How Many Hours A Week Do Pharmaceutical Sales Reps Work?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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28% of Sales Directors/VPs are working more than 60 hours per week. Only 9% of Directors/VPs work

31-40 hours per week

. Only 19% of Sales Reps work 31-40 hours per week. Only 21% of Sales Managers work 31-40 hours per week.

Is being a pharmaceutical sales rep worth it?


The job of a pharmaceutical sales representative is a highly desired one

. With a high salary, excellent benefits and perks, and the potential for growth, it’s easy to see why. In fact, on average, pharmaceutical sales reps earn $103,300 each year, not including commissions.

How often do pharmaceutical sales reps travel?

During the work week, you travel

a lot

. Some territories are bigger than others, but mine’s about two hours long, so some days I’m two hours away from home in a small town calling on a small clinic or there’s other days when I’m in a bigger city and I call on the doctors there.

Is it hard being a pharmaceutical sales rep?

It’s a reality for pharmaceutical company representatives. But the work isn’t pure glamour. It’s also

intense, highly competitive and sometimes frustrating

. Insiders say it’s difficult to get your foot in the door with a drug company, and that it’s challenging to excel once you’ve landed that first sales job.

Are pharmaceutical reps smart?

Drug reps today are often young, well groomed, and strikingly good-looking. Many are women. They are usually affable and

sometimes very smart

.

Do sales reps work long hours?

The first thing we discovered about sales reps’ time is that

their work hours are above average, though not as long as some other jobs

. Typically their work week is 47 hours long. This includes lunch and breaks, plus travel time and other miscellaneous activities. It also includes work done at night or on weekends.

How many hours do salespeople work?

May work part time or full time, but most work

40 hours a week

. May work evenings, weekends, or holidays. Often work longer hours around the winter holidays.

Is sales the most stressful job?

According to US News,

being a sales manager is among the most stressful jobs one can have and Thrive

Global found 67% of reps are close to reaching burnout.

How stressful is pharmaceutical sales?

Stress. Medical sales jobs also come with

considerable stress

. Some respondents specifically cited stress caused by the pressure to make quotas, while others mentioned stress caused by the increasing difficulty of gaining vendor clearances.

What do pharmaceutical sales reps wear?

Their clothes should be fresh, neat, clean and pressed. The reps should be well-groomed, paying attention to hair, face and nails. Do the pharmaceutical reps need to dress in

formal business attire such as suit and tie for men and skirted suits or matching pants suits for women

?

What do pharmaceutical sales reps do?

Pharmaceutical sales representatives

secure sales for their company’s pharmaceutical products

. Their job is to persuade medical professionals that the drugs, treatments and devices that they offer are ideal for their patients’ needs and superior to those offered by their competitors.

Is pharmaceutical sales a good career path?

According to Quint Careers, pharmaceuticals sales is considered

one of the fastest-growing career opportunities

, with a 300% growth rate in the last decade. In addition to fantastic job growth, these positions nationally average a salary of $64,000 (Glassdoor).

How long does it take to complete pharmaceutical sales training?

The PRC program takes on average about

4 weeks

(12 hours course time) to complete. It’s self-paced, so everyone will be different.

What sales jobs pay the most?

  • Pharmaceutical sales representative. …
  • Direct sales representative. …
  • Business development representative. …
  • Sales engineer. …
  • Sales professional. …
  • Sales manager. …
  • Real estate agent. National average salary: $107,989 per year. …
  • Vice president of sales. National average salary: $110,945 per year.

How do I break into medical sales?

  1. Marketing internship. If you are currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program, consider our Marketing internships. …
  2. Sales Operations Rotational Program. …
  3. Associate-level roles. …
  4. Leadership skills. …
  5. Sales experience in any industry. …
  6. Proven sales success. …
  7. Build relationships.

What doctors want from sales reps?

Providers are very interested in

clinical information about a drug including indications, dosage regimens, strengths, duration of therapy, mode of administration, and side effect profile

. Also, doctors are interested in any new studies or published articles related to their patient-types.

How can I be successful in medical sales?

  1. Get to The Hospital Before The Doctors. …
  2. Don’t Take a Break at Lunchtime. …
  3. Get to Know the Lay of The Land. …
  4. Always Keep The Patient in Mind. …
  5. Know Your Products Like The Back of Your Hand. …
  6. Be Responsive. …
  7. Follow Through. …
  8. Prepare for The Negatives.

What do doctors think of pharma reps?

Low-prescribers are ignored by drug reps. Physicians view drug information provided by reps as

a convenient, if not entirely reliable, educational service

. An industry survey found that more than half of “high-prescribing” doctors cited drug reps as their main source of information about new drugs [22].

Why are pharmaceutical sales reps attractive?

“Drug reps are cheerful, charming.

They provide both appreciation and information

. Unfortunately, the information they provide is innately unreliable.” Physicians respond by writing more prescriptions for the targeted drug, she said.

How do I succeed as a pharmaceutical rep?

  1. Good People Skills. You need to have good people skills when going out to market a product. …
  2. Strong Product Knowledge. …
  3. Comfortable with Public Speaking. …
  4. Manage Your Own Time. …
  5. Industry-Specific Skills. …
  6. Be Ready to Travel Anytime. …
  7. Get Your CNPR Training.

How many hours do sales managers work a day?

How many hours do sales managers work in a week? Due to the high amount of responsibility that sales managers have on ensuring that core business functions are being executed, sales managers should expect to work

more than forty hours a week

, sometimes out of normal working hours.

How many hours do SAAS sales reps work?

I’ve worked with Top 10% reps that work

70 hours a week

, that’s part of how they do it. I’ve also worked with Top 10% Reps that are so efficient at what they do, and so practiced … that they get done in 20 hours what others spend 60 hours doing. Sales is about results. Really, no matter how many hours it takes.

How long is a sales career?

Most people in the role have

under four years of experience

, but depending on the company, can also include people with five to 20 years of experience.

What job is the least stressful?

  • Data Scientist.
  • Dietitian.
  • Medical Records Technician.
  • Massage Therapist.
  • Appliance Repairer.
  • Librarian.
  • Diagnostic Medical Stenographer.
  • University Professor.

Is working in sales hard?

Sales Is Not an Easy Job


Working in sales is a tough job

. If you are considering a sales job, you must first understand that you will be expected to work very hard, long hours before you can earn some of the privileges of being in sales.

How can I be a better sales rep?

  1. Shadow your peers. Want to improve your objection handling? …
  2. Practice your people skills. …
  3. Be a team player. …
  4. Know when to walk away. …
  5. Be honest. …
  6. Always solve for the customer. …
  7. Roll with rejection. …
  8. Always ask for referrals.
Rachel Ostrander
Author
Rachel Ostrander
Rachel is a career coach and HR consultant with over 5 years of experience working with job seekers and employers. She holds a degree in human resources management and has worked with leading companies such as Google and Amazon. Rachel is passionate about helping people find fulfilling careers and providing practical advice for navigating the job market.