Do I need to take a “Certification Course” to break into Pharmaceutical Sales?

Do I need to take a “Certification Course” to break into Pharmaceutical Sales?
By pharmaceutical sales expert, Lisa Lane.

In your online job-search travels, you may have come across a website or two that offers a pharmaceutical sales “certification” course. If you sign up and pay their fee, you get a “course” book and are quizzed on the content. If you pass the test, you will be emailed a “certification” number. The companies then suggest that you put this “certification number” on your resume to impress hiring managers and land the job.

I am not saying that their information is not helpful. Just be aware of the fact that there is NO need to be “certified” to land a job in pharma sales. What bothers me is that these companies make it appear as if this “certification” is a must to land the job. People end up buying their courses and spend hours studying the material. Most of the material is information that would be taught in sales school once you have landed the job.

Learn as much as you can about the industry and how to break in prior to interviewing but please don’t spend the money or the time studying material such as medical terminology and human anatomy until you have the job. Pharma companies don’t recognize these certifications and definitely don’t require them.

Questions: Email Lisa@listondisc.com

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