Research Summary. We analyzed 2,016 pharmaceutical sales representative resumes to determine which ones land the most jobs. Below you'll find examples of resumes that can help you get an interview (and a job offer) from companies like PDI and Eli Lilly and Company. Here are the key facts about pharmaceutical sales representative resumes to help you get the job:

  • The average pharmaceutical sales representative resume is 454 words long
  • The average pharmaceutical sales representative resume is 1.0 pages long based on 450 words per page.
  • Patients is the most common skill found on a pharmaceutical sales representative resume. It appears on 21.1% of resumes.
After learning about how to write a professional pharmaceutical sales representative resume, you can make sure your resume checks all the boxes with our resume builder.

Resume

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume Example

Choose From 10+ Customizable Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Pharmaceutical Sales Representative templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Pharmaceutical Sales Representative resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
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Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
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Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume

What Should Be Included In A Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume

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1. Add Contact Information To Your Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume

Your name should be the biggest text on the page and be at or near the top of the document.

Your address doesn't need to include your street name or house number - listing your city and state works just fine.

Your email address should be professional, but not your current work email address. It's not a good look to use your work email for personal projects (job-searching).

Your social media can be included if you have a fully-fledged LinkedIn page or another social media page that showcases your relevant skill set.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume Contact Information Example #1

Jane Moore

Montgomery, AL 36043| 333-111-2222 | jane.moore@email.com

Do you want to know more?
How To Write The Perfect Resume Header
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2. Add Your Relevant Education To The Resume

Your resume's education section should include:

  • The name of your school
  • The date you graduated (Month, Year or Year are both appropriate)
  • The name of your degree
If you graduated more than 15 years ago, you should consider dropping your graduation date to avoid age discrimination.

Optional subsections for your education section include:

  • Academic awards (Dean's List, Latin honors, etc. )
  • GPA (if you're a recent graduate and your GPA was 3.5+)
  • Extra certifications
  • Academic projects (thesis, dissertation, etc.)

Other tips to consider when writing your education section include:

  • If you're a recent graduate, you might opt to place your education section above your experience section
  • The more work experience you get, the shorter your education section should be
  • List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent and high-ranking degrees first
  • If you haven't graduated yet, you can include "Expected graduation date" to the entry for that school

Majors
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Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume Relevant Education Example #1

Bachelor's Degree In Marketing 2014 - 2016

Florida State University Tallahassee, FL

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume Relevant Education Example #2

Bachelor's Degree In Communication 2014 - 2016

Temple University Philadelphia, PA

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3. Next, Create A Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Skills Section On Your Resume

Your resume's skills section should include the most important keywords from the job description, as long as you actually have those skills. If you haven't started your job search yet, you can look over resumes to get an idea of what skills are the most important.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your resume's skills section:

  • Include 6-12 skills, in bullet point form
  • List mostly hard skills; soft skills are hard to test
  • Emphasize the skills that are most important for the job
Hard skills are generally more important to hiring managers because they relate to on-the-job knowledge and specific experience with a certain technology or process.

Soft skills are also valuable, as they're highly transferable and make you a great person to work alongside, but they're impossible to prove on a resume.

Example Of Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Skills For Resume

  • FDA Skills

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the production and sale of food, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, and other consumer goods, as well as veterinary medicine. The FDA is now in charge of overseeing the manufacture of products like vaccines, allergy treatments, and beauty products.

  • Market Share Growth Skills

    Market share growth is defined as the continuous growth of a company's product or service in a specific market. When a company's market share is growing it indicates that the company is growing its revenue faster than its competitors. Market share is a percentage of the market that is controlled by a company's products and services. For example, Apple phone sales make up 41% of the overall smartphone market in the US. It means that Apple's market share in the US is 41%.

  • Product Knowledge Skills

    Product knowledge is the skill of having better information and knowledge about the product you are selling. Product knowledge is essential for the employees of the companies so they can communicate and inform the customers about the product. Having great product knowledge is essential for a better sales pitch and to give the customer a better and complete idea of the product that will influence him to buy the product eventually.

  • Neurology Skills

    Neurology is one of the branches of medical science that deals with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and other disorders in the nervous system of a person. This system plays an important role in keeping the brain functional and coordinated very well. The main areas of neurology include the central, autonomic, and peripheral nervous system.

  • Cardiology Skills

    Cardiology refers to the medical scientific field which researches and treats various issues, developments, diseases, and other afflictions within or related to the human heart and, by extension, some of the circulatory systems within the body, too. Some of the afflictions of the heart include the following: cardiac arrest, hypertension, and various forms of cardiomyopathy. This branch of medicine deals with everything from diagnosis to treatment, whether by way of medical procedures or drug or physical therapy, to post-procedure and further check-ups.

Top Skills for a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

Source: Zippia.com
  • Patients, 21.1%
  • Pharmaceutical Products, 7.5%
  • Develop Strong Relationships, 6.0%
  • Territory Management, 5.4%
  • Other Skills, 60.0%
Not sure which skills are really important?
3 Big Tips For Listing Skills On Your Resume
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4. List Your Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Experience

The most important part of any resume is the experience section. Recruiters and hiring managers expect to see your experience listed in reverse chronological order, meaning that you should begin with your most recent experience and then work backwards.

