Jobs in pharmaceutical sales a safe bet for the future

Pharmaceutical sales jobs are set to be one of the most stable career paths of the future, as the industry is forecast to remain strong with excellent job opportunities.

1. The industry

Medicines contribute enormously to the health of the nation, with more than 825 million prescriptions dispensed every year. The UK is one of the world leaders in drug discovery, with around half of all major medicines sold here developed in British laboratories.

Employing around 73,000 people, the UK pharmaceutical industry develops and produces drugs, equipment and products, and is the major provider of pharmaceutical sales jobs.

Often described as competitive, fast-moving, exciting and rewarding, the industry relies on its pharmaceutical sales job personnel to work closely with GPs, hospitals and pharmacies to better understand patient needs.

It’s via these relationships that professionals in pharmaceutical sales jobs can encourage doctors to consider prescribing their company’s pharmaceutical products (covering the huge cost of developing them, and to invest more into future cures.)

In 2007, the top five leading international pharmaceutical companies (the ‘Big League’) were Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis, AstraZeneca and Novartis Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. The leading branded drugs worldwide include Lipitor, Zocor, Plavix, Nexium and Zyprexa.

2. The current climate

Jobs in pharmaceutical sales have not escaped the effects of the current global economic downturn, even though ‘people will always get sick’ and need treatment. However, forecasters are predicting that a pharmaceutical sales job will likely be one of the more stable careers to enter in the future.

This is because drug firms are moving toward Pharma 2.0 – a leaner business model, that uses smarter and more efficient ways of working; such as social media tools (Facebook, YouTube and Twitter) to promote the benefits of new medicines and recruit patients for clinical trials (significantly cheaper than traditional advertising methods.)

Some pharmaceuticals are experiencing good times, however, such as Swiss drug maker Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The firm expects to increase its 2,700 employees in China by 20 percent each year until at least 2013. The bulk of the new positions will be pharmaceutical sales jobs, according to its CEO.

3. What pharmaceutical sales jobs are out there?

In a nutshell, pharmaceutical sales jobs involve promoting prescription products by calling on doctors at their surgeries and holding speaker meetings.

A typical day in a pharmaceutical sales job involves calling on 8 to10 physicians and 3 to 5 pharmacists, covering a territory ranging from 60 to a 200 mile radius. It also involves intense product studying and testing; from indications, usage and side effects to competitor medicines.

There are three main types of pharmaceutical sales jobs:

• Primary care (family practice physicians and internal medicine physicians)
• Specialty Care (cardiology, endocrinologists, urologists, etc)
• Hospital or Managed Care

Reaching the position of Hospital Specialist, specialising in a therapy area, is considered by many to be the ultimate promotion for many professionals in pharmaceutical sales jobs.

Since at least a third of drugs produced in the UK are exported, there are also international pharmaceutical sales job opportunities to consider too.

4. What do recruiters look for?

Competition for pharmaceutical sales jobs can be high, and you’ll typically need a bachelor’s degree, however entry-level pharmaceutical sales job positions are available. Most require 1 to 2 years of proven success in outside sales, such as copiers, telecommunications or consumer products.

To stand out from the crowd, employers are looking for you to have a positive, proactive attitude and a fierce determination to succeed. On top of that, you’ll need first rate communications skills and creativity, plus the vision to generate new business initiatives.

At Salestarget.co.uk, there are a huge range of pharmaceutical sales jobs for you to explore, spanning all skills and sectors. Search by location or keyword to browse the latest pharmaceutical sales job roles, or upload your CV and let the top jobs in pharmaceutical sales come straight to you.