In the United States, sales representatives of scientific products, like medicines, have a mean annual wage of over $92,000. Add commissions and other job incentives and you’re looking at a six-figure income.
It’s not a secret that pharmaceutical sales representatives are some of the highest-paid sales professionals. If you’ve chosen to pursue this career, you’ve made the right decision.
However, with such attractive compensation comes stiff competition for job positions. Companies with pharmaceutical sales jobs tend to go for experienced professionals.
But what if you don’t have any relevant experience? Does this mean your dreams are burst?
Don’t lose hope. It’s possible to be hired as a pharmaceutical sales rep even when you don’t have any experience. Keep reading to learn how.
Get the Required Professional Training
There are sales jobs you can get without any training at all. For example, it’s possible to find employment as an auto sales representative in a local dealership even if you don’t have any sales training. You just need to prove that you know a lot about cars and you’re an excellent salesperson.
In a pharmaceutical sales job, you need a combination of the right professional training and, often, years of experience. Employers need professionals who have at least a bachelor’s degree, preferably in the life sciences.
As such, the first step to getting hired as a pharmaceutical sales rep without any experience is to secure a bachelor’s degree. It’s important to pass well, because stellar academic performance can catch an employer’s eye, increasing your bargaining power when you have no experience.
It’s also possible to get hired if you’ve got professional training in sales and marketing, but a degree in this field will dent your chances. Medicines are a technical product. Having an education in the life sciences makes it easier for you to understand how the medicines you’ll be selling work.
Get Certified by a Professional Body
It’s not mandatory to be certified in order to get employment.
However, when you lack professional experience, certification increases your chances of impressing a potential employer.
The National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives is one such professional body that offers certification for pharmaceutical sales reps. The CNPR certification is highly regarded in the industry, especially by employers.
Becoming a member of the NAPSR also adds to your chances.
Find Potential Employers
Pharmaceutical and biotech companies aren’t created equal. They all have unique recruitments methods.
When you have no experience, it helps to research various companies and get familiar with their recruiting strategy. Ideally, you want to focus on companies that are rapidly expanding, such as Roviant Sciences, which was founded by Vivek Ramaswamy, and just raised $1.1 billion from investors.
Make Use of LinkedIn
Modern companies are no longer recruiting the traditional way. They are relying on technology to find the best talent.
LinkedIn stands out as the go-to recruitment platform. Build a professional profile and network with other professionals in the industry. You never know who might be looking at your profile!
It’s Possible to Get a Pharmaceutical Sales Job Without Experience
Yes, you can secure a pharmaceutical sales job without having any professional experience. It’s not going to be easy, but if you follow this guide, you can pull it off.
Keep reading our blog for more useful tips and advice.
