Video: Medical representative job I Pros and cons I who should opt 2024, May
Today, in the modern Russian pharmaceutical market, qualitative changes are undergoing, its active growth is observed. Due to the introduction of new technologies for the production and promotion of drugs by domestic manufacturers, their own competitiveness is increasing.
If we characterize the process that occurs on the market, we can say that small companies are absorbed by larger ones, stronger ones are consolidating and integrating, and there is also an increased interest from foreign organizations.
Large pharmacy chains come together in one structure, pricing and marketing policies, and centralized management to replace simple pharmacy kiosks. Very often, pharmacy chains have strong wholesalers behind them.
Which specialists are most in demand?
Along with the changes that are taking place, the demand for highly qualified professionals who work in the field of marketing and promotion of various medications: experts, managers in these areas, marketing and advertising specialists and so on, is increasing. Increasingly, there is a need for specialists to conduct clinical trials, as well as the registration of medicines. The need for production workers has become greater: first of all, they are pharmacists who control quality and technology. In addition, the level of requirements for professionalism of personnel is becoming increasingly high. The requirements for promotion specialists mainly depend on the group of drugs, as well as on their sales and promotion scheme.
Thus, if the product manager brings a drug from the pharmacy assortment to the market, then he must be well aware of the specifics of marketing and advertising, which will be aimed at the target audience, that is, at end consumers. If we talk about the promotion of drugs from the hospital group, which are very expensive and rarely used, then the main attention will be paid to the features of working with opinion leaders.
Compared with other market sectors, this industry has extraordinary dynamics, high technologies, which require a professional to constantly improve the qualification level of his competence.
Specialists in drug promotion should study the possibilities for the distribution of new medicines, coordinate product research, monitor their initial market position, and so on.
There is another profession - a medical representative. Let's talk about it further.
How to become a medical representative?
The most demanded in the labor market today is the profession of "medical representative". Unfortunately, it is impossible to study in any of the universities. These specialists play a very important role for product promotion, and are also the basis of marketing in the pharmacology industry. Due to the fact that pharmaceutical companies are forbidden to sell products directly to their patients and doctors, as well as they do not have any rights to use the media, there is a need to use networks of medical representatives in order to work with doctors and medical facilities.
What is a good profession?
It is thanks to medical representatives that the policy of companies that promote drugs is implemented, all information is transmitted to doctors, answers to questions are given, and consultations are held on the use of drugs and their features. After the doctor communicates with the medical representative, he can prescribe the drug to the patient, who will definitely come to the pharmacy to buy it, and she, in turn, will make an order with the distributor, who will contact the manufacturer. Understanding how effective the work of medical representatives is is possible only by studying the dynamics of demand over time.
Medical representatives are the faces of companies, and, of course, they must have excellent communication skills, persuasive skills and confidently use active sales technology. But the last requirement today is not very much taken into account. This can be explained by the fact that the need for people with such a profession is constantly growing, and a huge number of people, and even with work experience, there is simply nowhere to come from, so any medical representative goes directly to the company. A CV before the device must be filled in advance to show the employer their achievements or the fact that they are not yet available.
What are the chances of getting a job?
Today, specialists with diplomas of pharmaceutical universities have exactly as many chances to get the position of medical representative as doctors do. Of course, it is difficult not to notice the fact that it is already much easier for a trained specialist to delve into the problems that colleagues have, but it is for this reason that employers pay so much attention to the choice and further training that representatives receive. Without fail, study the resume (sample) of a medical representative of other companies, make up your personal, and then you can understand whether you are suitable for such a position.
What can be the undoubted advantages?
Of course, a large circle of acquaintances in the professional field is important, which can become your customer base at the very beginning. You should use every opportunity to expand your own relationships with colleagues in other pharmacies of the district or city.
Even the lack of your own car and driver’s license can be a negative point: some companies do not provide transportation. Keep in mind that the duties of the medical representative include the following: to get up as early as possible and with heavy bags, in which a bunch of different brochures, booklets and samples, drive about ten places a day. When traveling by public transport, you are simply wasting your time. Therefore, you should find an opportunity and undergo the necessary training. An excellent book is the Guide of the Medical Representative (Spiders), so it should be read carefully before getting a job in any organization.
Wage
How much does a medical representative get? Reviews of such work are twofold, but if we talk about wages, then today the gradual and steady growth is observed in the labor market.
A prerequisite for working as medical representatives in a foreign company is knowledge of a foreign language, and it is also desirable to have specialized vocabulary.
How to get an interview?
Before signing up for an interview, you need to make a good resume, you should use a few tips that will allow you to get a job.
First of all, be sure to check out the company's products where you want to get a job. Find out which of the drugs this pharmacy offers in pharmacies. In addition, you can use the directories, which also indicate the entire range.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the history and traditions of the company. It is always very pleasant to communicate with a person who has specific knowledge. Be sure to show that you are set for future work, understand its meaning and are ready to constantly learn.
