Pharmaceutical Sales Job Description

Pharmaceutical Sales Job Description

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Creating a good pharmaceutical sales job description is essential to the recruitment process as it helps clarify the role of the pharmaceutical sales rep within the sales department and helps the salesperson understand the responsibilities of the position. The process of writing a good description is actually quite easy and straight-forward. The following are 7 essential elements which should be included in the job description:

1.    Job Title
2.    Department (division, location, etc.)
3.    Reports to (title of superior, location, describe management structure)
4.    Job Objective (no longer than three to four sentences)
5.    Responsibilities and Accountabilities (principal duties, continuing responsibilities, and accountability)
6.    Relationships and Roles (internal / external cooperation)
7.    Job Specifications (necessary skills and experience required)

Writing a good pharmaceutical sales job description is extremely important. Every sales representative should have a written job description and it need to communicate clearly and concisely what responsibilities and tasks the job entails and to indicate, as well, the key qualifications of the job.

Pharmaceutical Sales Description

The pharmaceuticals and biotech industry is an ever-growing part of the U.S. and world economy. As a vital part of the industry, sales and marketing positions are highly sought after, in part because of the high salaries associated with these positions.

Find Pharmaceutical Sales Jobs at Sales Careers Online.

Most companies consider sales and marketing to be one function, but with two basic areas of activity. Within the sales function, you can typically find three career tracks: field sales, sales management, and managed markets. A fourth track, sales training, is closely associated with sales and is distinct from the broader training and development function, which is usually associated with human resource departments. Sales training groups bridge the sales and marketing function: in some companies, they are considered part of marketing support, and hence part of the marketing function.

Within the marketing function are two main areas of activity: marketing management and marketing support. Marketing management is responsible for introducing products and managing product life cycles. Marketing support is an umbrella-like term that incorporates several distinct groups, some of which are quite large, but all of which serve essentially the same purpose: to provide support services for marketing managers. Depending on the size of the company, the distinction between the two areas may be either blurred or non-existent. Typical marketing support groups include training and development, advertising and promotion, market analysis, customer call center, e-business, and commercialization and strategic planning.

Fully integrated Big Biotech companies have their own sales and marketing infrastructure and essentially the same job classifications with the same responsibilities. Unlike some of their Big Pharma cousins, biotech sales reps are specialty reps, who market products to specific and highly defined patient groups, for example, promoting specialty injectable protein products to specialist physicians (oncologists) treating a narrowly defined condition. This focus contrasts sharply with those Big Pharma reps promoting small-molecule drugs to non-specialist physicians (primary care doctors, internists) providing general medical care to the mass market.

This is a good time to think about embarking on a career in biopharmaceutical sales and marketing, since more biotech-based drugs are moving through the development pipeline. In addition, roles like business development require a foundation in sales (as well as experience in several other functions). Once hired, many companies encourage valued employees to gain such experience, and incorporate lateral moves in annual career development plans. This is important to know at the outset, since it will make you more proactive in evaluating the many opportunities available in sales and marketing. Sales Positions: Field Sales, Sales Management and Managed Markets

Pharma comprises a very educated workforce. Job seekers must bear in mind that in this highly degreed arena, especially in the scientific departments, a B.S. or even an M.S. will only take you so far. A doctorate may be necessary for the employee who wants to rise all the way to the top of the organization.

Hiring preferences depend largely on the district manager doing the interviewing (your future direct superior). While professional qualifications tend to remain fairly consistent for pharmaceutical sales, every manager looks for different things on a personal level. The final cut comes down to a professional decision combined with a personal choice.

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