From Lab Bench to
Sales Call: Ten Myths About Careers in Chemical
Sales
Nan Knight
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Been in the lab too long? Ready for a little
change in environment? Want to improve your income?
Looking for a way to use your chemistry degree
in a way you may never have contemplated? HAVE
WE GOT A DEAL FOR YOU!
Joining the sales force of a chemical or pharmaceutical
company may not be the career path you envisioned
when you were in college, but increasing numbers
of trained scientists are making the transition
to sales. The reason? A scientific background
gives them the edge and experience necessary to
make effective and profitable contacts with colleagues
and to work with companies to improve products
and enhance offerings.
If you've thought about sales and resisted the
idea, chances are you've bought into at least
one of the persistent myths about being part of
the sales force. JobSpectrum.org surveyed a number
of industry and company representatives who reported
that these myths, despite their persistence, are
equal parts misconception, stereotyping, and misinformation.
Test yourself-how many of the following do you
believe are true?
1) No career advisor ever mentioned sales to
me, so it must be a bad idea.
2) The economy is uncertain; that means that
a sales job is uncertain, too.
3) Sales personnel have to wear plaid jackets
and talk VERY LOUDLY.
4) Going into sales would be a waste of my education
5) I have the "wrong personality"
for sales.
6) The life of a salesperson is drab and uninteresting.
7) Sales income is unreliable and unpredictable.
8) The sales group is like a club; scientists
aren't welcome.
9) If I become a sales rep, I'll never get to
do science again. 10) Once I'm in sales, there's
no room for advancement.
If you're keeping score, every one of these statements
is false. In fact, sales careers offer variety,
remuneration, potential, and a special appeal
for scientists who are interested in what's going
on in the wider world around them.
Myth #1: No career advisor
ever mentioned sales to me, so it must be a bad
idea.
You're right, chances are no one at your college
or university ever listed sales as a possible
career goal for your chemistry degree. In part,
it's because this is a nontraditional route. "We
get very, very few chemistry students who express
an interest in sales," says Karen Heisey,
Assistant Director of Duke
University's Career Counseling Center. Many
students do not consider sales as a possible career
because they want to continue hands-on research
or go on to graduate chemistry work. "We
do occasionally have science majors who choose
to pursue positions in upper-level marketing,
because that's perceived as a flashier, more exciting
kind of job," says Heisey. And surprisingly
few recruiters look for sales staff among chemistry
graduates. Heisey adds, "The exception is
pharmaceutical sales, where we get recruiters
who come to campus looking for bright young chemists."
But just because no one has suggested it does
not mean that your skills and knowledge aren't
valued. Check out the Web sites of major companies
and call their Human Resources staff to find out
whether they are hiring chemistry graduates in
sales. Ask if they offer any marketing internships
that could give you on-the-job training and a
feel for sales. Keep an eye on career sites like
JobSpectrum.org, where employers know they can
find experienced chemists.
Myth #2: The economy is
uncertain; that means that a sales job is uncertain,
too.
One of the axioms of the chemical and scientific
industry is that the economy is never bad in every
industry. Even in economic downswings, some companies
will be expanding and others will be merging and
acquiring smaller companies. In the second half
of 2001, when most reports had the chemical industry
outlook gloomy, companies like Johnson
and Johnson were announcing large numbers
of new hires in sales. Why? "Because businesses
make their money through sales," says Doug
Lynch. "In general, the sales force of a
company is treated very well, because they serve
as the point of contact between the company's
product and both repeat customers and new business."
In fact, cuts from the laboratory staff may actually
come before cuts from the sales staff. Moreover,
the bonus structures built into many sales jobs
may be one way to get ahead economically while
the salaries of other company employees are frozen.
It's still important to do research on any company
you're thinking about joining, but if the industry
outlook is strong, then accepting a sales position
is no riskier than a lateral move in the lab.
Myth # 3: Sales personnel
have to wear plaid jackets and talk VERY LOUDLY.
"Certainly, impressions about sales may
be wrong among some bench chemists," says
Bob Slawson, head of Cambridge
Consulting Services (Naperville, IL), recruitment
specialists in chemical sales, marketing, and
management. "Today's technical sales rep
is not the guy on the used car lot in the plaid
jacket. This is a field for men and women. And
a technical sales rep for a major industrial company
functions more like a high-level consultant."
"We work directly with knowledgeable research
and development staff in industry and manufacturing,"
says Lynch. "These aren't people who want
a fast-talking sales pitch. They're interested
in solutions from someone who knows their business."
