Let the Blood Bath Begin

Three years ago (Dec 2006), I was layed off from this illustrious company in what was one of the largest pharma layoffs seen. NOBODY in the industry thought that "The Blue Football" would layoff anybody, let alone 3000 people, but they did and many large pharma companies followed suit. If P.fi.zer could do it, why not the rest of us.

Well, today began a new Blood Letting at P.fiz.er. Between today & tomorrow, a good majority of the sales force is getting the ole heave ho! A total of 8000 people. I heard from some of my friends over there, some great individuals who got optimized today. While most of them are pretty non-plussed about it (great severance packages), there are still a few wandering around in shock in awe with a deer in headlights look about them. "Why me..how did this happen to me." Happens to the best of us. Seriously. Happened to me twice in under 3 years.

To add a little insult to injury - Not one Black District Manager in the DMV was retained. Hmmmm. How you gonna represent the company in one of the most heavily populated areas for physicians of color and you don't have anybody of color representing/leading the way. I'm just saying. Interesting to say the least. Let see how many of the sales reps of color are left after tomorrows 11am calls begin.

You know what else I find interesting, Pf.iz.er doesn't have money to hold onto their sales force, but they have money to buy another company...and then the audacity to say that once the purchase is complete, they are going to cut some of those people too. Wow.

So, those of you who are part of the downsizing, right-sizing, field force optimizing - WHATEVER they are calling it - best get to dusting off those resumes and re-kindling that network you might have been neglecting. You'd be real amazed at how fast you will run through that severance.

God Bless to all of my Pfired colleagues.