Study Biomedical Sciences, I knew I did not want to work in a lab and I thought working in marketing in a pharmaceutical company would give me great exposure to the pharmaceutical industry and also allow me to use my people skills and creativity which I see as two of my strengths .
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There were four stages to the application process and this applied to all placement students at Pfizer. 1) Complete an application form, answering a mixture of general and scenario questions. 2) Video interview, where your answers are recorded. 3) Assessment Center stage, where you participate in a group task. 4) Final interview stage, which is with your potential line manager.
I was given a variety of different responsibilities on my placement year. I was responsible for managing my brand's budget, by tracking the brand’s current investment and activities as well as advising on current and future spend. Furthermore I was involved in planning marketing activities ahead of time and ensuring a smooth transition through internal and external regulatory bodies for any promotional materials. Some of these projects included a new Facebook page, an automated email flow for new customers as well as a website re-design. Having to manage long and short term projects, meant having to liaise with multiple different functions in order to successfully complete a project, including sales, logistics, medical affairs and regulatory affairs.
My days varied so much, I could not say I had a 'typical day'. I supported the senior brand manager for Imedeen (the brand I was working on), as well as taking on my own projects, such as a monthly email sent out to our customer base as well as driving a digital SharePoint for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare in Northern Europe.
I really enjoyed the exposure I had to Consumer Healthcare as a whole; having a work with different functions allowed me to gain a greater insight into how Pfizer Consumer Healthcare operates as business unit. I also relished the opportunity to take on my own projects and I was grateful for the amount of responsibility I was given.
With a large amount amount of responsibility, there were times when the job did become stressful, however I am glad I was able to experience this in a placement year, so that I know what to expect in the future.
I did a bit of analysis on the brand and presented it to the team and I gained these skills from writing up experiment reports. However as my placement was so different to my University course, I learnt completely new skill set working in a commercial environment, that I would have not necessarily gained from my Biomedical Science degree.
Yes, it has shown me I would like to go into the pharmaceutical industry, as I could see the wide range of jobs available at a company such as Pfizer and the opportunities it would present.
My Top Three Tips for New Industrial Trainees
As our year of industrial trainees here at Pfizer pass on our knowledge to the next set of placement students, these would be my three top tips for them:
1) Dare to try- do not be afraid to challenge yourself this year. You will be working with the best of the best in the pharmaceutical industry, so take every opportunity to throw yourself into a new project, you never know where it may lead.
2) Connect Connect Connect!- You will meet and work with some amazing people at Pfizer, some who really inspired me in my work. Make sure you dedicate as much time as you can getting to know these people on a professional and personal level. Take time out to speak to your colleagues and always treat their time as gold dust. No one owes you anything in your career, so anyone willing to help you should receive your full appreciation.
3) Do not be afraid- Express your opinions and do not be afraid to speak up. Stating your opinion will show a strength of character and also set you apart from other placement students. Have the courage to speak to members of the senior leadership team and never be afraid to correct someone more senior than you if they make a mistake. Remember your colleagues are all human and have been in your position at some point in their careers.
Form completed: 06 Sep 2017