The fast-growing pharmaceutical industry offers fantastic opportunities for experienced and enthusiastic sales representatives.  But even the best career can have its slow moments.

If you feel stuck in a rut, there’s hope.  Use these tips to build momentum in your career and get back on track to meet your goals.

Define success.

What does “success” mean to you?  Grab a piece of paper and write down your definition of “success” in one or two sentences.  Then, think about your career.  What would that definition of “success” look like in terms of specific accomplishments?

By doing this, you clarify what you want to work towards, allowing you to focus all your energy on building momentum towards that goal.  You avoid being pulled off course by other people’s definitions of success, and focus on what matters to you.

Mind your time.

Everyone gets 24 hours in every day.  How we use it defines how we succeed.

For one week, keep track of what you spend your time doing.  Don’t judge it or try to change it; just take notes.  At the end of the week, sit down and look at where your time goes.  For each item on the list, ask yourself, “How is this contributing to my success?”  If it’s not helping you move forward, find a way to minimize or eliminate it.  If it’s aimed directly at your goals, find ways to maximize it.

Take care of yourself.

While you’re examining your time, remember: Your momentum has to be sustainable.  “Downtime” for things like meals, exercise, relaxation and sleep give you the energy you need to keep going.  Resist the urge to skimp on these.  Instead, focus on minimizing the time you “waste” on other things, like office gossip or other people’s side projects.

Get support.

Take a second look at your definition of success and your plans for reaching that goal.  List all the opportunities your current job provides for you to reach that goal.  Do these opportunities excite you?  Does your job provide real support for achieving these milestones?  If the list is short or you don’t really want to pursue any of these options, it might be time to find an employer who offers a better fit for your career goals.  Your recruiter can help.

At SMR Group Ltd, our experienced recruiters can help you build momentum in sales and marketing positions within the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotech industries.  Contact us today to learn more.