Landing a Medical Sales Job in 2018 - Step by Step Guide
If you are considering a Medical Sales job, landing a role in the Healthcare Sales industry is tough. Like 1 in 1000 tough... seriously!
Anytime I have posted a Medical Sales Rep role, I am immediately inundated with resumes. Heck, I even receive resumes from Physicians!
You are standing in a room with 999 people - each about the same age and status. Someone at the front of the room is holding a check for $100K dollars, dying to give it away to their next Medical Sales Rep.
Do you think they would pick you?
Differentiating yourself can be difficult, but it's the only way to even get a shot.
So I have to stand out... But how?
If I were starting over and looking to get into a Medical Sales Career, below are the steps I would take to firm up my Value Proposition to Employers:
1. Get help with your resume:
There are specific components within the resume recruiters look for. You can do it yourself or contact a recruiter specialized in Medical Sales to polish and shine my "value proposition", aka resume. Do a quick search on Google to find a reputable one.
If it were me, I would have Jessica Holbrook Hernandez at GreatResumesFast.com fix me up. If you work with her, let her know RepDaily sent you over. BTW; we do not benefit from this.
2. Clean up and strengthen your social media accounts:
When considering a candidate, one of the first things looked at is their social media profiles; including LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. There are many professionals who will help you with this as well. However, if you want to give it a shot yourself, here is a link to our Social Media Cleanup post.
3. Get educated and educate yourself:
There are several technical schools or certification programs specializing in the field of Medical Sales - including pharmaceutical, orthopedics, biologics and cardiovascular. There is also endless information online. These will not guarantee a job, but they definitely help you stand out from the crowd.
For example, if I were looking to get into the Orthopedic Device Sales segment, I would absolutely consider attending the 6-week program with Medical Sales College. Not only will they get you trained up on the technical side, but they are also great at job placement.
4. Network:
Make it a point to connect with whomever you can within the industry. This includes recruiters, Physicians and sales reps within the field you are interested in. I can tell you first-hand as an employer a referral is much more valuable than a resume.
Linkedin is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. There wouldn't be a day during my search I wouldn't be on LinkedIn networking with recruiters, Sales Reps and Sales Managers. My main target would be Sales Managers within the market I'm considering.
5. Be willing to "prove yourself":
As a newbie within the space, you are at the bottom of the totem pole. It is very rare for a rookie to be handed the keys to the car without driving around the neighborhood with Mom and Dad first. For a new rep within my organization, there is a period of about 6 months of hustle without making much of an income.
When I made the transition, I offered to work for free with no promise of salary. After a couple months, I had tripled the business and was offered a respectable base.
Get ready for the most rewarding, fulfilling, exciting and terrifying sales job out there. Yes, it can be terrifying at times. But it's all worth it.
If there are any specific questions you are searching for answers to or want to suggest a topic to cover, please let me know.
5 resume writing tips when applying to a Medical Sales Job
The average time it takes for a hiring manager to review a resume is 8 to 10 seconds... 8 to 10 seconds!
Out of the hundreds of other applicants, do you feel confident your resume would "cut the mustard"?
You are a needle in a haystack
First of all, you must never forget the competitiveness surrounding any medical sales job out there.
Believe me, I know. I've been in your shoes, fighting tooth and nail to earn an opportunity. I've also hired many medical sales reps throughout my career.
There are many ways to "stand out", but it's all for not if your resume falls flat.
You have two options;
- Write your resume yourself
- Hire a Professional Resume Writer
There isn't a right or wrong decision here, but it's important you know how to convey why you are the best choice for the role.
You can find a list of recommended Professional Medical Device Resume Writers at this link.
Either way, it must be done right
Making the first impression is important. If you decide to take on the duties yourself, below are a few pointers to get you going on the right track;
- Always provide a tailored cover letter. Use these couple paragraphs to demonstrate directly how your skills match the medical sales role they are looking to fill. You can also utilize this chance to prove you have done your homework on the role itself and the organization. MedReps.com has put together a great article on creating the perfect cover letter.
- Only use black font, in a standard font style. Something like Calibri or Times New Roman is acceptable. In my opinion, it looks unprofessional when I see purple font on a resume.
- Keep it simple. Please do not write a resume that reads like a book. Recruiters do not have time to read about how you scored your first home run in the 2nd grade or your how you won your local bowling league. Yes, that stuff is cool, but nobody has time for that!
- Highlight the parallels between your experience and the job posting. Your relevant experience and achievements must jump off of the page immediately. Otherwise... NEXT!
- Thou shalt not lie. It is absolutely imperative to be factual when stating education, certifications and employment dates. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but if there was ever a discrepancy down the line, you could be without a job.
Considering the bullets above, which do you think is the most important or difficult to accomplish?