My Top 10: Bayer Pharmaceutical Sales Career Highlights
Bayer pharmaceutical sales consultant Linda Godwin shares her perspective on growth opportunities and company culture within Bayer's Customer Engagement team.
Meet Linda Godwin, Cardiorenal Sales Consultant in South Georgia on the Customer Engagement team. Linda works with primary care physicians, sharing information about cardiorenal treatment options and patient support resources. After stepping into her role at Bayer, she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Keep reading to learn her top 10 reasons why working in pharmaceutical sales at Bayer has been the most rewarding chapter in her career.
In your career, what are you most proud of?
I’d definitely say being a registered nurse (RN). I always wanted to be an RN, and it kind of came from a tragic situation and how I was treated during it. Some things changed in my life, and I wound up not getting my degree in nursing at first. But I actually went back and got my RN later in life with a two- and a three-year-old pulling at my knees. So, although I've been in the pharmaceutical industry for over 10 years, and the medical/healthcare industry for my entire career, I’m most proud of being an RN—which has allowed me to truly be a patient advocate.
Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO)
DSO is Bayer’s new operating model designed to foster collaboration and accountability within our teams. It enables employees to work in self-managed teams, encouraging creativity and innovation.
What was the biggest reason you started working at Bayer in pharmaceutical sales?
At the end of the day, it's always about the patient, and that's what really brought me to work in pharmaceutical sales at a top employer like Bayer. When I first began learning about the company's cardiorenal work, it blew me away. I’m a nurse, I’m a medical coder, and I’ve been in healthcare my whole career—I’m beyond inspired by Bayer’s innovations in medicine and mission Health for all, Hunger for none.
Then I learned about the Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO) operating model and how it focuses on the customer while allowing for self-management. It gave me the feeling that I was going to help patients while having the opportunity to lead my territory.
What has been your favorite part of your pharma sales journey at Bayer?
I think my favorite part of my pharma sales journey has been building relationships with my team and Area General Manager (AGM), Rebecca Sizer. We’re truly one team because we can't do it out there on our own. After provider office visits, I’m usually on the phone with a teammate reflecting on the day. It’s like, “Hey, where are you going today? What have you got going on?” Or “OK, you want to practice that. Run it by me.” It's just amazing—even in a role that’s independent, I never feel alone.
Why should someone consider Bayer’s Customer Engagement team as a place to build their pharma sales career?
Not everyone will build their Bayer pharma sales on my Georgia-Florida squad, but anyone who joins Bayer will walk into an amazing team. This company consistently hires incredible managers and teammates. Those managers and AGMs truly support their teams, just as my AGM supports ours, helping us succeed in our territory.
What should people looking for pharma sales jobs know about working at Bayer?
It’s an incredible time to work at Bayer—a global company known for its innovation and commitment to its people. We offer fantastic bonuses for sales professionals, along with many other employee benefits, like great salaries, caring teams, and an impressive pharma innovation pipeline. I wish I had joined Bayer a long time ago!
What might surprise people about day-to-day work in pharmaceutical sales?
Many people are surprised by how much of the work centers on collaboration and patient impact. It's about building long‑term relationships with healthcare teams and understanding how we can support them and the patients they serve. The most rewarding part of the job is knowing that your work contributes to better awareness, education, and access to care.
Careers Growth Opportunities
Bayer’s three divisions—Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health, and Crop Science—offer diverse career paths, empowering you to grow your potential and further our mission Health for all, Hunger for none.
Looking ahead, what pharmaceutical innovations are you excited to see advance?
I’m most excited to support Bayer’s work to advance care for women experiencing menopause. In my role, I help providers and patients understand available treatment options and the patient support and access resources that can help make care more affordable. That’s what our Customer Engagement team does every day—we partner with healthcare teams to share information and resources that help patients feel seen and supported.
If you wrote a book about your job, what would it be titled?
I would call it “Own it. Do it. Live it.” If you’re working in pharma sales at Bayer, you’re going to own it. You’re the leader of this territory, and you’re going to create how you want your business to run. You're going to go out and do it, and then you're going to live the dream that you've created.
What’s your favorite part of working at Bayer?
My team. I’m on a very tenured team; there’s a lot of pharma sales experience here, and a lot of great ideas, so we bounce them off each other. We make fun of each other and ourselves, and we’re all about family. I just feel so grateful that I was contacted by a friend in pharma sales to work here. I'm grateful that Bayer chose me and that I chose them.
