How to get into medical/surgical sales with a finance background? and March 12th Sustainable Business Series, Sustainable Finance

How to get into medical/surgical sales with a finance background?

Is it possible to get into medical / surgical sales with a finance background (in the healthcare industry)? I don't seem to get any response from my resume. I don't have b2b sales experience. (For selling & people skills, the only thing close that I have is retail sales exp & waitressing exp.) What should I do?


Finance best answer:

Answer by Confused_Rep
Congratulations on wanting to become a Medical Sales Representative, whether it be pharmaceuticals or (DME) durable medical equipment and supplies! Such a rewarding career. Let me ask you: Why do you want this career? When did you realize that you wanted it? Who/what influenced you? What have you done so far to prepare yourself for a life in Medical Sales? You need to know the answers to these questions because you will be asked during your interview. The hiring manager would want to know what motivated you into this career. Also, do you truly know what a job in Medical Sales is really all about? Have you researched this field enough? Have you spoken with Medical Sales Reps, perhaps gone on a ride-along, to see what they do in a typical day and what they have to say about their jobs? The fact that you have a finance background in the medical field certainly helps because certain medical lingo, diseases, hospital environment, dealing with doctors and medical staff may not be new to you. However, keep in mind that this is a sales job, and one's proven ability to sell and potential to be a successful Medical Sales Rep is what counts the most.

I am assuming that you have completed a 4-year bachelors degree, which is the most basic requirement for this job. If not, my recommendation is for you to get a bachelor's degree and then at least 2 years of successful sales experience (Enterprise, Xerox, ADP, Coca-Cola, etc.), another basic requirement for this job. Sorry, but retail sales and waitressing are not considered as valid experience for this requirement. Make sure you have a stellar resume that speaks to your success and learning capabilities. Also, master the art of interviewing; trust me---this will come in very handy.

In summary, your resume is not getting a response from companies and recruiters simply because it does not show that you meet the basic requirements. Therefore, you are not looked at as a qualified candidate, and are always passed on, electronically by database search or by visual scan of your resume, for someone else who is.

Good luck!

Finance

March 12th Sustainable Business Series, Sustainable Finance


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Judy Samuelson discusses sustainable finance

blogs.bard.edu/mba/2012/03/20/sustainable-business-series...

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