The pharmaceutical industry has gone through dramatic changes in the last two years, the NHS is always changing and the economy is in free fall with no one really knowing where the light at the end of the tunnel is, and when it will arrive.
All of this simply makes the task of safely developing your career much harder. If you stay put your career can stagnate, however, nobody wants to leave secure jobs only to find they've landed in a melting pot, a company going through changes and you may loose your job.
It's important to keep a level head and consider the most important factors rationally. Here are some of the key factors you need to consider.
What does the next job in your career need to look like to represent development or a progression? Write yourself a shopping list, whether it be structure for career progression, the right therapy area to suit your experience or even geographical considerations. Unless you have these things written down it's difficult to rationally assess jobs when you are carried away with the excitement of being presented with a job possibility.
Can you see yourself getting on with the recruiting manager? On the one hand I would see you need to be flexible where managers are concerned. They do come and go, so either going, or not going just based upon the manager may be fool hardy. However, if you have a choice of jobs, a manager you get on with is worth considering. Ultimately it will impact upon things like salary and promotion prospects.
Is the company financially/structurally stable? This is perhaps more difficult to assess, but joining a company just before it sells is not a good idea. the last people in are the easiest to lay off so your job would be at risk. Trying using google to research news articles and such like. this should give you a feel if the company is brewing for major change. In many ways, in the current climate, joining a company after it has just restructured may be the safest strategy.
What type of medical sales jobs appeal to you. You may be in pharmaceuticals but consider healthcare as an alternative option. Perhaps medical equipment would be an alternative. You can research the different available roles on medical sales jobs boards, most of them have summaries of these roles and how they differ.
To summarise, when looking for medical sales jobs
Write a shopping list of what your new job will look like 'before' you start looking
Assess the recruiting manager and his style, will you get on?
Research the company's stability
Consider a;alternative avenues, research the differences before committing.
Medical sales is still an excellent career option despite instability in the economy and the pharma industry. However, there is less stability than there was, so take your time and take a rational approaching to deciding your next move.
