They would now rather teach the specific scientific information using their own specific system. A representative’s personality and verbal skills are the main factors that predict success.

What are these companies looking for?

Applicable skills, so it is incumbent on the candidate to provide relatable skill sets and also character traits that indicate superior future performance. People often are frustrated by the failure of companies and/or placement companies to respond, but it often predicated on highly flawed resumes. Resume structure has dramatically changed in the last year due to the fact they are initially read on monitors, which changes the format in addition to the failure to provide enough applicable evidence. These companies do not “read between the lines” so resumes must be “obvious”.

Who is hiring?

Numerous companies are hiring for a variety of reasons. Among these companies are Takeda, (recently approved drug for hyperlipidemia and an established insomnia drug that has had increased market share, Pfizer (for the new inhaled insulin and the recently approved smoking cessation drug), Novartis and Ventiv (on behalf of Novartis), for Lotrel and Diovan, (read about new heart inflammation indication), Lily (territory reorganization) Merck (new vaccines), Sankyo, Otsuka (expanded market for Pletal for intermittent claudication), KV, Glaxo Smith Kline (new insulin formulation) and Novo Nordisk (insulin) among others

Also, Medtronic, Olympus, Ethicon, DuPuys, Steris, Synthes, Integra Life Sciences, Applied Medical, Applied Cardiac, Boston Scientific, Cook, Guidant (now a subsidiary of Boston Scientific), Smith & Nephew and Stryker are either hiring or have new product approvals.

For a complete list of pharmaceutical and medical companies check out PharcorLinks

Why Pharcor?

We have never recommended another company, but we suggest Pharcor because it helps us. We are paid by the hiring company only if a candidate gets a job offer and we can only submit you for consideration if you have a properly constructed resume and if you can successfully navigate the unique interview structure. Yes, they do placement as well and they work almost exclusively with people without experience, but there is no shortage of candidates.

• Pharmaceutical representatives call on a combination of family physicians and specialists to promote very well-known medications.

• A specialty pharmaceutical representative calls primarily on specialists to promote a drug.

• A disposable goods representative calls on hospitals and promotes items such as, gowns, gloves, lab equipment and chemicals. Any goods that are “disposable”.

• A medical device representative promotes equipment used in an operating room.

• A capital goods representative promotes major equipment such as MRI’s, bone scan machines and X-Ray equipment.
  This can be the best long-term position in the industry. Many representatives average $500,000 annually after five years.

• A biotechnology representative generally markets a new product directly to a drug manufacturer. Due to recent developments in DNA mapping this could potentially be the fastest growing sector of the entire industry.

Do I have to have prior experience?

In many cases it is required, but these companies also hire people without prior experience from many backgrounds. Why? While many people with experience will perform very well with a new company there are a number of people with experience that are currently out of work and there is usually an explanation as to why that happened.

These companies are finding that at the end of the year when they distribute sales awards (this industry loves awards), a number of new hires from other industries (or recent graduates) are the ones gaining awards. They bring the work ethic from other industries and have a great desire to “make a mark”, which can result in great production.

Pharmaceutical can sometimes be the faster path in that it is a more consolidated business. Medical equipment is far more lucrative and is a much larger industry, but it can take a little more time due to the number of companies. If you consult the list of 700 medical and pharmaceutical companies at pharcorlinks you will notice that over ninety percent are medical equipment companies.

The Medicare D program will ultimately distribute over 500 billion dollars to this industry over the next five years, which translates into increased marketing budgets and expanded sales forces in addition to the obvious aging of the American population.