Armed with just a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, is there any avenue for you to enter the pharmaceutical industry? The answer is a resounding “yes”.

The pharmaceutical sales field is a popular choice among fresh graduates as it offers excellent salary potential, great benefits, flexibility, opportunity for growth and a stepping stone into one of the fastest growing industry in the world. Look at any recruitment website or classified ads, you will see quite a substantial number of recruitment ads for pharmaceutical/ medical sales representatives on a weekly basis, reflecting a constant demand.

Being at the frontline, pharmaceutical sales representatives need to be actively involved in the company’s business development process. They spend most of their business time on the road, talking with pharmacists, hospital personnel, physicians etc. to increase the visibility of their company’s products and the volume of their sales. (The Princeton Review, 2009) Other responsibilities span from sourcing for new clients and managing existing accounts to brainstorming new marketing strategies for products with the marketing team. Expect an intense training period and a constant need to stay abreast of products and disease states, as well as getting accustomed to medical terminology (Quint Careers). You may also need to attend trade shows and conferences and read industry publications. Of course, there is the inevitable fierce competition from representatives of different companies to get face time in private offices and hospitals with medical professionals.

What do the pharmaceutical employers looking out for? Having at least one to two years of relevant sales experience in pharmaceutical sector is of course a big plus but for those without sales experience, fret not. Pharmaceutical sales representatives with a science background have an advantage in this profession, in terms of both their credibility and their ability to educate themselves about product lines. Other common traits cited in ads include having excellent communication and interpersonal skills, sales-driven with a never-say-die attitude, confident, self-starting, energetic, and not forgetting an aptitude or interest in science to keep you going in this field.

So if you are keen to enter the pharmaceutical industry, and feel that have what it takes, why not give it a shot? You never know what rewarding experiences lie in store for you!

References:

http://www.princetonreview.com/Careers.aspx?cid=110

http://www.quintcareers.com/pharmaceutical_sales_careers.html

http://healthcareers.about.com/od/healthcareerprofiles/p/PharmaRep.htm