New Service at 2020 Selection

Brand New Opportunity - Hospital Representative (Neurology) - Basic £40k plus - SW England - Ref 4150

2012-01-31T03:55:00.001-08:00

Looking to make your mark in a Hospital Sales Specialist role? Seeking a job where your efforts will ultimately make a difference to patients lives? Want a new challenge? This is the role for you….

A current opportunity now exists for a Hospital Specialist Representative to cover the South West selling a product in the field of Neurology. To be considered for this position we are seeking indviduals with a proven track record of sales success within secondary care. This could be as a dedicated Hospital Representative or as an outstanding GP/Hospital Representative. Relevant therapy area experience will be an advantage, although not essential.

In addition to this prior/current experience at interview you will need demonstrate :
- Evidence of a successful sales career to date with an emphasis on the secondary care setting
- Exceptional relationship building skills
- Determination, highly developed communication skills, flexibility and integrity
- Ability to work under pressure and deliver stretching goals
- Excellent business planning and presentation skills
- An aptitude for attention to detail
- Willingness to go the ‘Extra Mile’

This is an exciting opportunity to work for a company that will allow you the autonomy to run your business as well as support you in your personal development. The successful person will be an excellent basic salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package.
Want to be considered? Call us NOW on 0845 026 2020 to discuss things further, or alternatively submit your CV here.

We have many other live vacancies.... so please have a look at our website http://www.2020selection.co.uk/

New Job Just In - Hospital Sales Specialist (NE, E Mids, Yorks)

2012-01-31T01:46:00.001-08:00

Hospital Sales Specialist - Basic to £45k, OTE £60k++

Many more live vacancies at http://www.2020selection.co.uk/

An opportunity to develop your talents working for a leading global Healthcare Company. Our client is currently looking for a Sales Specialist to develop the business in key hospital accounts throughout the North East, Yorkshire and East Midlands. Although a large geographical area this is a focused and targeted role with an emphasis on key account management.

This organisation has built an enviable portfolio of products and services that push back the frontiers of medical care and ultimately ensuring a better quality of life for people everywhere.

This opportunity for a Sales Specialist is an integral part of a specialty sales team reporting to the National Sales & Marketing Manager. You would be fully supported by internal functions such as marketing, customer services, logistics and shared services; YOU would be the interface of the company and the customer. With a drive for increased Patient Safety, in the NHS, when administering medication, our client is an excellent position to develop partnerships in hospital trusts. This role will involve selling new as well as some established products and services.

Key responsibilities would include:
- Developing and implementing appropriate strategies for agreed customer targets with the objective of driving sales results and achieving or exceeding budgets.
- To identify key finance and clinical decision makers within Consortia, Hospitals and Units and arrange meetings to promote relevant products and services
- Gathering intelligence on customer plans and purchasing intentions and recommend responsive, timely and appropriate action.
- Maintaining a high level of knowledge of the therapy area and related products
- In conjunction with the National Sales Manager and wider commercial management team, provide informed input into/manage the tender process.
- Calling on key customers as per your business plan (Clinical/Aspectic/Purchasing Pharmacists, Procurement, Clinicians, Specialist Nurses)

To be considering for this exciting opportunity you are likely to have
- Previous hospital sales experience (2 years)
- Knowledge/Experience of NHS structure & buying processes
- Life sciences degree, nursing qualification, business degree (or equivalent experience in UK healthcare market for minimum of 2 years)
- ABPI qualification and/or willing to study if required.

In return for your expertise if successful you will be offered a competitive salary & excellent benefits package including an uncapped bonus scheme. You will also receive first rate training and ongoing development.

To discuss this role in more detail please contact us on 0845 026 2020 or alternatively please submit your details by emailing administrator@2020selection.co.uk
20:20 Selection Ltd promises to treat your application as important and will review your profile against our client’s requirements. However, if you have not heard from us within 7 days please assume that on this occasion you have not been successful.

A Day In The Life Of Chris - A Trainee Recruitment Consultant

2012-01-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

Hi I'm Chris.....Last week I started a training contract at 20:20 Selection, an established Medical Sales recruitment company. As a virgin to the industry I prepared myself as best I could for what I was about to undertake. I did all my reading around the career area and the company itself and eventually it came down to taking the plunge and accepting a 2 week trial in a very unpredictable time period for a recruitment consultant, the 2 weeks preceding the Christmas break. This is obviously an odd time in the industry as our Clients will be in one of 2 camps, the 1st of which being the “lets get the most out of our budget spend before the end of the year before its taken away from us in January”, and the 2nd being, “I’ve done all I can this year, lets start again in 2012”.

My 1st day was, as expected, the birth by fire. This is how we operate, take in as much as you can and see if you can keep up. This gave me a great insight into the speed, efficiency, and accuracy required from a consultant. If you’re not 1st, you’re last. This ethos opens up possibilities for huge success but at the same time great falls. After all we are competing against several other companies with differing approaches to achieving the same goal, luckily for me I’m working on the basis of quality rather than quantity. But that doesn’t mean quantity doesn’t get it right some times.

The harsh reality of the other side of recruitment fast became apparent. You really have to shine to get noticed in the current climate and the vast array of approaches that candidates use to attain this is eye opening. The role itself is very diverse. Admin is air tight, and has to be. It can be the difference between placing and missing out, a point regularly re-enforced during my training thus far. Combine admin with confident selective telephone manor, excellent knowledge of your clients and candidates, and the foresight to combine the two and you may have what it takes to take on the world of recruitment.

The industry requires you to effectively sit on a knife edge, the whole game is in balance, continually changing as both clients and candidates change their ‘requirements’, which can either push you right to the top or plunge you back to square one. This makes for a very exciting work environment as we are challenged with the task of keeping the balance in our favour right until the very last minute and then if all goes to plan, we can tip the scales and reap the benefit.