Many chemists who enter sales are surprised to
find that their daily client interactions are
about collegial sharing of knowledge and not about
high-pressure persuasion. Although cold calls
are still part of some sales persons' routines,
even these interactions are more about showcasing
the ways in which specific products can fit clients'
needs. A background in chemistry and science are
more important than the hard sell in connecting
with these clients.
Myth #4: Going into sales
would be a waste of my education and experience.
In today's increasingly competitive employment
market, many major companies require a scientific
degree and work experience. "As many as 75%-80%
of our clients will require a technical background
for sales and marketing positions," says
Slawson. "This usually means a bachelor's
degree. Having an MBA in business management or
marketing conveys extra value. And bringing practical,
working knowledge of the science involved is very
helpful."
Mort J. Spiegel, whose Morristown, NJ, company,
Spiegel
& Associates, advises chemical companies
around the world on training sales personnel and
in developing advertising and public relations
materials, agrees that many businesses want to
see both a degree and experience. "Chemists
who have been in the lab for a few years after
graduation offer very real advantages to employers
who hire them as sales agents," he says.
"They have the ability to do the most important
thing a sales agent can do: truly understand the
needs of the customers." Among the advantages
Spiegel cites, experienced chemists can:
- Speak the same language as the customers;
- Respond pro-actively to customer problems
and look for solutions in an informed way;
- Report back constructively on other innovations
seen in the field;
- Work actively with the company on devising
solutions for one customer that may benefit
a whole range of current and prospective customers;
and
- Serve as an informed intermediary between
the customer and the company.
Sidebar:
Different Roads Lead To A Sales Career
Myth #5: I have the "wrong
personality" for sales.
Conducting a self-assessment is an important
part of considering a sales career. It's true
that many chemists who were originally attracted
to the quiet, clean environment of the laboratory
simply may not be cut out for the demands of selling.
"It's sometimes a challenge to find that
chemist or chemical engineer who has the interpersonal
skills necessary to be successful," says
Slawson. "Previous experience in sales is
helpful."
However, a number of individuals consulted by
JobSpectrum.org noted that you don't have to be
a "born salesperson" to have a successful
career in scientific and technical sales. "I've
seen a number of good training and motivational
programs that could be very good assets to someone
with a science background who wants to enter sales,"
says Spiegel, pointing to the growing numbers
of corporations that have their own in-house programs
to ramp up sales capabilities among new staff.
However, Spiegel cautions that you may want to
start by assessing your "natural" ability
to handle the demands of sales by asking the following
questions:
- Am I able to handle rejection on a regular
basis?
- Am I good at time management?
- Am I a self-starter, able to devise and complete
a complex schedule of appointments without direction?
- Is my personality flexible enough to blend
with the wide range of people I'll meet?
- Can I be professional and cheerful on the
job, regardless of any problems I may have at
home or in my personal life?
- Am I a careful record keeper, able to keep
up the detailed reporting required? (Spiegel
notes that chemists, trained in keeping lab
notebooks, may have a distinct advantage in
this area.)
- Am I ready to travel, relocate, or be on the
road, depending on the requirements of the job?
Myth #6: The life of a
salesperson is drab and uninteresting.
The old stereotypes about sales have been rejected
by many of today's younger workers. "All
the clichés-the tired shuffle, the tattered
sample case-are really boomer generation prejudices,"
says one marketing major at the University of
Maryland. "My generation thinks of sales
as a way to run at your own speed. Drive a nice
car. Succeed financially. Meet interesting people."
She may be right; marketing programs at many universities
are filled to capacity with young people who consider
sales an interesting and fulfilling career goal.
Sales staff interviewed for this article agree
that a career in scientific and technical sales
is much less confining than one in the lab. They
cited travel, new experiences, a wide experience
of applied science, and opportunities for change
as the major attractions. A surprising number
cited the freedom not only from the lab but also
from the desk. "I'm mobile," says one
North Carolina pharmaceutical sales rep. "I
don't punch a clock. I structure my day in the
way that I think will be best for my company and
my clients."
Myth #7: Sales income is
uncertain and unreliable.
Pay for chemical and technical sales representatives
can be structured in a number of ways, but the
bottom line is clear: most technical sales representatives
earn much more than they would have in the lab.
Although some companies rely on a quota and percentage
system, the trend is toward a base salary supplemented
by bonuses, awarded on the basis of individual
or team achievements. Estimates from the sources
interviewed for this article indicated that a
move from the lab to sales might increase income
by 50%-100%. Several sources emphasized that companies
value their sales forces and make sure that they
are both adequately paid and that advancement
is built into the job.
