If you are a sales professional or want to become one, or if you are looking for a new sales job, you will face one of the toughest interview processes of any job seeker.
BioSpace is a outstanding site for biotech, clinical research, and medical news and jobs. You can search career opportunities, get the latest industry news, check out the forums, see company profiles, and more. It’s really just huge. Anyway, I’m thrilled that they’ve published one of my articles about jobs for pharma professionals who want off the bench. It’s also been featured on DeviceSpace (for laboratory device and diagnostic news and jobs) and ClinicaSpace (medical research). If you’re interested in a career in pharma revenue, laboratory revenue, pharma device revenue, biotech sales, medical diagnostics sales, medical sales, or any other health care sales, you should totally check these sites out.
(Here’s the article)
When we go off to college, sometimes we choose a career that just does not satisfy our needs. Many times scientists with the BS, MS, or PhD in the lifesciences or other science areas find themselves to be unsatisfied with the job that they find themselves in a year or 2 after graduation. What seemed fun and exciting is now boring and oppressive. Often the love of science and the desire to continue learning is still there, but not the desire to continue in the present career path. If you discover yourself in this career opportunity, here’s a list of possible jobs for you, complete with brief descriptions where needed. These positions in sales, service, and marketing exist in all areas of pharmaceutical sales: clinical laboratory, clinical diagnostics, molecular, cellular, clinical device, biotechnology, histology, laboratory, hospital equipment, and clinical. If I miss any potential careers, feel no cost to add them in the comments below. Okay?
POSSIBLE CAREERS FOR THESE WITH STRONG SCIENCE EDUCATION BUT NO LONGER WISH TO BE ON THE BENCH:
Sales
Inside Sales Positions – These are usually like call centers. The key here is to be okay with the cold call and to have the optimistic attitude for success. These jobs can be fun and lucrative. They usually have set hours and require no travel.
Outside Sales Positions – Those are usually field-based jobs. They require someone with a lot of self-discipline and of course, that “sales personality.” These positions can be extremely lucrative and have a lot of flexibility. Depending on the size of the territory, the voyage can be daunting. You should consider going on a ride along if this is interesting to you - see this video getting into laboratory sales for more info…. While I’m at it, I have three posts that explain different types of clinical sales– Part I, Part II, and Part III, as well as posts on pharma revenue vs. medical device sales, and how laboratory revenue compares.
Business Development/Technology Transfer – These career opportunities can range from someone who has a very strong technical understanding who investigates future products or acquisitions to someone who is a super salesman. You need to clearly understand your personality and specifically the position you’re looking at. Those positions are all different. Assume nothing – ask a lot of musings.
Technical Service
Applications Specialists – Usually the “applications” part means that you will help make sure that the assay or test is working. Your company may provide a platform and your responsibility is to help the customer get their assays working on your instrumentation. This can be very challenging, and a fine field apps person has to be a great communicator. Those can be high-travel jobs.
Field Service Jobs – This position is usually responsible for setting up a new system that a customer purchased and troubleshooting when that system is not functioning correctly. These can be high-travel jobs. (click here for more info)
Field Technical Support – Same as above.
Customer Service – Maybe the company needs an extremely technical person to help the customer purchase the correct products. This will usually be a phone-based job. The hours will be set and include very little journey.
Technical Support – In-house – like the field-based career opportunity, but without the voyage. Communication skills for this position are really important.
Product management
Marketing: Strategic – (It’s important to note the difference between strategic and tactical.) The strategic marketing person is responsible for figuring out where the company should invest for future products and what the specifications for those products should be. This is an original-thought kind of person who understands the value of customer feedback and communication.
Marketing: Tactical – This person usually supports the field sales force with bulletins, pricing, and product training. Marketing job descriptions that do not clarify tactical vs. strategic are probably both. Many scientists pursue the MBA to move into product management. Marketing jobs can have a lot of travel. Be sure to ask about the requirements of every job. Never assume anything in the interview process.
Some additional careers you might consider that use your technical background:
Science Librarian
Science Editor
Science Writer
Science Illustration
Quality Assurance
Teaching – You probably know as much about this as I do…BioJobBlog has a post on this, as well as other great info on alternative science careers.
Patent/IP work – Some scientists actually pursue a law degree to marry with the technology. Every company will have one of those on staff or on retainer.
Can you think of any more?
If you’d like to be considered for sales, marketing, or technical support positions like those, submit your resume to PHC Consulting.
Article courtesy of Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical revenue recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
© Copyright 2008 PHC Consulting | All rights reserved
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