The team currently have the task of not only managing business but also managing me. As a fresh starter I am as keen and eager as you’d expect. I want to get my hands dirty and dive straight in but my lack of experience leaves me blind to the consequence. I am effectively stood on top of a diving board blindfold, trusting my team for direction and timing so I land on soft success rather than the hard ground of misconception. Time will tell……

If you have enjoyed Chris's article please follow him on his journey.
You can also visit the 20:20 Selection website http://www.2020selection.co.uk/ where you will find lots of other useful resources if you are planning a career in medical sales

Clinical Commissioning Groups

2012-01-27T03:37:00.000-08:00

CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUPS
Please note that if you enjoy reading this blog then you can find other similarly informative articles on our website at http://www.2020selection.co.uk/

A Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is a group of GPs and other clinicians who have chosen to come together to commission (buy) health services for their local communities. From early 2013, Clinical Commissioning Groups will be responsible for commissioning NHS services for patients in England. All GPs will need to be part of a CCG. They will replace Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). CCGs will be responsible for commissioning hospital services (elective, acute and emergency) and most community health services (for example district nurses), and mental health services. The 151 PCTs have already been organised into 51 clusters in preparation for the change. There will be a period of dual functioning as CCGs mature and PCTs delegate more responsibility to CCGs.

The governing bodies (Boards) of the CCGs will have, in addition to GPs, a least one registered nurse and a doctor who is a secondary care specialist. Groups will have boundaries that will not normally cross those of local authorities.
Some CCGs have been given authority by central government to test new models of clinical commissioning and to lead in their development – the term ‘pathfinder’ is used to describe such groups.

Commissioning is the term used in the public sector for buying services. It is a structured way of deciding how public money should be spent. In the case of the NHS, commissioning relates to the provision of health services. Commissioning healthcare and health services is the process of examining:
the healthcare needs of the area
the way in which healthcare services are delivered
ways in which healthcare resources will offer the best overall value for money

Health services, such as GPs and community and hospital services have historically been commissioned by PCTs. This way of buying in services has meant that GPs and other clinicians, who are the best placed to advise on their patients needs, have been too far removed from the process.

The health White Paper: Equity & Excellence: Liberating the NHS was published in July 2010. The White Paper reinforces this view, and in time, much of the responsibility for commissioning health services will be given over to clinicians including GPs.

The CCGs will be overseen by the newly formed independent NHS Commissioning Board which will make sure that CCGs have the capacity and capability to commission services successfully and to meet their financial responsibilities. The NHS Commissioning Board will become fully operational from April 2012. Its senior structures should contain a range of healthcare professionals, and it will have a Medical Director and a Chief Nursing Officer on its board.
The NHS Commissioning Board will also be responsible for directly commissioning:
Pharmacy services
General Practice
Dentistry services
Specialist services (specialised services that are required by a limited number of people)
At a local level, new Health and Wellbeing Boards will be set up in local authorities to ensure that CCGs are meeting the needs of local people. The membership of these boards will include representatives from:
Clinical Commissioning Groups
Directors of public health
Children’s services
Adult Social Services
Elected councillors
Health watch (representing the views of patients, carers and local communities)

These boards will be in place in shadow form April 2012.

For further information
More information on the health White Paper: Equity & Excellence:
Liberating the NHS see the Department of Health website:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/LiberatingtheNHS/index.htm

Which Medical Sales Recruitment Agency?

2012-01-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

Which Recruitment Agency?
Despite the global recession and credit crunch, one of the UK’s leading pharmaceutical recruitment agencies , 20:20 Selection Ltd has gone from strength to strength. How have they acheived their organic growth in these difficult times?
The team have over 50 years of combined, actual experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sales arenas in the UK.
Managing Director Karen Forshaw formed the company in 2002, after a successful career in medical sales (both primary and secondary care) and medical sales management (at both area and national sales manager level). She is passionate about providing an unirivaled service to both clients and candidates. The 20:20 Selection maxim of “perfect vision: not hindsight” extols the company virtues down to a tee. By carefully selecting their candidates, 20:20 Selection ensure that when one goes before a client for an interview then they have an excellent chance of actually getting hired.
Using the experience and advice from Karen’s team, 20:20 Selection will ensure that you are only ever put forward for roles which you really understand and want to do. They only send your CV to clients with your full permission. Should you get an interview, then Karen and the team will keep you fully briefed and ‘prepped’ during the entire process. They have an enviable reputation within the industry as a recruitment company that really cares about both clients and candidates. One of the prime motivating factors is that individual consultants are not bonussed on just their own performance, but on the performance of the whole company. As a result you will not find yourself being forced or coerced into going for a role just to make up the sales figures of the consultant that you are dealing with.
So if you are interested in a role in UK pharmaceutical, medical or device sales then please contact us at administrator@2020selection.co.uk or visit our website http://www.2020selection.co.uk/ to find out more about the company.
Please note that in order to reach our minimum standards you will need to be qualified to work in the UK, have a full UK driving licence with not more than 6 points and be educated to degree level or be of graduate calibre.
Good Luck in your career.

High Tech drugs dominate NHS England drug expenditure

2012-01-06T02:38:00.000-08:00

When the NHS was launched in 1948 it had a budget of £437million (roughly £9billion at today’s value). For 2011/12 it is around £106 billion. This equates to an average rise in spending over the full 60-year period of about 4% a year once inflation has been taken into account. However, in recent years investment levels have been double that to fund a major modernisation programme.
Some 60% of the NHS budget is used to pay staff. A further 20% pays for drugs and other supplies, with the remaining 20% split between buildings, equipment and training costs on the one hand and medical equipment, catering and cleaning on the other. Nearly 80% of the total budget is distributed by local trusts in line with the particular health priorities in their areas.
The money to pay for the NHS comes directly from taxation. According to independent bodies such as the King’s Fund, this remains the “cheapest and fairest” way of funding health care when compared with other systems.

