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Welcome To My Blog | |
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Author: | PharmaVet
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| Date: | 09-22-06 12:47pm |
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Hi MedZillians! Welcome to my new blog. For those of you who are new to MedZilla and to my blog, let me introduce myself. Like you, I'm fascinated by the world of pharmaceutical sales. I have enjoyed many successful years in pharma working for a number of companies ranging from big pharma behemoths to small startups. I've worked in both primary care and specialty sales (in a number of therapeutic areas), I've done hospital sales at large teaching hospitals, the VA Hospital system, and tiny community hospitals. I've been there, done that, and have the t-shirts from the launch meetings. I've also ventured out of pharma into the world of B2B sales. Yes, I admit it...I cheated on pharma. My work in B2B sales has given me valuable experience in what many consider real sales, and my success then led to sales management positions in which I had the opportunity to interview and hire (and sometimes, unfortunately, fire) sales reps and support staff. Between pharma and B2B, I've enjoyed a great deal of success and have won numerous sales awards including President's Club, Circle of Excellence, and others. I've also, much to my dismay, been on the receiving end of downsizings, right-sizings, reorganizations...whatever term is in vogue at the time. I've even had the extraordinary bad luck to work for a pharma company that suddenly went out of business. You name it, I've seen it. All of this experience with the highs and the lows, the quirks, and the hurdles you need to clear to get into the pharma industry gives me the ability to help you find your way through the pharma maze. Whether you are hanging out on the MedZilla forum to find a new job or continuing to hang out with us after you've found it, there's a gold mine of information to be found in the MedZilla forum. I hope you'll find my new blog to be a gold mine, as well. I'll still be around the regular forum and will still answer questions. I won't be answering individual questions on my blog...the forum is still the place for that. My blog, though, will feature articles about topics of interest to you. I may choose to answer some questions from the forum on the blog when the topic is relevant to many job-seekers, or I may write an article just because I feel like it. If you have an idea for an article that you think would be relevant to a wide audience, just post your idea on the forum. I can't guarantee I'll write about it, but I can guarantee I'll see your idea and at least keep it in mind. My blog came about because of all of you. You've responded to my posts on the MedZilla forum and many of you have told me that my advice helped you land your dream jobs. I'm happy to be able to help, and this blog is another way to do that. It's a work in progress, so stick around. I'll try to post something new every day, so make sure you come back often. In the future, I hope to offer new resources to help you find the job you've been dreaming about and to make the most of it once you've landed it.
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| Author: Recovering Pharmrep |
Feb 23, 2007, 07:05AM |
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I had a previous manager put me on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) because she didn't like my style of selling. My numbers were not bad but I made the mistake of going along with it instead of fighting it. Long story short, I lost interest in the company, products and selling and failed to meet the criteria set out in the PIP by this manager. I spoke to my new manager(new manager not the same one, but the PIP carried over to the new manager, realignment of districts) after a disastrous lunch in May,06 and shared with her that I was not into it any more and that I was basically done. She suggested I might want to look for another job. I was mentally and emotionally at my lowest point, the PIP was supposed to last only 60-90 days, but this had dragged out over a year long plus. I was let go from this company effective 2/1/07 and want your advice on how to explain my leaving this company on phone screening and f2f interviews. My manager suggested that I say that it was my decision to leave since HR can only give dates of employment and nothing else. What do you suggest? |
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| Author: Anonymous |
Oct 14, 2006, 09:00PM |
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Any info regarding disability with pharma companies? When employees return from short term disabilities are they usually let go? After returning from STD how long does your employer have before they are legally able to fire an employee? Are companies allowed to say whether an employee was fired or quit or just the length of time that the employee was with the company? |
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| Author: Anonymous Medzilla Reader |
Oct 12, 2006, 09:20AM |
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Regarding personal info. on a resume, I only agree with Pharmavet on one point - NO photos. Although, many of us acknowledge the trend of great looking females winning the majority of the positions, it's not a beauty contest or at least it shouldn't be. I've always had my marital status, personal interests and even a comparison section of adjectives "how others describe me & how I describe myself" on my resume. I believe those things are often noticed by resume screeners and while they are primarily looking for experience and achievements, I think the relatively small section of personal stuff hooks them into wanting to see me in person to judge if all those things add up. My purpose in stating the personal things is to illustrate that I'm a relational kind of business person who doesn't strictly separate business and personal life - the reality of the business world. What you spend the majority of you waking hours doing had better be somewhat personal or you will eventually learn that simply making money is a pretty vane pursuit. I state that I'm married 10 years with a family because that exemplifies stability. I know for a fact that many if not most successful med sales reps exchange a lot of personal information with their call targets - you can't argue against it being an effective way to engage in coversation with a prospect and hook them into listening to you. You don't always have time for it, but when you do, use it to your advantage. If they're not interested, back off and pursue the strictly business angle. Every situation is different. It's much more difficult for an audience to stonewall you if you have some personal rapport with them. Some companies may be strictly professional and I respect that, it's just not my style that has proven to be successful. If my resume is immediatly discarded merely because I shared that information, that company or DM is probably not one I would feel "at home" with anyway - that feeling of fitting in is important to me and I expect it is with others as well. Just my 2 cents. |
