I went to the doctor's today for a check-up. While I sat there, waiting, a medical sales rep walked in. I struck up a conversation with her, since we both are in sales. She was engaging of course (you have to be if you're in sales) and very open about her job. I'd always been curious about what it took to be a pharmaceutical sales rep and she told me all about it. She also said it was almost impossible to break into the industry because anyone in pharmaceutical sales knows they have a good thing and they don't usually leave the industry. Instead, they migrate to different companies periodically.
But what she told me really shocked me, and gave me something to think about. She said "I think that we (pharmaceutical sales people) will all be phased out within a couple years. Laws are changing, and so we can't give out samples like we used to. Also, doctors can now go online to get what they need. We're going to be obsolete."
Scary. It's scary because it's not just her. The fun, eclectic jobs and the high-end jobs are all threatened right now. The jobs that we said we wanted to be when we grew up (doctors, top sales positions such as brokers and sales reps, engineers, executives, etc.) are all being replaced, outsourced, or forced out of business. Instead, we are sending jobs overseas or accepting lesser substitutes (such as nurse practitioners instead of doctors).
I'm seeing a growth of jobs in the low-end service sector. Everywhere I go there is never a shortage of workers at fast-food restaurants, drugstores or supermarkets. I have grown increasingly aware of it, as the administration so proudly trumpets that unemployment is declining. Sure, it's declining, but the increase is in the lower-end jobs. For instance, my friend's husband is an electrical engineer who can't find work in his field, so he must settle for installing cable instead. This man is a college educated engineer!
America's brain trust is declining rapidly. We are approaching the point where we will need to rely on foreign countries and their citizens too much. And by then, it will be too late.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
My nightmares starts with me wearing a blue vest and saying "Hi! I'm Mallory and welcome to Wal Mart!"
I completely agree with you on this one.
Nope, he is not installing cables, or phones, or internet anymore. Working 7am - 8:30pm 6 days a week for close to two years is too much. He is on to another job. Has nothing to do with with electronics. At least with the phones, internet and cable he was playing with machines still. Incredible isn't it. I'll tell you more later.
Michelle, well, I didn't name you cuz I didn't know if you'd be OK with that or not. But I'm sorry to hear that he continues to find substandard work. My ex is an engineer too, and also can find nothing.
Polanco, thanks! You understand especially, as you're in the education field. It's discouraging, isn't it???
Mallory, *LOL*
Cotey, Doughnut hats...if they're as good as they sound, *I* would be eating away at my profits. ;o)
I appreciate you did not name me. If if I don't care I will comment back like I did on this subject. It is really hard to keep kids motivated with school and want to go to college. My stepson had seen both his parents go to college and both of them struggle with jobs. Both are doing work they like still, but neither one is doing what they set out to do.
I realize that when kids go to college out of high school they don't do what they set out to do usually, but I am taking about two people closer to 40 than not. Both of these people have been working and both KNOW exactly what they want to do.
I hope to keep my little one as interested in as many things as possible, like he is now. Maybe he will have a fighting chance...
Mallory, ME TOO!! LOL
Makes me appreciate my job.
Michelle, it is very scary. I also didn't end up going in the direction of my degrees. However, in my case I was blessed enough to find something even better than I had ever hoped for. It's hard to know what to advise kids in college. At one time, a college degree meant a significant increase in salary and a guarantee for a good job, but no longer.
Here's what's scarier to me. We're spending so much money on imports; all our money if going to countries like China. They, in turn, are using that money to buy our assets.
I don't like the direction we're headed; it makes no sense to watch us decline. Can't we get politicians to do something about it?
Fred, you are entirely correct. These neo-cons are happy to make their pact with The Devil if it suits what Big Business wants right now. They fail to see the bigger picture (our economy as a whole, and the obligations our children will have). It IS frightening.
Post a Comment