Overall, drug expenditure represents about 10% of NHS drug expenditure. Following the 2010 General Election, the coalition government agreed that all NICE approved drugs should be made readily available to all NHS England patients, irrespective of where they live, and as a direct consequence there has been a steady increase in the value of drugs issued in hospitals (secondary care). This equates closely with the fact that the newer drugs positively appraised by NICE tend to be very expensive in terms of acquisition cost (i.e. trade price to the NHS).

The overall NHS expenditure on medicines in 2009 was £12.3 billion.

The overall NHS expenditure on medicines in 2010 was £12.9 billion.

In 2009 hospital use accounted for 30.9% of the total cost, up from 28.8% in 2008.

In 2010 hospital use accounted for 31.7 per cent of the total cost, up from 30.9 percent in 2009.

In 2009, the cost of medicines rose by 4.8 per cent overall but by 7.7 per cent in hospitals

In 2010, the cost of medicines rose by 5.6% overall but by 13.2% in hospitals

In 2009, of the drugs positively appraised by NICE, the greatest overall cost was for atorvastatin but etanercept incurred the greatest cost in hospitals.

In 2010, of the drugs positively appraised by NICE, the greatest overall cost was for atorvastatin but adalimumab incurred the greatest cost in hospitals.

Table 1. Cost (£000s) of top 10 medicines issued in hospital in 2010

1. Adalimumab (Humira) 180,519.7
2. Etanercept (Enbrel) 179,631.0
3. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) 128,984.7
4. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) 105,878.0
5. Infliximab (Remicade) 103,437.6
6. Rituximab (Rituxan/MabThera) 93,672.3
7. Imatinib (Glivec) 55,262.9
8. Docetaxel (Taxotere) 52,994.3
9. Lenalidomide (Revlimid) 49,676.9
10.Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) 44,087.5

Table 2. Cost (£000s) of top 10 medicines issued in Primary care in 2010

1. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) 305,652.7
2. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) 110,045.1
3. Quetiapine (Seroquel) 88,915.7
4. Omeprazole (generic) 84,252.0
5. Simvastatin (including combinations) mainly generic 82,134.8
6. Ezetimibe (excluding combinations) Ezetrol family 77,454.3
7. Insulin glargine (Lantus) 73,723.7
8. Pioglitazone (inc with metformin) Actos family 68,132.9
9. Buprenorphine (inc with naloxone) Subutex family 57,646.7
10.Levitiracetam (Keppra) 54,350.8

Table 3. Overall cost (£000s) of top 10 medicines issued in ALL sectors 2010

1. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) 312,871.9
2. Adalimumab (Humira) 189,302.7
3. Etanercept (Enbrel) 188,628.2
4. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) 128,987.0
5. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) 126,501.6
6. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) 105,878.0
7. Infliximab (Remicade) 103,439.7
8. Quetiapine (Seroquel) 101,992.3
9. Rituximab (Rituxan/MabThera) 93,673.4
10.Omeprazole (generic) 91,313.7

Table 4. Cost (£000s) of top 10 medicines issued in hospital in 2009

1. Etanercept (Enbrel) 158,377.8
2. Adalimumab (Humira) 150,592.6
3. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) 96,126.0
4. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) 94,694.8
5. Infliximab (Remicade) 90,387.3
6. Rituximab (Rituxan/MabThera) 79,391.7
7. Imatinib (Glivec) 54,105.2
8. Docetaxel (Taxotere) 49,711.0
9. Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) 39,913.9
10.Paclitaxel (Taxol) 34,822.1

Table 5. Cost (£000s) of top 10 medicines issued in Primary care in 2009

1. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) 321,499.6
2. Clopidogrel (Plavix) 136,574.7
3. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) 106,073.6
4. Quetiapine (Seroquel) 78,682.9
5. Simvastatin (including combinations) mainly generic 73,470.9
6. Ezetimibe (excluding combinations) Ezetrol family 71,409.0
7. Insulin glargine (Lantus) 66,753.3
8. Simvastatin (excluding combinations) generic 66,753.3
9. Omeprazole (generic) 65,796.8
10.Rosuvastatin (Crestor) 51,662.8

Table 6. Overall cost (£000s) of top 10 medicines issued in ALL sectors 2009

1. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) 328,652.1
2. Etanercept (Enbrel) 166,450.4
3. Adalimumab (Humira) 157,022.6
4. Clopidogrel (Plavix) 149,455.2
5. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) 123,113.1
6. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) 96,126.0
7. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) 94,695.5
8. Quetiapine (Seroquel) 91,805.0
9. Infliximab (Remicade) 90,387.3
10.Rituximab (Rituxan/MabThera) 79,392.0

Interestingly, the UK patents for the following brands will/have expire(d) in the following years. Clearly this will have a major impact on future data released in 2012.
Lipitor (2012)
Plavix (2010)
Zyprexa (2011)
Seroquel (tbc)
Due to the complex nature of patent law these dates are best estimates, at the time of writing this article and can not therefore be guaranteed.

Sources:
The NHS Information Centre http://www.ic.nhs.uk/

If you find this article useful, please visit http://www.2020selection.co.uk to find more articles that you may be interested in. Please look in the ‘Candidate’ section.

20:20 Selection Ltd – Crucell Team expansion

2010-08-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

In 2009, Crucell – the largest independent vaccines company in the world – launched a dedicated Sales & Marketing function in the UK. Since the establishment of its own dedicated sales team, Crucell has been able to focus on expanding market share for its portfolio of travel and respiratory vaccines in the UK. Recent changes to the reimbursement status of oral vaccines by the Department of Health mean that Crucell can now further expand this sales team in England.

