Pharmaceutical Sales Reps: Skip the Certification, but Get the Degree

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The Consensus Is… Certifications are Just Not Necessary.
 

A plethora of websites offering online certification programs for pharmaceutical sales representatives has popped up. Industry insiders agree that these programs are unnecessary, and are looked at with skepticism. Experts agree that only a few things are critical if you decide it’s time to look for a better pharmaceutical rep job with another company:

 

- A four year college degree, preferably in a science area.

- Sales experience. (Few companies hire college graduates right out of college.)

- A “Brag Book” – This is a sort of “All About Me” book for sales reps. The folder contains proof of your past sales successes, such as documentation of your pay and commission, and photocopies of awards and honors received. Sales reports and letters of commendation are appropriate.

- Strong product knowledge and the ability to professionally convey the knowledge to doctors. 

 

Today’s most effective sales reps have planned out their responses to doctors’ objections about a product. If you haven’t interviewed for a rep job in a while, keep in mind that most employers will use situational interview questions to gauge how you function under adversity. More experienced salespeople will move up in their career by selling new products, rather than established ones, and their pay will reflect the more difficult nature of the work.

 

Have Experience, Will Travel

 

An experienced pharmaceutical salesperson can take their skill across the country should his or her employer downsize. Where are the best salaries to be found? Salary trends from recent job postings show that pharmaceutical sales representatives in Newark, New Jersey make 30% more than the average pharmaceutical sales rep in other parts of the country. According to the New Jersey Department of Labor, New Jersey is considered the world’s epicenter of the pharmaceutical industry. The average rep’s salary is $90,000 in Newark, whereas the median is currently at $73,000 in Chicago, Illinois, or $65,000 in Austin, Texas. The pharmaceutical sales reps in New York City enjoy better-than-average salaries ($90,000), and Boston, Massachusetts provides earnings 15% higher than the norm.

 

By Michelle Simmons
Get Pharmaceutical Sales Jobs, Contributing Editor