Do you have excellent people skills? Are you an outstanding salesperson and interested in the healthcare field? If so, a pharmaceutical sales representative is a great career choice that fits your skills and interests.
Pharmaceutical sales representatives are responsible for assessing the needs of a healthcare provider’s patients and meeting those needs by recommending the prescription drugs manufactured by the companies they represent. Exceptional verbal communication skills are essential as they meet with doctors, clinics, hospitals, and others. They must also possess strong sales skills to close deals. Their presentation, networking, and relationship-building skills should be advanced to succeed in this role.
Good analytical and research skills are needed as pharmaceutical sales representatives need to stay current with competitors and industry trends, such as prevailing health issues and concerns. Good familiarity with the drugs you represent is a must, as well as the ability to communicate the dosage recommendations, benefits, side effects, and contraindications of each drug. Pharmaceutical sales representatives should be driven, have a relentless work ethic, and have the ability to meet goals.
Sample job description
[Your Company Name] is searching for a motivated and competitive pharmaceutical sales representative to become a key link between our company and healthcare professionals. You must have exceptional people skills, attention to detail, and a persuasive personality to thrive in this fast-paced position. As a pharmaceutical sales rep, you will need to assess client needs and recommend products to present to them. Your ultimate goal will be to increase the visibility of our products and to maximize sales.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Assess client needs and promote suitable products
- Meet with targeted doctors and health care providers and utilize sales skills to persuade them to prescribe the company’s products
- Give providers product information and deliver drug samples
- Develop relationships and network with doctors, health care providers, and pharmacists
Education and experience
This position usually requires a bachelor’s degree. College coursework in life sciences such as biology and chemistry, as well as sales, marketing, advertising, and business administration, are most common in this occupation.
Required skills and qualifications
- Written and verbal communication skills, including relationship-building and influencing
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite or similar software, including spreadsheets and databases
- Expertise in negotiation skills
- Strong sense of organization and time management
Preferred qualifications
- Personable, extroverted personality
- Ability to recognize and generate sales leads
- Ability to exercise independent judgment
Typical work environment
Pharmaceutical sales representatives typically work out of an office in their employer’s headquarters or from their own homes. Most of their time is spent on the road meeting with healthcare professionals whenever they have open time in their schedule.
Typical hours
The typical work hours for a pharmaceutical sales representative are usually from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Available certifications
As a quickly growing industry, becoming a pharmaceutical sales representative is extremely competitive. In order to get your foot in the door, consider gaining certification through one of the following programs:
- Pharmaceutical Representative Certification (PRC). UTSA offers a fully online certification program to anyone looking for a complete foundational knowledge of being a pharmaceutical sales representative. This course is entirely self-paced and guides you through medical terminology, pharmaceutical ethics, communication skills, and selling techniques. You must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree or at least two years of professional sales experience in a related field to qualify. Once you do, you have six months to complete the course and prepare for your PRC exam.
- Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP). Gain a broad knowledge in the world of sales through a Certified Professional Sales Person course. You will learn the best sales habits and behaviors to make you stand out among other sales representatives in any field. There are no prerequisites to start a CPSP course. However, as it focuses only on sales, you will have to seek out other programs to learn the pharmaceutical side of the industry.
Career path
While larger pharmaceutical companies do hire new college graduates as pharmaceutical sales representatives, many small- to medium-sized companies look for candidates with proven track records in sales. Successful pharmaceutical sales representatives can advance to management positions in sales. Others often utilize the knowledge of pharmaceuticals they gain in this position to go back to school and pursue advanced degrees in pharmacy and pharmacology.
US, Bureau of Labor Statistics’ job outlook
SOC Code: 41-4000
| 2020 Employment | 1,625,700 |
| Projected Employment in 2030 | 1,703,300 |
| Projected 2020-2030 Percentage Shift | 5% increase |
| Projected 2020-2030 Numeric Shift | 77,600 increase |
Position trends
According to the medical sales career website MedReps, pharmaceutical sales in the U.S. could change drastically in the next few years. New government and health insurance policies regarding what drugs doctors can prescribe, and how often they can prescribe them, will force pharmaceutical sales representatives to take a more targeted approach to pharmaceutical sales. Also, health care providers are asking for pharmaceutical sales representatives to provide more data than before regarding how effective their products are both clinically and in terms of cost.