The expansion of the sales team is a reflection of the successful first year of the UK Sales & Marketing function, and represents an excellent time to join the team as they capitalise on their achievements to date. Crucell firmly believe that investing in their people is investing in the future, and is dedicated to developing employees’ competencies and promoting individual performance.

Brand new opportunities now exist for Territory and Regional Business Managers to join the company throughout England and Wales. These are senior sales roles where you will be responsible for the cash and market share growth on your own territory. You will also play a major part in developing Crucell’s reputation as a trusted partner in the provision of vaccines to general practice. If you have previously sold vaccines, this may be an advantage: however, it is your attitude, drive, tenacity and enthusiasm that will be the key qualities you will need to succeed.

On offer to successful candidates will be a highly attractive basic salary, company car or car allowance, excellent bonus potential, 25 days holiday, pension & private healthcare. Crucell UK Ltd is a growing organisation with
full investment from their headquarters in Holland. This is a genuinely exciting opportunity for you to develop your career within a company that is dedicated to bringing meaningful innovation to global health.

Health White Paper - Lansley's Health Reforms

2010-08-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

The new Health Minister announced the White Paper that lays out the future of the NHS over the course of this parliament (which is now a guaranteed 5 years). He described this as a ‘blueprint’ for Health Policy up to the next General Election. The main aim is to cut £20bn from the Health Budget over the next 4 years. One of the main issues is the end of the current PCTs, which means that GPs will have direct control of the commissioning of services. NHS Management costs are set to reduce by 45% as a part of this reduction.

This is considered by many to be the most radical NHS White Paper to date, and is expected to be well received by the Conservative back benches. As for the Lib Dems, they had the abolition of StHAs as part of their 2010 manifesto, so this should sit well with them also.

Lansley said ‘the provision of healthcare service will be led by patients and professionals and not by politicians’.

The basics of the White Paper are set out below:

More power to GPs
The most contentious issues will be the compulsory devolvement of huge commissioning powers to GP and GP Consortia and the abolition of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). None of this was proposed by the Conservatives when they were in opposition. These decisions emerged after the General Election. There is concern that a large number of GPs do not want to take on commissioning functions, and in fact are ill-equipped to do so.
It is interesting therefore to note that the British Medical Association has welcomed today’s announcement.

More power to patients
The Government is going to launch HealthWatch England, a new ‘consumer champion’, which will sit within the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The White Paper provides an ethos for structural change; the NHS must be patient led and choices must be led by those at the frontline of delivering those services to patients, i.e. clinicians. On a national level, it will be able to propose CQC investigations of poor service. This organisation will help to strengthen the patient voice and ensure that patient feedback is heard at a local level. Patients will not only have power over the choice of GP they would like to attend (regardless of where they live), but will also have power over who has sight of their patient record.

Abolition of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs)
The complete removal of PCTs, instead of simply reducing their numbers, came as a big surprise when compared to the proposals contained in the Conservative manifesto from January 2010. However, it is in keeping with current measures when you look at the plan to reduce admin costs by 45%. Some form of supervisory role is of course required, particularly in respect of GPs and other primary care services, and it is a role which Monitor (the body currently responsible for the regulation of Foundation Trusts) may find challenging.
Abolition of Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs)
SHAs will be abolished as early as 2012. Their functions will be taken over by Monitor. Monitors’ remit will extend to establish it as the key economic regulator in healthcare.

Foundation Trusts
All NHS Trusts will become or be part of a Foundation Trust and this will be the preferred governance model for the health service. Trusts will be given more freedom to innovate to improve patient care. NHS staff will have the opportunity - where appropriate – to manage these organisations as ‘the largest social enterprise sector in the world’.

NHS Commissioning Board
A review of existing quangos is due to report in the autumn but the White Paper makes provision for a number of new bodies which will help implement this new, patient led vision of the NHS. The most vital is the NHS Commissioning Board which will act to ensure quality in commissioning and be responsible for commissioning certain services, such as community pharmacy, which GPs cannot commission. It will also be responsible for increasing patient choice through helping patients manage their personal health budgets. The intention is for this body to be fully operational in April 2012. The underpinning concept is to reduce the number of quangos but those that do exist will be interlinked and more accessible to patients.

Value based pricing
The White Paper confirms that the Government intends to move to value based pricing when the current Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) runs out at the end of 2013. A reference is made to the Cancer Drugs Fund, which will operate from April 2011, but no further details are provided.

NICE
In a further strengthening of its powers, NICE will be in charge of developing new quality standards for all the main pathways of care. The paper estimates that NICE will develop up to 150 new quality standards over the next five years. This will position NICE as the key quality regulator building on Lord Darzi’s work on quality improvements, under the previous Government.

Scrapping targets
As mentioned in the NHS Operating Framework, targets with ‘no clinical justification’ will be scrapped (although not as many as were discussed in Opposition). There is a concession that some targets do work but the paper is not clear on which ones and a consultation is promised on new measureables.

Long Term Care
A Commission will be set up to look into long-term care from the Department of Health. This is in keeping with the move to strip away the Department’s NHS functions and replace them with longer term social care objectives.

Consultation
A number of consultation papers will be published in the near future, getting stakeholder views on policies including; commissioning for patients, freeing providers and economic regulation, the NHS outcomes framework, the framework for transition. This process will be an important part of the transition to the new system as will the proper management of the financial risk.