With such a wealth of knowledge, be sure to bring a confident attitude with you, which will certainly be one of your trump cards, and feel free to go for an interview with a medical representative.
Company training
Very often, firms hire physicians who have recently graduated from universities and have no sales experience. The work of a medical representative is aimed primarily at the sale of products. For this reason, one of the components of working with personnel is training, especially since in the current economic situation more funds are allocated for this than before. The thing is that an organization that cares about the future of its personnel very often prefers to educate it than to bring it from somewhere outside.
You should carefully study the "Guide of medical representatives" (Spiders), as it describes in detail all the features of this profession.
The task facing the trainers is to consolidate the skills of successful communication among medical representatives (how to establish a quick and favorable contact, gain the ability to listen to the interlocutor, explain the benefits, analyze non-verbal signals, publicly present goods, and so on).
The theoretical part is reduced to the very minimum, as in former doctors it very often causes a negative reaction. There are several methods for conducting the training: group training, psycho-gymnastics, various role-playing games. In principle, the whole technique comes down to minimizing the lecture part and giving preference to reinforcing skills.
What should a medical representative do?
The main reason that this profession has become very popular is the establishment of an official ban on advertising drugs that are dispensed from pharmacies only according to doctor’s prescriptions.
The most interesting thing is that doctors, teachers, builders, managers and even actors were previously hired as medical representatives. Only the largest and most successfully developing firms in Western countries adhered to strict requirements.
But business development in our country does not stand still, so today all medical representatives must have either a pharmaceutical or a medical education. People with a biological, economic or other education are simply not hired.
The most important duty, which involves working as a medical representative, is to establish contacts with different doctors and their superiors, as well as with the heads of departments and pharmacies.
The main goal of their work is to persuade the doctor to prescribe exactly the drug that is being promoted by the representative at the moment.
In addition, medical representatives should also inform doctors and pharmacy workers about the benefits of the drug sold, that is, compare it with competitors' medicines, give real expert reviews.
A medical representative is required to replenish their knowledge and take part in various symposia, exhibitions and so on. Employees who sell over-the-counter drugs should also conduct various promotions in pharmacies and engage in merchandising.
What education is required and what is career growth?
Most citizens do not know how worthy this profession is and whether it is necessary to study it specifically at the university.
As a rule, most companies require specialized medical or pharmacological education. Medical workers who do not even have work experience have the opportunity to get the position of medical representative with a good salary.
Any medical representative should create a resume for himself in order to interest the employer. If you are interested in career growth, be sure to indicate this.
What skills do you need to get a job?
Consider the basic requirements:
- the ability to effectively promote the product;
- the ability to build partnerships with various people;
- successful negotiation;
- knowledge of effective sales techniques;
- stress management, as well as the ability to plan your day;
- good PC skills;
- knowledge of the medical field.
Basically, preference is given to those candidates who have already received education in the main universities of the country. Almost every pharmaceutical company conducts training before starting work, as well as the necessary trainings in order to develop certain qualities among employees.
What personal qualities should a medical representative have?
A very good indicator will be the candidate’s experience in sales, as well as his personal customer base.
If you have more than five years of experience, you can say about the candidate that he is reliable, responsible, and also interested in the general business of the company in which he works.
Medical representatives must have a pleasant appearance, be self-confident, and have excellent communication skills.
In addition, there must necessarily be an optimistic attitude to work, as well as a desire for success and knowledge of all effective sales techniques.
The visits of medical representatives to the organization are accompanied by a competent presentation of the drugs. Skills should be developed at such a level that he could easily interest any client.
This should be a smart and erudite person who from the first phrases already wants to trust and communicate with him on various topics, since the promotion of medicines requires a certain ethics, not a spontaneous proposal.
Before you get a job, you should look at the resume (sample) of a medical representative and make your own. This is not so difficult to do.
Disadvantages of the profession
The flaws of this profession are described in great detail in the book "The Guide of a Medical Representative" written by Spiders. A medical representative will have the following disadvantages when applying for a job:
- Difficulty of promotion on a career ladder. Representatives working in the region are struggling to make a career. This is due to the very structure of pharmaceutical companies. In large cities, each organization has several groups of representatives, in the leadership of which there are two managers. Each group in the composition has about thirty ordinary representatives. If a medical representative (Moscow it will be or another city - it doesn’t matter) is going to make a career in this area, then he will face huge competition.
- Not always stable income.
- It is required to learn a new profession, even if there is a medical education.
- You need to always be up to date with the latest news.
- Very frequent business trips, work outside the office.
- You need to communicate with different people, constantly persuading someone.
Benefits
- You can do it yourself to regulate the intensity of the work and determine in which direction to do it.
- You can combine with the main work and receive additional income.
- New professional prospects.
- For people who like to communicate, it becomes possible to communicate with a large circle of specialists.
- Good income. On average, the salary of any medical representative is about 30 thousand rubles. In addition, quarterly and monthly surcharges are made in the form of bonuses and bonuses.
