| The Financial Rewards Including a Company Car | | | | each working day. Pharmaceutical sales involve a lot |
| A career in pharmaceutical sales offers some of the | | | | of independence, as the pharmaceutical reps' bosses |
| best benefits and perks anyone can ask for in a job. | | | | or district sales managers are usually not around 95% |
| Typical starting salaries are in the low $30,000s and | | | | of the time. Therefore, there is nobody to constantly |
| established representatives can have base salaries in | | | | look over your shoulder most of the time for this line |
| the $90,000s. Bonuses on top of that for high sales | | | | of work. |
| performers can easily push incomes into the six | | | | The Travel Opportunities |
| figure range. But in addition to the money, there are | | | | Pharmaceutical companies usually conduct sales |
| numerous other attractive perks in pharmaceutical | | | | meetings for their sales forces at nice locations, |
| sales. | | | | sometimes even at exotic foreign spots which give |
| One of the nicest perks that pharmaceutical sales | | | | representatives opportunities to travel at the |
| representatives enjoy is the use of recent model | | | | companies' expense. Accommodations, meals and |
| company cars. These are usually midsize sedans that | | | | entertainment during these meetings are usually top |
| are leased under a company fleet program. Some | | | | notch. I've stayed at five star resorts, been on a |
| pharmaceutical companies even offer minivans to | | | | Mediterranean cruise, took a sightseeing plane ride |
| their sales forces and I've seen reps drive sport utility | | | | through the Grand Canyon, skied in the Rockies, |
| vehicles as company cars too. | | | | attended live theatre in New York City, toured the |
| Company car leases are usually short term with | | | | ancient city of Pompeii and experienced many other |
| durations of a few years only so the sales | | | | interesting activities that were all paid for while |
| representatives end up driving relatively new vehicles | | | | working for pharmaceutical companies. |
| all the time. Once a company car's lease expires, the | | | | There are also opportunities for pharmaceutical |
| rep gets a new vehicle! All the maintenance costs | | | | representatives to attend large medical conferences |
| such as tune ups, oil changes, gas and insurance are | | | | which are often held at nice locations as well. Some |
| paid for by the company so basically the sales reps | | | | representatives have been able to bring along |
| get to drive their cars for free (although for taxation | | | | spouses, partners and relatives to combine business |
| purposes, the company's payroll department may | | | | trips with personal vacations. Again, all or a large part |
| report a taxable benefit for sales force staff). | | | | of the travel costs were already paid for by the |
| Some companies have been known to offer the | | | | company. I utilized company paid flights and extended |
| vehicles that are near the end of lease terms for sale | | | | some stays before or after company meetings for |
| at significant market discounts. Representatives have | | | | personal vacations. I was able to go scuba diving in |
| been able to purchase relatively good condition used | | | | the Egyptian Red Sea this way. I know reps who |
| cars for other family members and friends at very | | | | extended trips in Europe and the Caribbean in |
| attractive prices through such programs. Some have | | | | combination with company meetings. |
| even resold these vehicles on the used car market | | | | The Satisfaction of an Important Role in Health Care |
| for a tiny profit. | | | | Of course along with these perks, there are other |
| In addition to a company car, a pharmaceutical | | | | factors involved in pharmaceutical sales which can be |
| representative also has access to an expense | | | | very satisfying. Pharmaceutical reps are in a position |
| account which enables him or her to entertain | | | | to help educate doctors, nurses, pharmacists and |
| customers such as physicians on a business level | | | | medical students about their drug products along with |
| whether it is for meals at nice restaurants or other | | | | the associated medical conditions they treat. There is |
| for business social activities such as golf outings or | | | | some great satisfaction when a medical professional |
| attending sporting events. Of course, the rep is | | | | tells you that your product has made a positive |
| expected to participate with their customers at | | | | difference in a patient's health, especially when the |
| these business social activities. | | | | professional never used your product before your |
| The Freedom and Independence | | | | introduction of it to him or her. |
| For those individuals who do not like the idea being | | | | It would have been your selling efforts that caused |
| stuck inside with an office job, a pharmaceutical sales | | | | the doctor to change prescribing habits which |
| position offers the opportunity to spend most | | | | ultimately helped treat the patients better. This |
| working hours out in the field visiting customers like | | | | makes a pharmaceutical representative feel like an |
| physicians, nurses and pharmacists. Pharmaceutical | | | | important part of the overall medical health care |
| reps have the freedom to set and organize their | | | | team. It's a good feeling indeed when one knows |
| own working schedules. No single day is identical as | | | | that he or she is part of a company responsible for |
| different customers at different locations are visited | | | | bringing a much needed medical product to society. |