Legislation
Primary legislation will be required to make many of the proposed changes in the White Paper. The Health Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech provides for many of these reforms and is due to be introduced in late 2010. The main legislative reforms in the Bill will include: Making improvement in outcomes central to the NHS; Reforming NICE; creating the independent NHS Commissioning Board; creating a framework for a comprehensive system of GP consortia; establishing HealthWatch; reforming the Foundation Trust model; developing Monitor’s role and reducing the number of arms length bodies in health. The Department of Health is taking comments on implementing all the changes in the Health Bill, which must be submitted by 5 October 2010. We can therefore deduce that the Health Bill will not be laid before Parliament before this date.
The Health Bill will also support the creation of a new Public Health Service, which will streamline existing health improvement and protection bodies. Another White Paper, this time on public health will be published later this year. In addition, the public health budget will be ring-fenced and local Directors of Public Health will be responsible for health improvement funds allocated according to local need.

Sources: white paper and Mr Lansleys press release.

Securing your next role – What NOT to do!

2010-05-07T06:06:00.000-07:00

Landing a job is never easy, as the industry is now in a state of flux it is more competitive these days. There are fewer vacancies and more people chasing them than in more than a decade. But even now -- more than ever -- it's still on you. Despite the fact that the job market is everything but easy right now... have you ever stopped to consider that the reason you're still sitting there unemployed ... might in fact be ... you?

It's a hard concept that most job seekers have trouble wrapping their heads around, but applicants frequently -- inadvertently -- raise red flags to recruiting managers that immediately scream, "Don't employ me!" You might not be raising them on purpose, but there are ways to avoid them.

Not sure if you're unknowingly blowing your chances at securing your dream position? Here are 10 red flags to be wary of during your next job hunt:

Red flag No. 1: Your CV is lacking any specific achievements that distinguish you from other Medical Representatives
When you're crafting your CV, you should focus on highlighting relevant skills and accomplishments that are in line with the position for which you are applying. Highlighting your sales successes is key!

Red flag No. 2: You have long gaps between jobs on your CV
Even if your long departure from the work force is valid, extended lapses of unemployment might say to an employer, "Why weren't you wanted by anyone?" Anytime you have more than a three-month gap of idleness on your CV, legitimate or otherwise, be prepared to explain yourself.

Red flag No. 3: You aren't prepared for the interview
There are many ways to be unprepared for an interview: You haven't researched the company, you haven’t researched the products & therapy area, you don't have any questions prepared, etc. Plain and simple, do your homework before an interview. Explore the company online, prepare answers to Competency Based questions and have someone give you a mock interview. The more prepared you are, the more employers will take you seriously.

Red flag No. 4: You didn't provide any evidence of success
In today’s competitive market use of evidence/brag file can be the difference between progressing to the next stage and being told that there ‘where stronger people on the day.’ You need to prove how successful you have been (the more specific you can be the better) and differentiate yourself from other candidates. Do not wait to be asked for your evidence, use it as a sales aid to illustrate your answers. YOU are your product!

Red flag No. 5: You only have negative things to say about previous employment
If you feel aggrieved or down-beat about your current/prior employer, it could be very tempting to want to tell anyone who will listen how much of ‘bad time’ you have experienced-- but a recruiting manager for a coveted job is not that person. There are hundreds of ways to turn negative things about an old job into positives. Thought your last job was a dead end? Spin it by saying, "I felt I had gone as far as I could go in that position. I'm looking for something with more opportunity for advancement."

Red flag No. 6: You've held seven different jobs -- in the past six years
Job hopping is a new trend in the working world. Workers are no longer staying in a job for 10-20 years; they stay for a couple and move on to the next one. While such a tactic can further your career, switching jobs too often will raise a prospective employer's antenna. Too many jobs in too little time tells employers that either you can't hold a job or you have no loyalty. Be prepared to explain your reasoning/rationale

Red flag No. 7: You give inconsistent answers in your interview
One tactic recruiting manager’s use during the recruitment process is to ask you the same question in several different ways. This is mostly to ensure that you're genuine with your answers and not just telling an employer what he or she wants to hear. Keep your responses sincere throughout the entire process and you should be good to go.

Red flag No. 8: You lack flexibility
Most people know what they want in a job as far as benefits, basic salary, bonus, etc. If you're unable to be flexible with some of your (unrealistic?) expectations, however, you're going to have a difficult time finding a job. Have a bottom line in terms of what you want before you start the job hunting process and be willing to bend a bit if necessary.

Red flag No. 9: Your application was -- in a word – lazy
Only doing the bare minimum of what's asked of you won't get very far -- in life or in your job search. Applying to jobs with the same CV and the same cover letter (or none at all) is pure laziness. And, if you won't spend extra time on yourself and your application materials, you probably won't do it for a client either.

Red flag No. 10: You lack objective or ambition
If you have no long-term goals, then you really have no short-term goals either. Long-term goals may change, however you need to have some concept of where you want to go. Know where you want to go and how you plan to get there. Otherwise you seem unfocused and unmotivated, which are two big no-no's for an applicant.

We are specialists in Medical & Pharmaceutical Recruitment, to secure your next role in this sector call us at 20:20 Selection Ltd on 0845 026 2020 and speak to one of our consultants or visit www.2020selection.co.uk to view our current Medical Sales vacancies

(Adapted from CareerBuilder)

Pharmaceutical Sales – A spark of interest

2010-04-23T01:40:00.000-07:00

Having embarked on a career as a medical representative in 1987, I still reflect on the route that led me to the pharmaceutical industry. Being a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative doesn’t often appear in the list of careers that we aspire to as teenagers hence it is invariably something people come across coincidently. For me I spent five years in a hospital Biochemistry Dept completing post graduate studies and developing a strong clinical understanding of various diseases and illnesses. It was here I met Sales Representatives selling laboratory diagnostics and equipment which sparked an interest in sales (I have to admit to being initially impressed by the suit, car and perceived flexibility of their job). In fact what did appeal to me about a sales role was the inherent challenges working towards targets and ultimately being rewarded (bonus) and recognised for exceeding goals (working in the NHS could not fulfil that need) as well as selling products which genuinely make a difference to people’s lives.

