Why you shouldn’t hire a pharma sales rep for your medical sales job–or should you?

Clinical reps have a mostly negative image to overcome when venturing out into other medical sales areas–often deserved, but sometimes not.  If you’re a hiring manager, you shouldn’t dismiss a pharma candidate out of hand–it should be a decision based on the individual, with many factors to consider.  If your friendly clinical sales headhunter has submitted such a candidate to you, there must be a reason.  If you’re a pharma sales rep looking to move into medical, clinical diagnostics, biotech, medical device, or other healthcare revenue jobs, you should know what you’re up against, as well as how to deal with it.

NEGATIVES:

• They’re spoiled – do they realize this is the real world where you have to work for that sale?
• Great pay- base salaries between 55-75  +20  –are they realistic about starting salaries elsewhere?
• Great benefits – you’ve got benefits, but not like Pfizer had?
• No heavy lifting – they haven’t worked as hard as your position requires
• Work in business groups – are they self-motivated?  Were the results really theirs, or did someone else on the team do most of the work?
• No “real” revenue experience – they haven’t closed before, and don’t understand the sales process

POTENTIAL POSITIVES:

• They may have strong technical degrees (life sciences-biology, zoology, chemistry…)
• Many had tough b2b career opportunities in the past and excelled there
• Many are tired of delivering donuts (they get no respect) and wanna really achieve success
• Many are really professional, motivated and just want a chance

What do I think, as a pharmaceutical revenue recruiter? 

I won’t submit a candidate who has worked for more than 2 pharmaceutical companies.  Why?  Because they must have liked that environment in order to have stayed in it, which means that they won’t like the vastly different environment in laboratory, medical diagnostics, medical device, biotech, medical laboratory, or imaging revenue.

I won’t consider a candidate who won’t concede that medical sales is a detailing process, not a selling process.  Why?  They are disconnected with reality.  Pharmaceutical reps, however successful they have been, do not follow a revenue process in which they got to close a sale and ask for the business.

I won’t consider a pharmaceutical rep who is more interested in base salary than in total comp.  Why?  This is obvious:  A great sales rep will be much more interested in sales commissions, because they expect to do well and make money off their efforts.

I won’t consider a pharmaceutical rep who can’t provide me with a manager reference (although I really won’t do this with any candidate).  Why?  In this day of LinkedIn, etc., it’s ridiculous to say you can’t keep in touch.  That’s a red flag for me.

On the other hand, I’d be interested in a pharma rep with a science degree who 

(1) hasn’t been in the pharma area long and has realized it’s not the place for him/her, or

(2) has had some success with a real revenue process in the past and wants to get back to it, or

(3) some combination of those with significant motivations to get out of pharmaceuticals, as well as a realistic attitude about pay and job.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized medical and medical sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
© Copyright 2008 PHC Consulting | All rights reserved

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Why you shouldn’t hire a pharmaceutical sales rep for your medical sales job–or should you?