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| Author: PharmaVet |
Oct 09, 2006, 06:40PM |
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South Carolina, Although I'm trying to keep the blog somewhat free of general Q&A, I saw your question and HAD to answer it. NO, NO, NO!!! Photos are not appropriate on resumes any more under any circumstances. Those went out over 20 years ago. There should be nothing on your resume of a personal nature -- no photo, no reference to marital status, age, hobbies, interests, health status, or anything else that isn't strictly professional in nature. And aside from the appropriateness (or lack thereof), there's the issue of resume databases and resume collection software. Putting a picture on your resume would break the internet. |
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| Author: South Carolina |
Oct 08, 2006, 05:46PM |
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PharmaVet- I would like your opinion on something. What do you think of attaching a professional picture to my resume? My resume looks good but sometimes I feel with all of the resumes that these companies receive,it needs something to make it stand out. I have read different views on this but I would think that in Pharma sales it would be O.K.. What do you think? |
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| Author: AladdinTN |
Oct 07, 2006, 06:59AM |
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I've found your Blog and am going to absorb as much as I can. I got a call on Friday at 4:30 to come for a f2f on Monday @ 9 a.m. I normally would be very focused on getting prepared, but you know what...my son is getting married today! Last night was the rehearsal dinner, which I did myself....and today the wedding. So, I'll have some time to study on Sunday but not much time. Maybe the fact that I'm over 40 will lend itself to my advantage in that I have lots of experiences from which to draw! LOL |
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| Author: NYC |
Sep 25, 2006, 05:15AM |
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Congrats! Can't wait to read your musings |
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| Author: PharmaVet |
Sep 24, 2006, 05:45PM |
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Thanks, everyone! FSM, as usual, you and I are on the same wavelength. I'll be posting articles on a variety of topics, and those you've mentioned are on my list. I've saved a number of my old posts on various topics and will be tweaking and refreshing them to make sure the information is current and relevant. As a matter of fact, I've saved some of your posts as well, since you had thought of a few things I'd missed (the issue of swimsuits at meetings held at resort areas comes to mind). I hope you don't mind if I incorporate some of your words and ideas! |
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| Author: Pittsburgh |
Sep 24, 2006, 09:28AM |
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Congratulations! I recently signed up on Medzilla to help me find an entry level pharma job and the forum has been great. It gives me an idea of how to prepare for interviews and what to look out for. I'm sure everyone on here greatly appreciates your advice. |
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| Author: pharmaRep |
Sep 24, 2006, 06:01AM |
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Finally- will frequent often. |
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| Author: Former Sales Manager |
Sep 23, 2006, 12:50PM |
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Congratulations, and thank you. This should be great.
Can you make a permanent area on your Blog - perhaps a "Best of PharmaVet" FAQ section - to discuss some of the general topics that seem to come up over and over again?
Such as....Qualifying for a Company Credit Cards/Credit History, Drug Tests, Transcripts and GPAs, Driving Records, Training and Meeting Do's and Dont's, Training and Meeting Attire, Interview Attire, Brag Books.
Good Luck! |
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| Author: PharmaDM |
Sep 23, 2006, 12:13PM |
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| Author: Legakalyahoo.com |
Sep 23, 2006, 09:21AM |
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Good luck with your blog, Pharmavet. I have been very impressed with you in the last two years. I am sure you will impress and astound with this new venture. |
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| Author: dallas |
Sep 22, 2006, 04:11PM |
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Pharmavet - this is great. I have read your posts for two years and have learned so much. I just interviewed today with a another company - OVER qualified - I have been in sales for 7 years the last three medical device 1. with a start up that went "belly up" the most recent was a Fortune 20 company that sold division to competitor and they had established sales force so we were let go....I get the "no more than 2 jobs since college" that is almost unheard of -- I get told time and time again Killer Resume - you will be turning down jobs.....???? well that would be a great feeling..... Its not my appearance - I do shower so I dont smell :) I do all that you and the other experts say....but I must not be doing something right....suggestions??? |
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