Hence I started buying the New Scientist and Daily Telegraph; there was no internet job searching in those days! Quite quickly I secured two interviews for Laboratory Territory Manager positions before seeing an advertisement for Trainee Medical Representatives with a major pharmaceutical company.

Have to confess at that stage that pharmaceuticals was a bit of a mystery to me, but my Dad said that company was great (blue-chip), and there was a number to call to apply. Two interviews later, including being flown to head office, I was offered a GP/Hospital Representative position.

Looking back I do wonder how I got that job as these days we expect entry level candidates to know so much more about the day to day practicalities of the role, the NHS and how the business works. Clearly the company were looking for the basic ingredients which they could then train, develop and mould to reflect their values and culture in the eyes of their customers; GP, Nurses, Pharmacists, Consultants, Registrars, SHO etc.

Over twenty years later in a different NHS landscape I still believe this to be true so what are some of those basics;

Personal Qualities – An inner drive, self-starter, the ability to work on your own initiative, enthusiasm, can-do attitude, tenacity, the ability to problem solve, good interpersonal skills, the willingness as well as aptitude to learn.

Clinical Foundation – This means an interest in medicine, the ability to learn and apply technical information. You will need to communicate this knowledge to customers of all levels. ‘A’ level standard Biology should help with ABPI.

Business & Selling Skills – Understand you are there to increase sales; it is a sales job & not a promotional or educational position. Have a consultative selling style, i.e. probe to understand the customer needs and agenda before offering solutions. Key Account Management & Networking Skills. Understanding local NHS politics, targets, agenda and how these may impact on your business.

Clearly a lot of clinical and business skills can be taught as long as you have the right positive attitude. In summary I would describe the role of a Medical Sales Representative, whether that be GP, GP/Hospital, Hospital or Generics as the opportunity to run your own local business.

I have enjoyed a varied, challenging and satisfying career in the pharmaceutical industry. I also know others, who embarked on their career at the same time, who have had similar experiences and taken their careers in to different functions in the industry including: Marketing, Senior Sales Management, Training, Consultancy as well as others who are now Senior Representatives such as Hospital Specialist Representative or Healthcare Development Manager.

If this sparks an interest in you fantastic! To discuss your background and transferable skills then contact 20:20 Selection Ltd on 0845 026 2020 or visit www.2020selection.co.uk . We have current opportunities Nationwide with hot-spots in London, Kent, Sussex, Essex, Somerset, Wiltshire, East Anglia.

April 2010

KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER ROLES - CATCHING A KAM

2010-04-20T03:46:00.000-07:00

Many articles have been written about the best way to engage with our customers in the NHS. How best to partner with this new breed, made up of payers, commissioners, and medicines management gurus. How best to tap into their agenda. In fact, many careers have been built on telling us just how to sell to our customers, and an awful lot of consultancy fees have been paid to experts so that we can all be scared to death about this ‘new’ customer group who we are told work hidden away, been firmly shut doors in an increasingly complex and confusing NHS maze.

In my simple world view, yes, of course we do need to speak the same language as our customers, but we also need to ensure that we are getting the balance right, to ensure that our customer partnerships are mutually beneficial. We need to be truly customer focused, but we also need to achieve the win:win equilibrium, to avoid promising the world in value added services for very little commercial return.

Over the last few years, Key Account Management has been the new pharma industry term that seems to be bandied about on a daily basis. It is used often and widely and it seems to mean different things to different people in different companies. Every hiring manager seems to be looking for the elusive KAM. Does it mean a hospital representative? Does it mean an NHS Liaison Manager? Is it a bit of both? Or is it just a very good salesperson with the right attitude, the right skills and the common sense to convince key influential customers to sit round a table, to weigh up the pros and cons, and to agree on decisions that will help them to achieve their desired outcomes, but that will also grow product sales for their company?

In many ways, Key Account Management is a philosophy; a way of thinking, rather than some magical process. Account plans and systems can of course help to keep business on track, but they cannot be the golden ticket on their own. People still, and always will, buy from people. Outstanding KAM’s need to be outstandingly talented sales people. In the ‘good old’ days, when sales people were autonomous, and they had full accountability for their results, the successful ones managed their own business and they managed it well. Naturally, they identified and involved all key stakeholders, naturally they engaged with clinicians, and non clinicians alike, and naturally they engaged the people who ultimately held the purse strings. They were unblocking the clinical and funding barriers that KAM’s and Market Access Manager’s do today, whilst always remembering to sell.
This breed are driven, competitive, innovative, competitive, hardworking, flexible responders to change and above all, as superb net workers and communicators, they can be relied upon to consistently achieve results.

At 20:20 Selection Limited, we know that recruitment agencies are mainly fishing from the same pond. The skill we use to catch the KAM’s is to recognise the specific species, and to know which bait to use.

Interview Guidance

2010-02-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

Interview Guidance

PRIOR TO the Interview

Research
Look committed and find out as much as possible about the company.

Visit their web site for more information on the company.

Find out who will your competitors be and as much as possible about the market/customers you will be selling to

Job Description
Make sure you are fully aware what the role is you are being interviewed for. Your consultant at 20:20 Selection Ltd will have fully briefed you on this.

Be confident that you are technically qualified to do the job. We would not have spoken to you about the role if we didn’t think your profile matched the client’s criteria!

Have examples from your previous roles to demonstrate your ability to do this job and evidence in your brag file to back this up

FOR THE INTERVIEW

Personal Presentation

Look your smartest and show your most professional side during the interview. A company is more likely to employ someone who is well presented and who will therefore best represent their company to customers.

