by James » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:08 pm
Hello Dave,
I have posted on your earlier forum. It has taken me a while but I finally found your new forum.
I accepted a BD position at Big Pharma almost 1 year ago. At the time, I had another offer from a biotech. The package that the Big Pharma was offering seemed significantly better (30% higher salary, mathching 401(k), and basically a $25k relocation payment). The biotech package did include stock options but the salary was 30% lower, no matching contributions to the 401(k) and they were only going to cover a u-haul.
It has almost been a year since I joined Big Pharma and I feel like I may have made a big mistake. This Big Pharma is very procedural and does not foster an entrepeneurial environment. The department is rather large (50+) and I get the feeling it is hard to get noticed.
I declined the offer from the Biotech on very good terms. The COO told me to call him if things did not work out at Big Pharma.
I recently sent him an e-mail and suggested that we should chat and catch-up sometime. He said that he would try to give me a call within the next week. After 2.5 weeks I gave him a call and left a message with his secretary. I know he has been travelling a lot and I do expect him to call back.
If I do speak with him, how should I position the fact that I feel like I made a mistake and if he needed any help, I would like to be considered? I do not want to come across as being flakey, since I have only been here a year. I would like to focus on the positive contributions that I could make. I do have a lot of experience in contract drafting and negotiations. I have closed a wide-variety of deals; everything from patent in-licensing/out-licensing, CRO/CMO deals, Sponsored Research Agreements, Clinical Supply Agreements, consulting agreements, MTAs, CDAs, etc... I also I have a strong financial foundation. Plus, I am very eager to get back to the East Coast.
Sorry for the long post but I am very eager to jump into biotech. I feel like my skills and ambition may deteriorate at Big Pharma. Don't get me wrong, I do think a lot of people would be happy at this job. There is some security, the salary and benefits are good, one could buy a nice house and car, take a couple of vacations a year and still send their kids to college. However, I miss the ability of wearing multiple hats and the dynamics of a small company. Plus, I am not interested in being a politician, though I am always politically correct.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,
James