Don't just list your job duties below each job entry. Instead, make sure most of your bullet points discuss impressive achievements from your past positions. Whenever you can, use numbers to contextualize your accomplishments for the hiring manager reading your resume.

It's okay if you can't include exact percentages or dollar figures. There's a big difference even between saying "Managed a team of engineers" and "Managed a team of 6 engineers over a 9-month project."

Most importantly, make sure that the experience you include is relevant to the job you're applying for. Use the job description to ensure that each bullet point on your resume is appropriate and helpful.

Don't have any experience?
How To Show Your Experience On a Resume... Even When You Don't Have Any
Work History Example # 1
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Merck & Co.
  • Served as District Representative for FOSAMAX , SINGULAIR and ZOCOR .
  • Consulted daily with physicians and pharmacies regarding the clinical benefits of Merck medications in order to increase product growth.
  • Converted the top Cardiologist in the territory with "no access" to become a Speaker Advocate for Merck.
  • Increased District share of Vioxx in 2004.
  • Ranked in top 10% out of 210 in region for Vioxx 2003.
Work History Example # 2
Wireless Consultant
RadioShack
  • Promoted to Third Key, a leadership role responsible for store opening and closing; preparing financial transactions and deposits.
  • Achieved a customer turnaround rate of 20% of repeat business.
  • Promoted to a key holder position*Conduct great customer support and service to all customers.
  • Assisted customers in their needs in electronics, batteries, and essential wireless service needs.
  • Provided consultation on wireless cellular phones as well as troubleshooting.
Work History Example # 3
Pharmaceutical Sales Person
Cardinal Health
  • Handled high-profile sales and account management of molecular diagnostic tests, equipment, and supplies targeting healthcare hospital professionals.
  • Mastered representing various Novartis products through Cardinal Health - presented to gastroenterologists, ophthalmologists, family practitioners, pediatricians and oncologists.
  • Performed sales calls to Pulmonary and Cardiology specialty practices, hospitals and pharmacist.
  • Ensured appropriate use of products within FDA indications to achieve business potential of territory.
  • Maintained accountability for all samples in accordance with FDA and PDMA guidelines.
Work History Example # 4
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
ALZA
  • Collaborated strategically with the team to develop and implement action plan for maximum revenue generation for designated territory.
  • Managed both office based and hospital based Neurology contacts.
  • Executed Combined Product Strategies for sales of 12+ compounds to Oncologists, Psychiatrists, Internal Medicine, Cardiologists & Gastroenterologists.
  • Developed business relationships with targeted physicians and healthcareprofessionals in primary care, psychiatry and gastroenterology.
  • Ranked #1/29 Quarter 1 in dermatology and #20/240 in Women's Health.
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5. Highlight Your Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Certifications On Resume

Certifications can be a powerful tool to show employers that you know your stuff. If you have any of these certifications, make sure to put them on your pharmaceutical sales representative resume:

  1. Certified Sales Professional (CSP)
  2. Professional Certified Marketer (PCM)
  3. Sales Management
  4. Certified Sales Representative (CSR)

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6. Finally, Add a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume Summary Or Objective Statement

A resume summary statement is a 1-3 sentence spiel at the top of your resume that quickly summarizes who you are and what you have to offer. In this section, include your job title, years of experience (if it's 3+), and an impressive accomplishment, if you have space for it.

Remember to address skills and experiences that are emphasized in the job description.

Are you a recent grad?
Read our guide on how to write a resume summary statement

Five Key Resume Tips For Writing A Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resume:

1.
Relevant Experience
Make sure that the jobs, experience, and accolades that you include are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
2.
The Right Skills
This is a great time to run wild with those keywords from the job description. For example, if they’re looking for someone with experience in Sales Territory, be sure to list it in your resume’s skills section.
3.
Quantifiable Achievements
Your workplace accomplishments tell the story of the unique value you bring to an organization. Stay away from dry descriptions of job duties. Use numbers to help contextualize your achievements..
4.
ATS-Friendly
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a piece of software employers use to collect, scan, organize, and rank applications. The key to getting your resume past ATS and into the hands of hiring managers is smart keyword usage.
5.
Impeccable Formatting
Formatting a resume so that it looks professional and attractive is important. With Zippia’s resume builder, you can put together a modern-looking resume in less than 10 minutes. Just choose a resume template that suits your style, answer some questions about your background, and you’ll have a resume that’ll pass muster with both the ATS and the hiring manager.
Not sure how to make a resume that stands out?
See sample resumes for the job you want
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Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Resumes FAQs

What Are Pharmaceutical Sales Keywords?

Pharmaceutical sales keywords include revenue growth, relationship management, and internal medicine. Incorporating keywords into your resume will be critical to enabling you to stand out among all the candidates for a pharmaceutical sales role.

What Should I Put On My Resume For Pharmaceutical Sales?

You should put all your relevant work experiences and education on your resume for pharmaceutical sales. Additionally, it will be important to note any certifications and licenses you have earned as well as the relevant hard and soft skills you have developed in the healthcare field.

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