Biotechnology, also called ''biotech,'' is a conglomeration of several technologies that capitalize on manipulating biological organisms to make drugs and other products that will help patients who are suffering from diseases such as cancer fight them, often with fewer side effects than traditional more toxic chemotherapies have. Instead, biotechnological products like drugs actually work with the body's natural systems to treat the condition they are prescribed for.
That is not the only area biotechnology is involved in, though. Besides the development of new drugs to treat diseases, it also contributes to the development of products such as disposing of waste, and even food production.
What all these products have in common, though, is that they use living organisms to develop processes and products designed to improve something in some way. For example, some biotechnological advances develop products that can help reduce water pollution.
Among the drugs biotechnology firms have developed to treat disease are those called recombinant DNA drugs; one of the things these drugs do is to help boost red cell production in kidney dialysis patients; kidney dialysis can easily make patients become anemic.
Working in biotech sales
For many biotech jobs, of course, you need an advanced degree (or several) to become something such as a biological scientist. However, other jobs in biotech involve selling biotech products like drugs to physicians and other healthcare professionals that can use them. In fact, this can be one of the best biotech jobs.
To work in biotech sales jobs, you will need to have at least a bachelor's degree and a background in life sciences. Before you can work in these jobs in biotech, you need previous sales experience; in some cases, a background in laboratory research or pharmaceutical research is preferred or even required.
Beyond that, though, you need to learn a particular company's product line very thoroughly and know all of its benefits and selling points for prospective customers. You will need to be able to talk comfortably with healthcare professionals in a knowledgeable way so that they feel comfortable with you and are aware that you are very knowledgeable when it comes to a particular drug's benefits and side effects. This, of course, will require some on-the-job training, but a background in the life sciences and in sales in general will give you the experience you need to get started on the job. In some cases, companies require that you have previous pharmaceutical sales experience, too.
If you have a background in the life sciences and a bachelor's degree, a biotech sales job might be perfect for you. Of course, if you have come to this conclusion already, it is likely that you have previous sales experience and have enjoyed working in sales. If that is true, and you have all the qualifications required, it can be quite easy to get a biotech sales job; the industry is booming and is expected to continue to grow, so sales representatives are going to continue to be in demand.
Find biotech jobs
Go online and research the Internet for biotech sales jobs by typing "biotech sales jobs" into your favorite search engine. This should bring up a number of job sites, each of which will allow you to type in your location so that you can find a local biotech company to apply to for a sales representative job.
When you have done this, simply send resumes and cover letters to any applicable jobs you find. With each company you send a resume to, it's a good idea to briefly research the product catalog so that you can include a cover letter that talks somewhat knowledgeably about what they sell. You may also prefer to have a resume "template" of sorts, where most of the resume content remains the same, but where you can insert a very brief overview of some of their products and what you know about them.
Interviewing
If you get a particular interview for a biotech sales job, do some further research so that you can talk knowledgeably about the products during the interview. Be prepared to talk in depth about your previous sales experience, too. Of course, be professional, be on time, and dress professionally as well.
Conclusion
Biotech sales jobs can be among the most rewarding and lucrative in the biotech industry. Although you need a bachelor's degree and a background in life sciences, you do not need an advanced degree as you might with some other biotechnology careers. If you have a knack for sales and are a fast learner, so that you can learn about a company's product line quickly and thoroughly, though, a sales job in biotechnology may be just what you are looking for.
