- What should your pharmaceutical sales resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as a pharmaceutical sales person?
- Include a fitting pharmaceutical sales resume education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for a pharmaceutical sales resume?
- How to select the most impactful pharmaceutical sales resume template
- Copyable pharmaceutical sales resume example
- Key takeaways for writing a pharmaceutical sales resume
Take your pharmaceutical sales career to the next level with our expert guide to creating an eye-catching resume. Discover expert tips for showcasing your unique pharmaceutical product knowledge and territory management skills.
Being in pharmaceutical sales means you are playing a critical role in the healthcare industry. It’s your job to promote and sell products to healthcare professionals that will help them treat patients better and more effectively. To be successful, you’ll need a range of skills, such as sales, relationship-building, and education along with pharmaceutical skills related to market intelligence, territory call planning, and strategic planning.
In this resume guide, we will show you how to list these skills, your work experience, and your accomplishments to ensure you have an impactful resume. We will discuss the following areas of your resume in detail:
What should a pharmaceutical sales resume include
Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)
Adding relevant key skills to your resume
Choosing the right resume template for a pharmaceutical sales
What should your pharmaceutical sales resume include?
Your pharmaceutical sales resume should show your track record of achieving sales targets, building relationships with healthcare professionals, and managing your territory. It should also demonstrate your ability to deliver presentations, leverage data-driven insights, and adhere to regulatory compliance. You’ll need to highlight specific hard and soft skills and sprinkle them throughout your resume so that they are found in your work history, resume summary, and skills section.
To create an effective pharmaceutical sales resume, you should include the following elements:
The resume header with your contact information
The resume summary
The employment history section
The resume skills section
The education section
How can you create a professional summary?
In your professional summary, highlight your core competencies, relevant experience, and career achievements. You can do this by introducing yourself as an experienced or dynamic pharmaceutical sales representative who has skills that are directly related to the job you are applying for. In 2-3 sentences, introduce your values and strengths and how they relate to your achievements. For example, you could mention your product knowledge skills and sales techniques before discussing the ways you navigate regulatory requirements.
An areas of expertise table can also help enhance your professional summary by highlighting core skills that will help you be successful in the role you are applying for.
See our adaptable pharmaceutical sales resume summary below.
Award-winning sales leader with demonstrated success excelling in leadership roles requiring exceptional communication and collaboration skills. Proficient in developing high-performing pharmaceutical sales teams as District Sales Trainer spanning multi-city territories. Adept at driving synergies with clients, physicians, and staff to gain trust and foster productive relationships. Consistently recognized for managing multiple, competing priorities with unwavering professionalism to maximize profitability. Thrive in challenging, dynamic sales environments.
How should you describe your work experience as a pharmaceutical sales person?
The work experience section is where you detail your professional achievements, responsibilities, and contributions in your previous roles. Start with your most recent position and work your way backward. Include your job title, years of employment, and job responsibilities, such as promoting pharmaceutical products, developing sales strategies, launching new products, and expanding market share.
Under each role, include a bullet point list that paints a clear picture of your top achievements for that role. Show that you had a tangible impact in your past roles by providing quantifiable examples of your accomplishments.
For example:
Exceeded sales target by 15% in 2023 through effective territory management and customer engagement strategies.
Much of the work of a pharmaceutical sales professional may not be possible to quantify, such as relationship-building. In these instances, focus on the trust you built, your ability to identify potential targets and pursue them, and the success you had in closing sales in your territory.
Take a look at the adaptable pharmaceutical sales resume employment history section below.
Senior Regional Account Specialist- Rare Disease at SANTEN PHARMACEUTICALS, Florida & Georgia Territory 2022 - Present
Develop new business and secure accounts with ophthalmologists and optometrists who treat Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis.
Focus on establishing accounts with influential cornea specialists, pediatric ophthalmologists, and optometrists in private practices and academic institutions throughout two large territories for worldwide pharmaceutical company specializing in ophthalmology products.
Share strong clinical data while utilizing a total office approach to assist with pull-through while executing corporate strategy.
Quickly built trusting relationships with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Nova Southeastern, University of Florida, Gainesville and KOLs for early adoption of Verkazia.
Selected to participate on multiple Salesforce advisory boards to provide product knowledge.
