Pharmaceutical Sales Resume [Also for Entry-Level Rep]
Pharmaceutical Sales Resume [Also for Entry-Level Rep]
You hustle to get your employer’s pharmaceutical products into as many hands as possible. Is your pharmaceutical sales rep resume as effective at making the sale as you are?
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.” Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan
My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George
Highly motivated pharmaceutical sales representative with 4+ years’ experience specializing in psychotropic and lifestyle-disease pharmaceutical products. At PanaceaTech, increased Saturation of Market ratio for Fitobutin from 1.3% to 13.7% and finished 23rd out of 630+ sales representatives nationwide in DHW sales competition. Seeking opportunity to bring many new customers to UbiQT Labs.
Experience
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
PanaceaTech, San Diego, CA
July 2019–present
Increased SoM (Saturation of Market) ratio from 1.3% to 13.7% for Fitobutin and subsequently improved combined SoM for Fitobutin and Staminaide to over 55%.
Finished 23rd out of 630+ sales representatives nationwide in DHW sales competition.
Acquired 17+ new accounts with the potential to move 40% more product than the average.
Ranked third in the region in 2020 and in the top 10 in 2019 and 2021.
Key Achievement: Won the CEO's Counsel, ED Champion, and Libidomax Leadership Circle awards.
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Pharma-rama, San Diego, CA
Jan 2017–July 2019
Surpassed sales quotas by 14% on average by deploying sales strategies centered on building strong client relationships.
Maintained client-retention rates at 93% by providing highly accessible service coupled with expert industry knowledge.
Developed strategic relationships with 20+ primary care physicians, specialists, and medical staff.
Expanded market share for Psychepax by over 15%, ranking 4th out of 48 territories in terms of market share growth.
Education
BS in Chemistry
University of California Santa Cruz, CA
2012–2016
Pursued a passion for industrial chemical processes coursework.
Graduated with a 3.92 GPA.
Key Skills
Salesforce Sales Cloud
Zendesk Sell
Sourcing leads
Chemical nomenclature
Cold calling
Negotiation skills
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Networking skills
Professional Membership
National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives
Certifications
CNPR Certification – Pharmaceutical Sales Training Program, 2018
Languages
Spanish – Advanced
Scots – Intermediate
Now, here’s how to write a pharmaceutical sales resume they’ll love:
1. Choose the Right Pharmaceutical Sales Resume Format
Imagine you’re cold calling a potential lead—
But instead of your usual spiel—
You’re all over the place, rambling and um’ing and ah’ing.
They hang up on you, and with good cause.
It’s the same here.
Make your resume format clean, organized, and engaging. Here’s how:
PDF is best, but not always accepted—check the job ad. Some ATS systems can't read PDF files even if you use an ATS resume template. In that case, the job ad will clearly ask you to send your resume in a different format—usually as a Word file.
2. Start With a Tempting Pharmaceutical Sales Resume Objective or Summary
You don’t get your foot in the door with a vague and meandering intro—
Good ExampleHighly motivated pharmaceutical sales representative with 4+ years’ experience specializing in psychotropic and lifestyle-disease pharmaceutical products. At PanaceaTech, increased SoM (Saturation of Market) ratio for Fitobutin from 1.3% to 13.7% and finished 23rd out of 630+ sales representatives nationwide in DHW sales competition. Seeking opportunity to bring many new customers to UbiQT Labs.Bad ExamplePharmaceutical sales representative with 4 years’ experience. At PanaceaTech, increased SoM ratio for Fitobutin and finished 23rd in the DHW sales competition. Seeking opportunity to join a Big Pharma company that offers attractive bonuses and incentives.
See that?
The first example is just what the doctor ordered:
It’s concrete, quantified, and focused on what you can do for them, not vice versa.
Writing an entry level pharmaceutical sales resume?
Good ExampleDynamic pharmaceutical sales representative with 1 year’s internship experience. At Pharma-rama, developed strategic relationships with 10+ primary care physicians, specialists, and medical staff while surpassing sales quotas by 4% on average. Seeking opportunity to bring many new customers to UbiQT Labs.Bad ExampleOnly just starting out, but keen to learn on the job and start bringing in those bonuses. Looking for a company that puts sales reps first.
The first example makes it clear that no experience does not mean nothing to offer.
This whole resume profile thing making you want to reach for the Focusyn?
There’s a simple trick that never fails:
Write it last.
It’s as easy as that.
3. Write the Perfect Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Resume Job Description and Skills Sections
Increased SoM (Saturation of Market) ratio from 1.3% to 13.7% for Fitobutin and subsequently improved combined SoM for Fitobutin and Staminaide to over 55%.
Finished 23rd out of 630+ sales representatives nationwide in DHW sales competition.
Acquired 17+ new accounts with the potential to move 40% more product than the average.
Ranked third in the region in 2020 and in the top 10 in 2019 and 2021.
Key Achievement: Won the CEO's Counsel, ED Champion, and Libidomax Leadership Circle awards.
Bad Example
Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
PanaceaTech
2019–present
Increased SoM ratio for Fitobutin.
Finished 23rd in DHW sales competition.
Acquired new accounts with above-average potential to move product.
Don’t pack it with every pharmaceutical sales skill you can think of or find online.
Be super selective:
Cover what the job ad requires and not much more besides.
These lists are just here to get the cogs turning:
Skills for a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Resume
Hard Skills
Salesforce Sales Cloud
Keap
Zendesk Sell
Up selling
Cross selling
Sourcing leads
Qualifying leads
Office suites (LibreOffice and Microsoft Office)
Chemical nomenclature
Cold calling
Soft Skills
Communication skills
Presentation skills
Sales skills
Networking skills
Negotiation skills
Time management skills
Organizational skills
Teamwork skills
Critical thinking skills
Interpersonal skills
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
4. Turn Generic Education Into a Reason to Hire You
People from all kinds of educational backgrounds get into pharmaceutical sales.
Your education may well set you apart—
And it’s never something to gloss over.
List:
Your degrees, schools, and years attended (with an expected graduation date if you’re still studying).
Add:
Bullet points that speak to key pharmaceutical sales skills.
This pharmaceutical sales resume example shows how:
Pharmaceutical Sales Resume Example—Education
Good Example
Education
BS in Chemistry
University of California Santa Cruz, CA
2012–2016
Pursued a passion for industrial chemical processes coursework.
Graduated with a 3.92 GPA.
Writing a pharmaceutical sales resume with no experience?
Create a resume education section supplemented with extra bullet points on projects, classes, and accomplishments that show pharmaceutical sales skills in the making.
5. Prescribe Your Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Resume Some Extra Sections
Think of what sets you apart from other pharmaceutical sales workers—
Do work experience, education, and skills cover it?
Of course not—
So add one or two extra sections and paint a fuller picture:
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Key Points
For a pharmaceutical sales rep resume that gets interviews:
Use the pharmaceutical sales resume template up top. Like a good prescription medication, it checks all the right boxes.
Put pharmaceutical sales achievementsin your resume profile, work history, and education sections to show them you’re exactly who they need.
Choose the right pharmaceutical sales resume skills. This means checking what the job ad requires and sticking close to it.
Write a pharmaceutical sales cover letter. You’ve got passion, drive, and skill—this is your opportunity to put all that out there.
Still got questions on how to write your best pharmaceutical sales resume? Drop us a line in the comments section down below. We’d love to hear from you.
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