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Pharmaceutical sales representative vs representative

The differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives and representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a pharmaceutical sales representative, becoming a representative takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a pharmaceutical sales representative has an average salary of $68,571, which is higher than the $36,023 average annual salary of a representative.

The top three skills for a pharmaceutical sales representative include patients, pharmaceutical products and develop strong relationships. The most important skills for a representative are cleanliness, patients, and customer issues.

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs representative overview

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeRepresentative
Yearly salary$68,571$36,023
Hourly rate$32.97$17.32
Growth rate4%-4%
Number of jobs102,935252,761
Job satisfaction55
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age4740
Years of experience212

What does a pharmaceutical sales representative do?

The job of pharmaceutical sales representatives is to inform and educate doctors about a company's medical and pharmaceutical products. They serve as the link between a company and healthcare professionals to hit sales targets. They have varied responsibilities, including assessing clients' needs and presenting suitable products, delivering product samples, and working sales teams to develop and implement brand strategies. This role's qualifications include relevant work experience, excellent communication, sales, negotiation skills, and a bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

What does a representative do?

Representatives are lawmakers who represent the people in a specific district. They run for office to represent their districts in their hometown or their current place of living. Representatives are usually charismatic and good communicators. These characteristics are especially important during campaign and election periods. Representatives should be able to capture the hearts of the voters through their planned projects and advocacies. They are then elected by their constituents. Upon election, representatives author bills that will eventually be passed into law should it be approved by the majority of the congress. They also vote on the passage of bills authored by other representatives. They also participate in discussions and debates regarding different bills, issues, and laws. Representatives are expected to vote according to their conscience and in consideration of the voice of their constituents.

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs representative salary

Pharmaceutical sales representatives and representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeRepresentative
Average salary$68,571$36,023
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $110,000Between $23,000 And $55,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateMassachusettsNew York
Best paying companyEli Lilly and CompanyGoogle
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalTransportation

Differences between pharmaceutical sales representative and representative education

There are a few differences between a pharmaceutical sales representative and a representative in terms of educational background:

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeRepresentative
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 85%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Pennsylvania-

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs representative demographics

Here are the differences between pharmaceutical sales representatives' and representatives' demographics:

Pharmaceutical Sales RepresentativeRepresentative
Average age4740
Gender ratioMale, 41.0% Female, 59.0%Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage6%7%

Differences between pharmaceutical sales representative and representative duties and responsibilities

Pharmaceutical sales representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage and establish relationships within specialty urology and neurology markets to drive new and existing therapies.
  • Demonstrate strong teamwork skills by partnering with Novartis counterparts and other pharmaceutical consultants to achieve company and individual goals.
  • Manage Santa Rosa/San Francisco territories, marketing and selling respiratory, urology, cardiology to pharmacies and primary care physicians.
  • Retail sales division promoting drugs in gastroenterology, endocrinology, pain management and infectious disease.
  • Call on and maintain relationships with primary care physicians, cardiologists, nephrologists, internists, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists.
  • Call on primary care physicians, cardiologists, neurologists, endocrinologists, and vascular surgeons.
  • Show more

Representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage fitting rooms and recover the department, while providing exceptional customer service and offering rewards and POS options.
  • Manage physical portfolio with necessary derivatives to mitigate risk within company guidelines.
  • Conduct telephone sales and interviews, compile and enter information into database, manage documents and insure customer satisfaction.
  • Review EOB denials, appeals and/or rebilling as appropriate.
  • Certify of all requirements, policies, and procedures, including MSB.
  • Take inbound phone calls from member and providers explaining the EOB denial and payments
  • Show more

Pharmaceutical sales representative vs representative skills

Common pharmaceutical sales representative skills
  • Patients, 21%
  • Pharmaceutical Products, 8%
  • Develop Strong Relationships, 6%
  • Territory Management, 5%
  • FDA, 4%
  • Business Plan, 4%
Common representative skills
  • Cleanliness, 20%
  • Patients, 11%
  • Customer Issues, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Outbound Calls, 3%