Punctuality
Arrive to start the interview on time (be early if possible)

Obtain clear directions for the location of the interview and plan your journey, allowing plenty of time to arrive.

INTERVIEW DO’S
Introduce yourself courteously (first impressions last!)

Express yourself clearly.

Show tact, manners, courtesy, and maturity at every opportunity.

Be confident and maintain poise. The ability to handle your nerves during the interview will come across as confidence in your ability to handle the job.

Be prepared to show how your experience would benefit the company.

Ask questions concerning the company or products and the position for which you are being interviewed for. An interviewer will be impressed by an eager and inquisitive mind. You will also be able to demonstrate that you can contribute to the company or industry if you show an interest in its products and/or services.

Take time to think and construct your answers to questions to avoid rushing into a vague and senseless reply.
Demonstrate that you are sufficiently motivated to get the job done well and that you will fit in with the company's organisational structure and the team in which you will work.

Show willingness to start at the bottom and work up.

Anticipate questions you’re likely to be asked and have answers prepared in advance. Uncertainty and disorganisation show the interviewer that you are unprepared and unclear what your goals are.

Be assertive without being aggressive (ensure you close – remember you are a sales person & ‘you’ are your product)

Thank the interviewer for their time

Interview Don'ts

Be late for the interview. Tardiness is a sign of irresponsibility or disorganisation and the employer could take it as what to expect in the future.

Arrive unprepared for the interview.

Say unfavourable things about previous employers.

Make excuses for failings.

Give vague responses to questions.

Show lack of career planning - no goals or purpose could convey the impression you're merely shopping around or only want the job for a short time.

Show too much concern about rapid advancement.

Overemphasise money. Your interviewing goal is to sell yourself to the interviewer and to get an offer of employment. Salary discussion is secondary.

Show any reservations you may have about the role/company. You can always turn down second interviews and job offers after you have had time to appraise your concerns in the cold light of day.

Express strong prejudices or any personal intolerance.

Leave your mobile phone on during the interview.

These are general tips that can be applied to any interview situation. Part of the service we offer at 20:20 Selection Ltd is to help you prepare for specific client interviews. We have key account managers specifically working with clients & members of the team who come from a pharmaceutical sales management background so you will get personalised expert advice relating to your interview! To find out more about 20:20 Selection Ltd visit www.2020selection.co.uk

New Addition to the Recruitment Team at 20:20 Selection

2010-01-25T01:57:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE
The New Year brings a new addition to the Recruitment Team at 20:20 Selection Ltd.
In the summer of 2008, Samantha Harrison, was the proud winner of the prestigious Pharma Times Senior RBM of the Year Award. At the start of 2010, she has begun the New Year with an exciting new challenge, by proudly joining the 20:20 Selection team as their new Recruitment Consultant.
Sam joined the pharmaceutical industry over 20 years ago as a Medical Sales Representative, and since then, she has worked in a wide variety of roles in her career, in both pharmaceuticals and in the CSO marketplace. Sam has extremely wide experience to bring to 20:20 Selection, having been an Oncology Hospital Specialist, a Field Trainer, a Regional Business Manager, Management Trainer, National Sales Manager, Operations Manager and most recently, as a Project Director at Innovex (UK) Ltd, managing multiple vacancy management teams for major clients in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
Karen says, “Sam has built numerous teams for pharmaceutical companies in her time at both Innovex and Ashfield, so she has a great deal of experience and expertise in the field of recruitment. Sam understands exactly what kind of candidates our clients need, in order for them to compete in an increasingly demanding market. I know from first hand experience of working with her in the past, that she has the skill set to do a great job, and also a superb attitude that will help her to fit in perfectly at 20:20 Selection. She is talented, professional and extremely hard working. Those factors are crucial in recruitment.”
Sam has always kept an eye on the successful growth of 20:20 Selection since Karen Forshaw, 20:20’s Director, started the company. Sam and Karen have known each other for a long time, as they were colleagues together at Roche Pharmaceuticals, back in the mid 1990’s. Formed in 2002, 20:20 Selection Ltd has built a reputation for providing unrivalled recruitment services in terms of its commitment and dedication to both candidates and clients. “The reputation for quality that Karen and the team have developed within the market place is the main reason that I was so keen to come on board”, explains Sam. “I am delighted to be part of the team at 20:20 Selection”.

Redundancy: How to make this an opportunity

2009-11-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

Redundancy in the pharmaceutical industry has been a recurring theme in November and December for the past three years or so; not the best time of year to be told you have no job. Yes the current global economic crisis has compounded matters but the affects we are seeing are more driven by the changing NHS, market access challenges, product pipelines and the drive for profitability.

So what do you need to do if you are told you are ‘on consultation’ or are actually redundant? Firstly do not panic. Then try not to take the news as personal, remember it is the job that is redundant, even if you feel unhappy about selection criteria for redundancy your HR Department will be ensuring that the process is fair and lawful.

It is normal to go through a whole raft of emotions which may include anger, relief, frustration, even sadness. The difficult aspects are often related to the fact that one day you had an interesting, respectable, well paid job with company car to suddenly being unemployed. Once you have digested this, and dealt with any immediate personal or financial implications, then please be positive so you use the situation as the opportunity it is to review your career goals and aspirations.

We know there are fewer jobs in medical/pharmaceutical sales than in the boom of 1995 – 2005 but the positive news is that roles are evolving, becoming more account management focused and often more specialist in nature presenting superb opportunities for strong sales professional to further develop their skills. It is fair to say that some people may see redundancy as a chance to move out of the sector, we are well trained by pharmaceutical companies and your transferable skills are marketable if you decide to explore that route.

