The pharmaceutical sales industry is a dynamic, high energy, competitive and highly lucrative industry. I have ten years experience in pharmaceutical sales and have worked as a hiring manager for three years. Here are my thoughts and tips on how to get into the industry without experience.
The first and foremost requirement is a degree from an accredited university. It doesn't matter what your degree is in but it helps if it is in the nursing, biology, chemistry or marketing fields. Many companies like to hire people with sales experience so if you are having trouble getting into the industry, you might try first getting a job as some kind of outside sales representative. Here are some industries that can provide you with some good experience at outside selling and/or business to business selling: radio station advertising, print advertising, office supplies or beverages such as coke or alcohol distributors.
Another option is to find a company that hires contract employees to sell for pharmaceutical companies that do not want to hire an official sales team. There are different reasons why a company would hire contract employees but it is a great way to get your foot in the door. The pay may be slightly less but still substantial. Some companies will offer permanent positions to those contract employees who have done an exceptional job at selling their products.
I also suggest that you get a copy of a great book called "Drop Dead Resumes" and/or "Drop Dead Interviews". Not only do you need to buy the book but you need to read it cover to cover and really take the time to understand the interview questions. When I applied for a job in this industry and actually got an interview, I spent 2 weeks writing out response to common questions and editing and practicing my response. These books are incredibly helpful!