This type of job is not to be taken lightly by any means. You will be selling an advanced product to very intelligent people. It is not a job that involves standing at a cash register or talking to your run of the mill customers. This is a highly coveted job that is occupied by highly intelligent individuals. The question however, is what do you need to do to obtain a job like this? What are the requirements?
There are a number of requirements, as you might imagine. The biggest requirement however is a background in sales. If you want to find yourself in a job of this nature you will need to make sure you have at least two years of sales experience. You might also get by if you were working a job that had a strong sales training program. These requirements however, are only the tip of the iceberg.
You will be working in a highly sensitive job with some very expensive materials. This means you will need to have a fairly decent credit rating, and you will also need to be drug free. There will be a drug screening test performed before you can actually take the position, and if you are found to be under the influence of anything you will not get the job because the company will consider you to be a serious risk.
It helps to have a college degree of some sort. The degree can be in business, or it could even be in a scientific area. The pharmaceutical sales industry is highly dependent on science, and that means you have to at least like science if you are going to enjoy the job. It would also help to have an interest in medicine, because skills and knowledge such as these will help you to close the sale. If you have ever been in sales, you know that it would be extremely difficult to get a customer to make a purchase if it appears you know nothing about the product.
You will need to make sure your driving record is clean because you will be traveling to different doctors offices and hospitals to make your sale. While you are there, you will need to make sure you are able to sell your product and even relate to the customers you are selling to. You need to be likeable, and you need to be able to establish a common ground with your potential customers. This is not always the easiest thing in the world to do but this is why you need the background in sales.
If this is your first time trying to break into pharmaceutical sales, you may need to apply for an internship. Some companies may not openly advertise that they are providing such internships, but you need to check with them nonetheless. An internship might not pay well, and it might not give you the financial independence that you are seeking, but you will at least get your foot in the door!
Finding internships should prove pretty easy if you know where to look. The best thing you can do is look online for pharmacies that are currently hiring, and once you find them you will be able to inquire as to whether or not they are offering any internships. Soon enough you will be well on your way to that pharmacy sales job you've always wanted!
While it's not incredibly hard to get in if you have the right credentials, it is considerably harder than breaking into other sales jobs. You will need to prove yourself simply because you are being trusted with a product that is often times a controlled substance. That being said, you need to be trustworthy, and you need to be able to get the product from Point A to Point B. It can be a tricky business, and it can come with a high amount of pressure, but if you can handle it, you will have a great job that some only dream of.
