive countless requests for us to organise field visits. Whilst it would be easy for us to do so, if you're asking us this question, you are probably missing the point. 80% of the time, shadowing is considered to be a vital step in the recruitment process and you would be well advised not to miss it. [read article]

A day in the life of a Medical Representative
(Date published: 04 January 2002)

The following account has been written by a GP/Hospital Medical Representative of about 12 months experience.The average content of a day for a representative revolves around the following: Selling to customers, either one to one or via meetings, Administration - Business planning, journey planning, setting pre-call and next call objectives, computer work and driving between customers. The rules to remember about being a medical representative are: Two days are never the same and the more you put in the more you get out. [read article]

About Gate Keepers
(Date published: 25 January 2002)

Gate Keepers' are one of the most common obstacles that you will face as a Medical Representative, namely the Receptionist. She feels that it is her duty to protect her Doctor from the likes of you. Whilst from the outside she may seem to be an insignificant member of the practice, very often she holds the key that you need. [read article]

Competency Based Interviews
(Published: 25 January 2002)

Increasingly, companies choose to employ a formalised, objective structure as a means to standardise the interview process. This allows all candidates an equal opportunity to present their abilities and skills in line with the specific requirements of the position being sought. Competency based interviews focus on 'core-skills' i.e. those specifics skill or behaviours that constitute success within a given role. Each competency will be assessed for a requisite amount of time (usually 20 minutes), with the interviewer asking a standard set of focused questions. The interviewer is looking for specific, solid evidence that the candidate demonstrates the particular competency being assessed. [read article]

Winning Cover Letters Ten Reasons Why You Need a Cover Letter
(Published: 25 January 2002)

Your cover letter presents your intentions, qualifications, and availability to a prospective employer in a succinct, appealing format. It's your first chance to make a good impression. A personalised letter indicates you are serious about your job search. Your CV can give the details of dates, places of employment and education, but your cover letter must entice the reader to take the extra few minutes to consider you when faced with hundreds and thousands of candidates for any one job vacancy. [read article]

Presenting Yourself - Presentation skills
(Date published: 07 December 2001)

Imagine you have been asked to present for one hour to three hundred people. You are now standing backstage, peeping through the curtains and are waiting for your cue. You see the audience chatting and waiting expectantly for your entrance. Are you feeling nervous? You are not alone, in a recent survey where 3,000 adults in the United States were asked to list their ten worst fears. Speaking in public came out as their number one fear - above even fears of financial ruin and death! [read article]

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