Myth #8: The sales group
is like a club; scientists aren't welcome.
No secret passwords here. Clearly scientific
expertise is a valued adjunct to technical and
scientific sales today, and the door is wide open
to scientists who want to make the career change.
Companies like CRODA, Merck, and Dow have instituted
training programs designed to take recent graduates
or working scientists and introduce them to sales
and marketing. Even if you don't think you're
a "natural" for sales, these programs
can give you the knowledge and skills needed to
represent the company's products effectively with
a range of clients.
If you're considering a move to sales, ask the
HR representative of the company what percentage
of the sales staff have technical backgrounds.
The answer may surprise you. If the percentage
is high, then the "club" you're joining
has members just like you. If the percentage is
low, then you'll be entering the work force with
a distinct advantage that may make you a standout
salesperson from the start.
Sidebar:
Selling Yourself: The First Step in Transitioning
to Sales
Myth #9: If I become a
sales rep, I'll never get to do science again.
"You can always choose to go back,"
says Doug Lynch. "The door to the lab doesn't
lock when you leave." Going into sales doesn't
mean that you leave science behind or that your
knowledge of the field is somehow frozen in time.
Part of being a good sales representative is understanding
the work your clients are doing and keeping up
with innovations in the field and scientific advances.
In fact, your knowledge of the field may be broader
outside the lab than in. If an exciting new advance
captures your interest, or if you tire of the
pace of the sales life, the door to the lab is
open. The skills you've acquired "on the
outside" will actually help you in shaping
products for the market.
Myth #10: Once I'm in sales,
there's no room for advancement.
This may be the biggest myth of all, say the
individuals interviewed by JobSpectrum.org. Sales
personnel have to know every aspect of the company
they represent-and often know everyone in the
hierarchy. Such contacts can prove valuable when
the company is looking for someone with proven
people skills and enthusiasm to advance up the
executive ladder.
Moreover, as one sales rep put it, "My job
is like a smorgasbord of opportunities in the
industry. Every day I go to a variety of scientific
companies doing fascinating work and consult on
a collegial basis with their ranking staff and
executives." The result is that many sales
reps know exactly which companies are up and coming,
likely to expand, and offer an attractive working
climate. "And if you want to make the switch,"
says the sales rep, "your foot is already
literally in the door. They know you and respect
you before you even apply."
Making the Transition
from Science to Sales
With an academic culture that for the most part
ignores sales and marketing as a career choice,
it's not surprising that most chemists who transition
into sales do so after other work experience.
"In fact, the typical transition isn't abrupt,"
says Slawson. "Many people work at the bench
or in the lab and then are promoted to technical
services, where they get a feel for sales and
a sense of whether it's an atmosphere they'd be
comfortable working in. Then, they may make the
transition within their own company or switch
to another."
Spiegel advises doing some very careful background
work before making such a transition. "For
many bench chemists, the sales environment may
be entirely foreign to their past experience,"
he says. He recommends a three-step approach to
deciding whether to undertake a career in technical
sales:
- Investigate
the job: Speak with colleagues
or contacts inside the industry about the demands
of the sales job in which you're interested.
Ask about specific sales requirements, bonus
structures, travel requirements, etc.
- Research
the company: Find out about
the general work ethic and approach of the company.
You'll be putting in long hours, and it's good
to know up front how this company thinks you
should use your time. Find out if there are
cultural differences between different international
branches of the company to which you may be
assigned. (Spiegel cites the example of a US-based
company that followed the "work hard/play
hard" ethic, while a Swiss counterpart
followed the "work hard/work hard some
more" ethic.)
- Look
in the mirror, and get someone else to look
over your shoulder: Once you
know about the requirements of the job, ask
yourself if this is something you really want
to do. Go to colleagues who are familiar with
the demands of sales and ask them to be absolutely
honest about the likelihood of your success
in sales.
The Bottom Line
Sales may be a demanding career choice, but it's
one that offers incentives, travel, variety, challenges,
and a chance to meet chemistry colleagues across
a broad spectrum of work places and practice.
It offers the opportunity to use your scientific
background in ways you may never have planned
while expanding your horizons and broadening your
career possibilities in a position where you are
highly valued. Get beyond the myths and take a
closer look.
Sidebar:
The Future: From Sales Call to Video Chat?
Nan Knight is a freelance science writer and
editor whose credits include Smithsonian exhibits,
Discovery Channel Web sites, and a wide range
of publications on radiation in medicine.
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