Mentored both new hires and experienced sales representatives and provided support by assisting with national development of pull-through framework.
Account Representative- Eye Care at AVELLINO LABS USA, Florida Territory 2021 - 2022
Built market for global leader in next generation sequencing, first-in-class genetic test for keratoconus and corneal dystrophy.
Delivered motivating leadership and developed new business strategies and highly productive relationships with key thought leaders and eye care account holders for CLIA certified start up medical lab.
Managed sales territory encompassing entire state of Florida. Assisted clients in ordering testing kits using buy and build model.
Trained staff in administering tests.
Built lucrative book of business by identifying potential targets, pursuing profitable opportunities, delivering dynamic and persuasive presentations, and closing sales in large territory.
Served as valued resource to clients and potential clients.
Assisted with development of national training initiatives.
Territory Sales Manager at AERIE PHARMACEUTICALS, Farmingdale, NY 2018 - 2021
Leveraged comprehensive sales strategies to drive business growth; designated as District Sales Trainer (DST) to accelerate team productivity.
Launched two first-in-class products to Glaucoma space, calling on ophthalmologists and optometrists.
Conducted strategic staff meetings to establish in-depth knowledge of sales model, clinical studies, and competitive analysis.
Partnered with Aerie CEO to execute plan of action to drive growth with largest ophthalmology group practice in NY/NJ/CT.
Placed as Top 10% in 2019, President’s Club Winner and Top 20% in 2018 for sales.
Earned elite Northeast Regional Leadership Award for exemplary performance.
Selected as District Sales Trainer
Orchestrated new hire training at Headquarters location in Irvine, CA.
Served as key spokesperson delivering clinical studies at district and regional conferences.
Inspired and motivated four Territory Managers and one Territory Ranger dedicated to sustainable revenue.
Include a fitting pharmaceutical sales resume education and certifications section
The final section on your resume is the education and certifications section. This is where you have the opportunity to show where your training lies. Start this section by listing your highest degree first. Follow with any lower-level degrees and any certifications you have. When crafting this section, here are some other tips to consider:
Less is more. You don’t need to go into much detail regarding your degrees and certifications. A clean, short list that includes the type of degree/certification you hold and where you obtained it will suffice.
Reverse order works best. Regardless of what your degrees are, you should always list your highest degree first. For example, a Master’s Degree in Education should be listed before a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing.
List any certifications you are working toward or have already obtained. If you have any that aren’t directly related to pharmaceutical sales, such as a SHRM membership, you can also include those on your resume.
Master of Science in Education-SDBL at Long Island University, Brookville, NY
Bachelor of Science in Business Management at Dowling College, Oakdale, NY
Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership at Long Island University, Brookville, NY
Advanced Certificate in Human Resource Management at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Which key skills are relevant for a pharmaceutical sales resume?
Showcasing your key skills is an important part of developing any resume. But the most important thing is to include skills that will make you a valuable candidate for the specific role you are applying for.
To create a resume with this focus, start by examining the job description closely. A potential employer will mention skills in the job description that they are looking for in a candidate. Those are the skills you’ll want to include on your resume if they apply to you. Not only does taking this approach help make you more attractive to a hiring manager, but it can also help you pass an applicant tracking system scan. Hiring managers will often use these systems to identify candidates who have listed certain skills in their resume. (If you want to learn more about creating a resume that works well with ATS, check out our article Resume ATS optimization.)
In our resume template, you’ll find a section that includes some of the top skills a pharmaceutical sales professional should have. Along with updating this section with your own list, remember to include some of those skills throughout the remainder of your resume, including in your work history and professional summary. For a pharmaceutical sales position, a few critical skills might include:
Pharmaceutical product promotion
CRM proficiency
Regulatory compliance
Product training
Territory management
Product presentations
Operations leadership
How to select the most impactful pharmaceutical sales resume template
Choosing the right template is an important part of ensuring your resume presents your qualifications effectively and professionally. Opt for a clean and modern template that is well-organized and readable. A chronological layout, which highlights your experience in reverse chronological order, is ideal. The template should include clear headings, a professional font, and bullet points to draw attention to your key achievements.
It isn’t necessary to keep your pharmaceutical sales resume to one page. However, you should keep the resume concise and relevant to the role you are applying for.
