You worked your butt off in school, perfected your resume, applied for every available position, rehearsed your elevator speech, practiced the answers to the most commonly asked behavioral interview questions, purchased your stylish black interview suit, and all your preparation and hard work have paid off. Congratulations, Mr./Ms. Doe! We would like to offer you the coveted position of Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. Your starting salary will be $50k, plus an average annual bonus of $45k and you will receive best-in-industry health benefits, a stellar 401k plan, a company car, corporate credit card, laptop/tablet, cell phone, quota trips to exotic locations and all the flexibility you could ever want. You will have the opportunity to influence physicians and impact patients’ lives. We will provide premier training to ensure confidence as you promote best-in-class drugs. As your district sales manager it is my goal to make you the most successful representative you can be. You will achieve top tier sales success within your first year and be eligible for President’s Circle of Excellence within 2 years. Your success is my success, so I am available whenever you need me. Welcome to the team, Mr./Ms. Doe!

Fast forward 3 months…

Hi, my name is Joe/Jane Doe. Is Dr. Smith in today? I have some new information to share about XYZ drug that I am sure he would be interested in. Sorry, we don’t see reps Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. You will have to come back another time. — Okay, that was an exaggeration, but you get my point.

Golden ticket or golden handcuffs? What happened to my coveted pharmaceutical sales career that was going to enable me to change the world and make a ton of money in the process? Why am I ranked in the bottom third of the nation, still waiting for a promotion and struggling to achieve President’s Circle of Excellence? I worked too hard to get here. I make great money and have all the best benefits and job perks a professional could ever want. But, I only have a Bachelor’s degree. My sales results are poor, at best. What else can I do or where else can I go and still have this type of clout and make this kind of money? I’m stuck. I guess I’ll just have to stick it out and ‘fake it ’til I make it’.

Are you kidding me? Are you going to give up that easily after all you’ve been through? I won’t let you. As a former pharmaceutical sales rep turned physician liaison and now physician recruiter, I want to encourage you that there IS life after pharmaceutical sales. Don’t believe it? Follow me…