Trying to get into Pharmaceutical Sales. Any advice for getting into this lucrative industry?

First off I do have my bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing. I have updated my resume, had professional help straightening it out and have started applying to some places like Sanofi and Cox Pharmaceuticals. While I do not have any pharmaceutical sales experience, I do have three years of successful outside sales experience. Does anybody have any advice for me to help me get my foot in the door?Trying to get into Pharmaceutical Sales. Any advice for getting into this lucrative industry?
Below is a copy of an answer I posted recently in response to a question similar to yours. Hope it helps.








Best Answer - Chosen by Asker





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, Ventiv and Innovex. These companies contract with big pharma companies by providing supplemental sales force. This would be a good and ';easier'; way 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!Trying to get into Pharmaceutical Sales. Any advice for getting into this lucrative industry?
How about some facts before you plunge too deep:





* 2 Trillion dollars is spent on health care in the US, which represents one-sixth of the US economy - most has very little to be done w/ health.





* ';Health'; is defined in the dictionary as ';being sound in body, mind or spirit,'; but what we call ';health care'; has a very different focus, and would be more appropriately be called, the ';Sickness Industry.';





* Sickness Industry - is defined as products and services provided re-actively to people after they contract an illness; ranging from a common cold, to cancerous tumors. These products and services seek to either treat the symptoms of a disease or eliminate the disease.





* Wellness Industry is defined as; Products and services provided pro-actively to healthy people - that is, those without an existing disease to make them feel better and healthier, to slow the effects of aging, or to prevent diseases from developing in the first place.





Today, people are spending 400 billion annually for vitamins and food supplements, and by the year 2010, the wellness industry is projected be the next trillion dollar industry.





So who are these people? Mostly baby boomers from the ages of 40 to 60. These people represent 28% of our population - yet their spending represents 50% of our economy.





So, seems to me that you should consider the wellness industry instead of pharmaceutical.





Just my opinion.