Pharmaceutical Sales Resume Samples

Sales can be a competitive market, none more so than the Pharmaceutical Sales arena. The products are highly competitive and as such experienced Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives can prove potentially lucrative for specialist recruitment consultancies that specialize in this area. A recruiter knows that they can easily place successful and experience Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives so get your resume / CV together properly and you could be getting that ideal next career move.

FREE email guide: Is your Resume letting you down?: How to dramatically improve your resume.

The normal route into Pharmaceutical Sales is via the extensive and mature Graduate Programs developed by the large and international pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline. If this is how you started then make sure you detail this on your resume / CV as usually recruiters and potential employers (i.e. the competitors of your current and previous companies) will have knowledge of the quality and content of the graduate course you have undertaken.

Every company likes to think their products are 'best in class' and more innovative than their competitors, but there is an unofficial tier system within the Pharmaceutical Sales arena, so experience within the well-known and global brands will stand you in very good stead indeed. However, any knowledge and experience within more niche players in the market can also prove fruitful as there will usually be a competitor within that marketplace who will pay to have your knowledge and for you to join them!

If you're completing a graduate level course now and looking to put together your resume / CV for your next career move, then it's vital you illustrate all your major achievements during these critical training and learning courses. Your resume / CV will need to stand out against stiff competition so include a Profile and Major Achievements section on the first page of your resume / CV. These sections will act as your sales pitch and help make your application rise above other resumes / CVs.

Indeed the Profile and Major Achievements approach can be used for all levels of Pharmaceutical Sales roles. In fact, your resume / CV can more or less write itself as you have deliverables to rely upon. Do not be afraid of quoting sales figures and improved sales over the course of your employment. Be proud of your achievements and sales figures, after all this is why there'll be interest from recruiters and potential employers.

After these sections, your Career History section can begin. This will outline a reverse chronological order of your Pharmaceutical Sales roles. If you have any other previous sales experience (outside of the pharmaceutical industry), then this can go under another section entitled 'Previous Sales Career History' as it will still be relevant to future employers if you have any sales experience.

The normal educational requirement for a career in Pharmaceutical Sales is via a degree in Life Sciences or Business. With this in mind, you should therefore have a section to detail your Education, Qualifications and Continuing Professional Development. Many international companies have very structured training schedules for their Sales staff and as such, you should certainly put relevant training courses you've undertaken either internally or externally on your resume / CV.

Profile for a Pharmaceutical Sales Resume

• This section can be seen as your primary sales pitch which will help recruiters and potential companies to immediately see who you are, what you can do and your proven skills.
• If you've worked in particular sectors covering a particular sector within the pharmaceutical industry, then you can include this in your Profile.
• Often you'll specialize in particular products, so again use your Profile to 'sell' this experience.
• Skills required to be successful in this business should be highlighted here - do not assume the person reading your resume / CV knows everything there is to know about your area of expertise.

Pharmaceutical sales resume samples:

• Four years proven Pharmaceutical Sales experience within the North West Territory into doctors practices across the region.
• Proven ability to introduce and market innovative analgesics to doctors and hospital in the South West South West Territory.
• Excellent planning and communication skills with the proven ability to create and build new and existing relationships.

Major Achievements

• This section can more or less write itself as most pharmaceutical companies have internal award scheme on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. If you've been recognized by your company and won any award for outstanding sales for a particular period or territory, then include these details under the Major Achievements section.
• If you have consistently hit and / or overachieved on your targets, then this is the place to shout about it. It may be a great achievement to have the highest sales figures for one year, but if you have achieved this accolade more than once, say so. Consistency in pharmaceutical sales goes a long way when you come to sell your skills to potential employers.
• Your targets are always measured by quantity so you can display exact figures whenever possible. If you hit 125% of quota and it was a high initial quota target, then say so.

Sample achievements for a pharmaceutical sales resume:

• Top salesperson within the region, achieving sales of 2.5 million dollars.
• Hit 125% of a $1 million sales target to achieve sales of $1.25 million.

Career History for a Pharmaceutical Sales Resume

• This section should be written in reverse chronological order to show your most recent or current role first.
• If you work in a contract role within pharmaceutical sales i.e. via a company who represents different companies' interests, then make sure you include all the contracts you have worked on. It may be that one particular contract and product is of particular interest to future employers, so cover all aspects in the Career History.
• Include months and years that you have worked in different roles. Promotion can be relatively quick in this industry, so do show the distinction between each role by displaying each individual role within each time period you were in that position. You can then put in details about the products and territory under each role. Quite often companies like to see quick progression so beware rolling all your jobs into one for each company you've worked for.

Education, Qualifications and Further Training

• Any relevant courses in relation to both product training and sales training should be detailed here.
• Alongside recent training, your degree details should be in this section including the type of degree, classification of degree, subject, institution and year of graduation (if it was in the last ten years or so).

• FREE email guide: Is your Resume letting you down?: How to dramatically improve your resume
• Do you want an interview-winning resume? Click here now to learn how a professional resume writing service can dramatically improve your chances of securing the job you desire
• Free resume distribution services - reach 1000's of top employers - save time let the jobs find you!
• How to make a resume
• Free Resume Templates: Need a free resume template?
• Free Cover Letter Samples and Resume Templates
• Which CV format will work best for you?
• How to write a profile / summary for your CV that will grab the reader's attention
• How to highlight your achievements on your CV and improve your interview chances
• Impressing employers with your career history on your CV
• Making the most of your qualifications and training on your CV
• What personal details and interests should you include on your CV?
• Ten Things to Leave out of your CV
• Ten more things to leave out of your CV
• What to include in your functional or targeted CV
• Top 10 Tips for Producing a Better CV
• How to Produce a Cover Letter that gets you Noticed
• Resume distribution services
• Sample Teacher Resume