Pharmaceutical sales representatives have been battered during the recession -- thousands were laid off by drugmakers hunting for ways to trim their budgets. But even if the economy recovers with a vengeance, don't expect pharmaceutical firms to go on a hiring binge.

So far the stock market has yawned at the latest Johnson & Johnson consumer products recall. Sales of Tylenol and Zyrtec are drops in the bucket for the company, but what happens if the public sours on the trusted J&J brand?