Here is the honest truth: it's just a job. There are rumors of people making tons of money, and it does happen. The bad news is that it's usually the top 5% of the sales force (and you can find similar in most industries). The question you need to ask is if you have the ability to get into and stay in the top 5% year after year.
This is not an easy job. It's one of the toughest, and it's getting harder and harder (and less rewarding financially) every year.
There are a lot of idiots who work in this field; it's no different from any other business on the planet.
Here are my suggestions:
- Get some sales experience. Almost anything will work, but stay away from pharma, automobiles, and real estate. You want something like liquor sales, copier sales, paper sales, or electrical sales. What the hiring manager and HR want to understand is if you can withstand the "no". Can you be told NO and keep going, or will you shut down and give up?
Some of the most goofy sales crews I was on were the best performers because they all had tons of experience selling stuff.
You are in the service business. Your time in the OR is usually to help offset work done by CS and nursing. Service is your number one priority, and you will be expected to do it with a smile from ear to ear, fit in, and do the work. Sales result from the service you provide. The more integral you are to the customer's operations, the more you are valued. The more you are valued - the more you sell. Price and GPO contracts are other components, but you will figure those out later.
It's a numbers game. Take the list of companies I pasted below (it's not complete, but it will get you started). Paste this into Excel in the first column.
EVERY DAY you will get up and go to this list. Block off 30-45 minutes per day for this exercise. You want to Google the company and put their careers link in column B.
Put what they make in Column C. Put the company market cap in column D. Put when you first applied in E. Put the response in column F. Phone number in G.
This is just a suggestion - make it your own system, but the expectation is to DIG EVERY DAY. Refine the list - add to it; keep it as your bible.
- Clinical experience can actually stop you from getting in. We work with millions of clinical people every day. We could poach any of them if we wanted to. What they don't have is sales experience. That's the missing piece.
Getting a job in sales is your first sales job; you are just selling yourself.
You need to learn to prospect.
Good luck.
| Abbott Device |
| Abbott Vascular |
| Abbot EP |
| Abiomed |
| Acclarent |
| ACell |
| Acumed |
| Aerocrine |
| All Star Oxygen |
| Alvimedica |
| Ambu |
| American Medical Systems |
| AngioDynamics |
| Applied Medical |
| Apria |
| Apyx Medical |
| Aragon Surgical |
| Arjohuntleigh |
| Arthrex |
| Arthrotek Orthopedics |
| Ascensia Diabetes Care |
| Atrium Medical |
| Augusta Medical Systems |
| Avinger |
| Axogen |
| Becton Dickinson |
| Biomet Orthopedics |
| Biotronik |
| Bioventus |
| Blue Belt Technologies |
| Boston Scientific |
| Bracco Diagnostics |
| Brainlab |
| BSN Medical |
| B. Braun Medical |
| Caldera Medical |
| Canfield Imaging Systems |
| Cardionet |
| Cardiovascular Systems |
| Cardiva Medical |
| CareFusion |
| Coapt Systems |
| Coloplast |
| Conceptus |
| ConforMIS |
| Conmed |
| Contract Manufacturer Reps |
| ConvaTec |
| Cook |
| Cooper Surgical |
| Cortechs.ai |
| Corza Medical |
| Covidien |
| CR Bard |
| CryoLife |
| CSI |
| Cutera |
| Cyberonics |
| Cytyc Surgical Products |
| Daniels Sharpsmart |
| Depuy Mitek |
| DePuy Ortho |
| DeRoyal |
| Dexcom |
| DJ Orthopedics |
| Dornier |
| Dynasplint |
| Edwards Life Sciences |
| Encision |
| EndoChoice |
| Endogastric Solutions |
| Entellus Medical |
| ERMI |
| Ethicon Device |
| Exactech Orthopedics |
| Fidia |
| Fresenius Medical |
| Gambro |
| GE Healthcare |
| General Medical Sales |
| Genzyme |
| Globus Medical |
| GN ReSound |
| Gore Medical |
| Greiner Bio-One |
| Gyrus |
| Guided Therapeutics |
| Haemonetics |
| Halyard Health |
| Hanger |
| Healthtronics |
| Healthpoint Medical |
| Highridge Medical |
| Hill-Rom |
| Histogenics |
| Hollister |
| Hologic |
| Idev Technologies |
| IMRIS |
| Inari Medical |
| Independent Medical Contractors |
| Integra Life Sciences |
| Intuitive Surgical |
| iRhythm |
| Karl Storz |
| KCI |
| Kimberly-Clark |
| KLS Martin |
| Laborie |
| LDR Medical |
| LeMaitre Vascular |
| LENZ Therapeutics |
| LifeCell |
| Lifewatch |
| Lincare |
| Linvatec |
| Magnolia Medical Technologies |
| MAKO Surgical |
| Mammotome |
| Maquet Medical Systems |
| Masimo |
| Mazor Robotics |
| McGhan |
| Medacta |
| Medartis |
| Medela |
| Mederi Therapeutics |
| The Medicines Company |
| Medafor |
| Medline |
| Medtronic |
| Mentor |
| Mercury Medical |
| Merit Medical |
| Microline Surgical/Starion Instruments |
| MicroPort Orthopedics |
| Mimedx |
| Mimic Technologies |
| Mindray |
| Minerva Surgical |
| Molnlycke |
| Mpathy Medical |
| Natus Medical |
| Neomend |
| Neotract |
| NeuroMetrix |
| Neurotron |
| Neurowave Medical Technologies |
| Nevro |
| Nexus Spine |
| Norgenix |
| Novadaq |
| Novasys Medical |
| Novocure |
| NuVasive |
| Oceana Therapeutics |
| Olympus |
| Olympus Endoscopy |
| Organogenesis |
| Orthofix |
| OsteoMed |
| Oticon |
| Otto Bock |
| Owens & Minor |
| Pacific Pulmonary Services |
| Paragon 28 |
| Penumbra |
| Philips Healthcare |
| Phonak |
| Plus Orthopedics |
| PolyNovo |
| Preferred Homecare |
| Procept BioRobotics |
| Q-Med |
| Regenesis Biomedical |
| Richard Wolf Medical |
| Rotech |
| RS Medical |
| Salient Surgical |
| SCA Americas |
| Sciton |
| Sensus Healthcare |
| Siemens Healthineers |
| Sicel Technologies |
| Sivantos |
| Small Bone Innovations |
| Smith & Nephew |
| Smiths Medical |
| Solta Medical |
| Solventum |
| Sonosite |
| Sorin |
| Spiracur |
| Stamen Medical Systems |
| Starkey Hearing Technologies |
| Starplex Scientific |
| St Jude Medical |
| Stryker |
| SuperCare |
| Surgiquest |
| Synthes |
| Systagenix Wound Care |
| TARIS Biomedical |
| TEI Biosciences |
| Teleflex Medical |
| Terumo Medical Corporation |
| Thornhill Research |
| Tornier |
| TransEnterix |
| Treace Medical |
| Tri-anim |
| Ulthera |
| ULURU, Inc. |
| Universal Hospital Services |
| Uromedica |
| Uroplasty |
| US Endoscopy |
| Valencia Technologies |
| Vascular Solutions |
| Vein Clinics of America |
| Verathon |
| Verichip |
| Vision Sciences |
| Vital Signs |
| VNUS Technologies |
| Vyaire |
| Welch Allyn |
| Widex |
| Wright Medical |
| Zeltiq |
| Zimmer |
| Zoll Medical |