In our resume builder, we have many templates to choose from, and you should select a layout that works best for you. With over 100 available resume examples, you’re sure to find one that inspires you.
Copyable pharmaceutical sales resume example
Summary example
Award-winning sales leader with demonstrated success excelling in leadership roles requiring exceptional communication and collaboration skills. Proficient in developing high-performing pharmaceutical sales teams as District Sales Trainer spanning multi-city territories. Adept at driving synergies with clients, physicians, and staff to gain trust and foster productive relationships. Consistently recognized for managing multiple, competing priorities with unwavering professionalism to maximize profitability. Thrive in challenging, dynamic sales environments.
Employment history example
Senior Regional Account Specialist- Rare Disease at SANTEN PHARMACEUTICALS, Florida & Georgia Territory 2022 - Present
Develop new business and secure accounts with ophthalmologists and optometrists who treat Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis.
Focus on establishing accounts with influential cornea specialists, pediatric ophthalmologists, and optometrists in private practices and academic institutions throughout two large territories for worldwide pharmaceutical company specializing in ophthalmology products.
Share strong clinical data while utilizing a total office approach to assist with pull-through while executing corporate strategy.
Quickly built trusting relationships with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Nova Southeastern, University of Florida, Gainesville and KOLs for early adoption of Verkazia.
Selected to participate on multiple Salesforce advisory boards to provide product knowledge.
Mentored both new hires and experienced sales representatives and provided support by assisting with national development of pull-through framework.
Account Representative- Eye Care at AVELLINO LABS USA, Florida Territory 2021 - 2022
Built market for global leader in next generation sequencing, first-in-class genetic test for keratoconus and corneal dystrophy.
Delivered motivating leadership and developed new business strategies and highly productive relationships with key thought leaders and eye care account holders for CLIA certified start up medical lab.
Managed sales territory encompassing entire state of Florida. Assisted clients in ordering testing kits using buy and build model.
Trained staff in administering tests.
Built lucrative book of business by identifying potential targets, pursuing profitable opportunities, delivering dynamic and persuasive presentations, and closing sales in large territory.
Served as valued resource to clients and potential clients.
Assisted with development of national training initiatives.
Territory Sales Manager at AERIE PHARMACEUTICALS, Farmingdale, NY 2018 - 2021
Leveraged comprehensive sales strategies to drive business growth; designated as District Sales Trainer (DST) to accelerate team productivity.
Launched two first-in-class products to Glaucoma space, calling on ophthalmologists and optometrists.
Conducted strategic staff meetings to establish in-depth knowledge of sales model, clinical studies, and competitive analysis.
Partnered with Aerie CEO to execute plan of action to drive growth with largest ophthalmology group practice in NY/NJ/CT.
Placed as Top 10% in 2019, President’s Club Winner and Top 20% in 2018 for sales.
Earned elite Northeast Regional Leadership Award for exemplary performance.
Selected as District Sales Trainer
Orchestrated new hire training at Headquarters location in Irvine, CA.
Served as key spokesperson delivering clinical studies at district and regional conferences.
Inspired and motivated four Territory Managers and one Territory Ranger dedicated to sustainable revenue.
Education example
Master of Science in Education-SDBL at Long Island University, Brookville, NY
Bachelor of Science in Business Management at Dowling College, Oakdale, NY
Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership at Long Island University, Brookville, NY
Advanced Certificate in Human Resource Management at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Skills example
Strategic Planning / Execution
New Business Development
Targeted Sales Strategies
Operations Leadership
Staff Development / District Sales Trainer
Territory Call Planning
Market / Competitive Intelligence
Pharmaceutical Product Sales / Start ups
Key takeaways for writing a pharmaceutical sales resume
As a pharmaceutical sales representative, you play a crucial role in the healthcare industry by selling products to healthcare professionals.
When writing your resume, let your experience in sales, product knowledge, and regulatory compliance shine through.
Some of the top keywords to include in your pharmaceutical sales resume are “product promotion”, “territory management”, and “operations leadership”.
If you are looking for an adaptable template and AI-powered content for your pharmaceutical sales resume, our online resume builder can help. It’s our goal to make applying for jobs faster and easier!
