Everybody and their brother wants to get into pharmaceutical or medical sales. When I ask wannabe sales reps why, most mumble, "It's a growing field with more security where you can make good money." Many are in sales now, hoping peddling pills or medical devices will be a more rewarding way to spend their days than hawking toilet paper or ball bearings.

One woman who sold highly engineered motors and had given it more thought told me, "I'd be training people, in a field that's constantly doing research and coming up with new products." But finding herself without a job after working for manufacturers that moved operations overseas, she too, is hoping for more security.

To set the record straight, let's take a closer look.

A growing field?

The medical device industry and the pharmaceutical industry each employs 100,00 sales representatives according to an article in the Indianapolis Business Journal.

According to a Knight-Ridder/Tribune News article, this seems to be based on: 1. The increase in number of drugs entering the market and, 2. With more patient volume, more representatives are needed to keep up with the education standards for physicians.

How do you break in?

Most people get in through a record of successful sales experience, says Maura Walsh, a sales recruiter specializing in pharmaceutical and medical sales. Solid training grounds are office equipment, telecommunications, consumer products and medical distributors.

Companies are looking for a type of person rather than a specific background, says Chet Holmes, CEO of training firm Jordon Productions.

The ideal candidate has empathy, strong self esteem and personal ambition. Although it can be hard for someone to break in, he says to, "Write, call, write again, send notes from others who think you're great."

It takes strong academic credentials including liberal arts, business, sales and science and strong sales experience, says Debbie Stewart, Medical Sales Program Manager, Center for Sales Innovation at College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota.

She coaches students majoring in sales with a medical concentration and says it helps to understand basic anatomy, physiology and/or chemistry and disease states, plus health care providers' decision-making process, medical terminology and health care reimbursement.

Older students return to school to get a Medical Sales Certificate from a place like St. Catherine. One who had her degree in Mortuary Science now works as a sales rep for the ambulatory care division of Cardinal Health, a major medical distribution firm.

What if you have no experience?

One advantage of going through such a program is that they partner with companies like 3M and Pfizer who hire their students as interns--then potentially permanently.

You can also work through a Contract Sales Organization which is like a temporary agency for pharmaceutical firms that need help introducing a new product or filling a temporary opening.

Do medical backgrounds help?

You might initially be hired in a technical or support role such as training or customer service. "But good clinicians don't necessarily make good sales people," say Stewart.

What about paper work and quotas?

According to Cutting Edge Information the average sales rep spends nearly one-quarter of their time completing paperwork.

And there are quotas. Your performance can be evaluated on how much you sell or number of calls you make. Typically, you're expected to call on eight to ten doctors per day, says Stewart.

Great money and security?

Base salary for a pharmaceutical sales person is typically $35,000 to $50,000, with commission or bonus, says Stewart.

Like any field, your security depends on how valuable you are.

More satisfying?

You do conduct more education than a traditional sales representative, so you're not just in selling mode.

"Our graduates don't sell widgets," explains Stewart. "They seek to solve programs for their customers, thereby building a strong and lasting partnership."

You're also helping people have healthier lives-which is pretty rewarding in itself.

© by Andrea Kay