Don’t compare us, Pharma field is different from Software field: How and Why?

Pharma field and software career scenario explained here. Presently I am working for a pharmaceutical company and I don’t have any single or small relationship with the the software field but  still several times I am facing the reflection of influence by the software field from several other people related to me. This is the reason for writing this blog article. Don’t compare us, Pharma field is different from Software field. How and why? I will tell you now.

We will have a very common and boring questions in our life especially after crossing 20 years. At the time of B pharmacy/ M pharmacy, they will ask you first question “what are you studying”, and after completion of B pharmacy/M pharmacy second question is “where you are working”, Fortunately If we have the positive answer for the second question, they are ready with the third question that is “How much you are getting?”. Now the discussion starts. Actual problem starts from answering this question only.

Within seconds of answering this question, they will start comparing our salary with other’s salary of software people. After completion of M pharmacy ,as a pharma fresher, he/she used to get the salary of Rs7,500 to Rs25,000 (Rs 40k in very rare cases, i am not considering it now) depend upon the company he/she recruited for. MNC companies will be in the higher end of this scale. If pharma people don’t a chance of campus interviews, after coming out of the college, it’s almost very tough to get as a fresher job in these MNC companies. After getting experience from any company, you may get the chance to work for these MNCs, that’s a different case. Even some graduates may also get the salary of 25k to 30k, if they are directly recruited by companies from top pharmacy institutions from India through campus interviews, But this percentage is very less compared to as a whole. Most of the persons usually get the salary in the range between 9k to 16k.

I am not sure that the above mentioned situation is exceptional for software field. Now here my interest is when you are comparing a pharma fresher salary with a experienced software professional salary, obviously there will be a lot of difference. Even in the salary of  same aged person from pharma and software professional will also have a lot of difference. I will tell you the reason how it will be?

For example two friends of same age are studied together and completed intermediate with M.P.C at the age of 17 years. One person joined Engineering and other person in B pharmacy. At the age of 21 years(If long term coaching after inter it will be 22 years), both are completed their under graduation successfully. B tech student starts for searching a job. Most of the student don’t join in M tech, B tech degree is enough for getting the jon but His/Her friend situation is not like that.

 B pharmacy student joins M pharmacy because of not having proper job opportunities, most of the cases B pharmacy student have many job restrictions and they will get job mostly in production department(24/7 working, ready to work in shift timings, not suitable for girls) / in marketing as a MR (also not suitable for girls, but nowadays the attitude is changing) /QC/QA department/Pharmacist (Growth is less, Abroad Pharmacist is a good option, needs some experience)/Teaching field (Not eligible/ eligible for lab assistant only). Pharma Research and Development plants don’t prefer B pharmacy graduates, they require M pharmacy graduates. Even if they got the job also because of several reasons (salary may less, Everybody can’t survive in shift production jobs) they starts joining in M pharmacy for better jobs. It will take another 2 years, it means he/she is at the age of 23(or24) years.

   Now if he/she gets a pharma job, his/her friend is already had a experience of 2-3 years or else If they don’t a have a job also at this time , They may have the chance to show a fake experience(all they need is laptop, anywhere they can get and live project knowledge) and continue as an experienced techy after getting a job and receives a considerable package.. Pharma graduate doesn’t have a chance to show a fake experience by remaining as a fresher. Because industrial exposure is entirely different and you can’t even manage in the interview like a techy without having practical live knowledge which will not be provided by any consultancy and it is not affordable also.

For example, M pham pharmaceutical analysis student wants a working experience on HPLC or UPLC. Training centre requires at least 40 Lac rupees (for both) to have that facility. Those equipments are very sensitive, we should handle carefully. Like recharge cards for prepaid mobile, columns are required and one HPLC column cost is 10,000 to15,000, If you are willing to pay more than 30,000 also no one will show you interest to teaching this equipment.  If any one is ready teach you these things also, its like showing the trailer rather than cinema(we are interested in cinema right? ). With the amount of 40 lac rupees (may be requires some more amount) we can able to start a small software company rather than a training centre.