Based on our experience there are some key tips which will be crucial in securing the right next position; you don’t want to jump in to a job if it’s not right. We do see too many people coming in six months post redundancy saying “I took my current job as I was redundant but realise now I took it because it was a job”; this doesn’t look good on a CV.
Ensure you have all the data/evidence you need to sell yourself at your next interview. Too many candidates claim the information has been lost or still on the company PC which has now gone back. If you are competing against someone else with a good Brag File you could miss out on that perfect job. Find all your sales data, business plans, appraisals, field visit report, examples of additional projects, formulary letters etc
Refer to this information when you are updating your CV; you need to have your CV as achievement focused as possible, these should be specific. Contact us (20:20 Selection Ltd) for advice
Find an agency that understands the industry and how best to sell your skills
Do not log your CV as open access on recruitment websites as you need to retain control of your personal information
Do keep a log of where you have sent your CV and track progress of your applications.
Consider how a Recruitment Consultant can help you prepare for interviews i.e. interview practice, presentations, attending assessment centres or just a sounding board
Be open to roles and companies you may not have heard of; there some interesting positions available.
Ensure you attend interviews you have committed to as it is a very small world.
Before an interview ensure you fully research the company and therapy area/products; the manager will expect you have done this as well as expect you can sell yourself for her/his specific position
Be prepared to work on feedback after an interview as it will help at second stage or if unsuccessful help for your next interview.

This is not an exhaustive list of tips but hopefully it may give you some help and/or inspiration. Getting the right job does take a lot of time but things can happen for a reason, even though you may not know the reason at this moment!

To discuss your own situation in more details contact our team on 0845 026 2020 or visit the website to view a selection of our current nationwide opportunities http://www.2020selection.co.uk/

Nurse Advisor roles in the pharmaceutical Industry

2009-07-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a Nurse Advisor, a Clinical Specialist, a Clinical Support Specialist, or a Clinical Trainer post advertised in the RCN or on a jobsite and asked yourself - “That sounds interesting. What do these roles actually mean?”

As a general rule they are non-commercial, i.e. non-promotional roles that rely heavily upon the Clinical experience and expertise of a Nurse with relevant experience, interest and qualifications in a particular Clinical/Therapeutic area.

They all tend to be field based roles, so you will work from home and travel to GP surgeries, clinics, hospitals or PCT offices usually within your locality. Some overnight stays may be required occasionally and a degree of flexibility is a must. You will be required to work to very high standards in line with the ABPI code of conduct, and according to your company’s own stringent Standard Operating Procedures, but these roles tend to be very rewarding on a professional level and give you the satisfaction of having a high degree of autonomy when operating in the field.

Examples of the areas of expertise that these roles involve include: Diabetes, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Coronary Heart Disease. The role would normally involve working in just one of these areas.

Most Nurse Advisors (and similar) are employed directly by either Pharmaceutical companies or Healthcare and Device manufacturers. There are some companies who assemble teams of these Nurse Advisors and deploy them to carry out exactly those same kinds of role on behalf of a client (e.g. a Pharmaceutical company who manufactures an asthma inhaler) – these personnel are employed by the third party company rather than the Pharmaceutical Company. These ‘teams’ are becoming increasingly popular in this sector. There is little to choose between being employed by one or the other actually.

The roles themselves vary widely. Some examples include:
Managing health outcomes in Type II Diabetes including initiating patient on injecatble therapies
Asthma nurses- identifying patients with poorly controlled asthma
COPD nurses- running patient clinics and making treatment recommendations to their GP
Training hospital nurses on use of infusion systems

To apply for these roles you will need to be currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, hold diplomas in the relevant clinical/therapeutic area, ideally have a teaching qualification and have a minimum of five years post-registration experience. And, as the role involves driving you will need a current Full Driving Licence with no more than six points on it.

The roles will usually reward you with a package of between £25,000 to £40,000, plus corporate benefits such as a company car, private healthcare, company pension, mobile phone, laptop and many roles attract performance related bonuses too.

Many nurses who have entered the Pharmaceutical or Healthcare industry via this route have gone on to forge extremely successful and rewarding careers in the industry.

20:20 Selection in 'On Target' Publication

2009-06-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Realising the 20:20 vision

Healthcare recruitment consultancy 20:20 Selection Ltd is expanding with new premises and two new staff members.

Managing Director Karen Forshaw commented: “We have always considered it essential that the working environment should add value to our core function of recruiting for the pharmaceutical and medical industry. In our new location we are better prepared to address the challenges ahead.”

New Recruitment Consultant Sarah Taylor has worked in the Sales and Marketing department of a private hospital, and has recruitment experience from earlier roles. She said: “20:20 Selection Ltd is a leading player in a fast-paced industry, with a unique team ethos focused on delighting the customer. It was these key features that attracted me to the company and I am delighted to be part of its success story.”

Sarah Byrom joins as Recruitment Administrator, having previously been a Recruitment Assistant for a computer game company. “Working in recruitment requires efficient and effective administration support,” she said. “I understand the importance of a slick programme which ultimately benefits our most important asset, the customer.”

Source: On Target

http://www.ontargetmag.com/article.aspx?issueID=140&articleID=1065

New Service at 2020 Selection Ltd

2009-06-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

2009 sees the introduction of WebCam technology at 20:20 Selection Ltd making interviewing and coaching more convenient for you!

Our new building offers many sophisticated facilities such as a state of the art Conference and Meeting room complete with an interaction video link from which clients can communicate and maximise their busy working schedules.

We feel the benefits of video link is endless, it offers clients in the field, the opportunity to attend important board meetings in real time, and allows prospective candidates the opportunity of having direct dialogue with our consultants when they are unable to travel to our offices for interview.

Contact us on 0845 026 2020 to learn more about how we coach our candidates and the latest vacancies in the medical industry.