How To Find Your Next Medical Sales Job

If you're working your way into the job market, particularly sales job, then here are some gems of advice from the '90s with regards to finding your next post which is very much workable in my humble opinion even for today.

But don't just take my words for it ...

... Roll up your sleeve, and let's get to work!

Imperative tasks for any job search

1. Managing a network of friends and business associates. Track who you've met: names, addresses, and everything in between.
2. Records of the results of your job(s) interview(s)
3. Follow-up on interviews, phone calls, and face-to-face meetings

Let me interject:

All the tasks above can now be a delegate to software or third-party recruitment services. Some of these you can get for free and some charge a meager fee. Since these were taken back in the '90s where they actually promote specific software to manage the tasks, it's not a surprise that nothing else was explained.

They tell you just enough to get you curious then they slip in the promo.

Actually:

I took this from the back of Harvey's book (as mentioned below), and I elaborate them a bit for more lucid understanding.

Two Key Skills

As Harvey Mackay wrote in How to Swim With The Shark Without Being Eaten Alive:

" Successful people share two key skills: they know how to build and maintain a network of contacts, and they know how to carefully manage their time."

Here are my two cents:

• Managing people is easier when you are still active in the industry, or you are well connected through outside organization, family ties, marriage, and other non-work related connections. If you have to start from ground zero, it's possible, but you'll take some times.
• I do keep records of my past interviews online in the form of email communication between my potential employer and me. There's so much we can tell actually from such disclosure, for example, the speed of response, the complexity of the organization and many more. Keeping record this way is almost automatic.
• My personal follow up rule is simple: don't call immediately after the interview, wait for at least 2 weeks for them to get back and move on if they take longer than that. Don't bother calling asking for why they're not taking you in. They'll bull$hit you all the way ...

Should You Be Certified Before Becoming a Medical Sales Rep?

Some people have spent more than four years in college ...

... Some have spent more than five years working.

And when either one of these people wants to join the medical sales profession, it's highly unlikely they want to spend times getting into "school."

But maybe it's compulsory for candidates to get certified in the US. After all, they have NAMSR over there. I've read somewhere that it's working together with another group to device program, and make it easy for program graduates to work in the pharma industry.

If it is compulsory, then you have no other choice ...

... If it is not, then hunting for a job is the next logical step.

It doesn't hurt to get the certification.

I'm sure it will help. But not everyone wants to spend more time than what they already have.

Some have spent in college ...

... Some have spent in companies. All they want to do now is to move on with their lives.

Sounds like a "good enough" plan to me.

Just check with the local authority (or shoot an email to the job site) about the certification requirement.

Medical sales rep job does not need to be more complicated than it already has.

Should You Go For Medical Sales Rep Job After Graduation?

The decision of whether or not to join the medical sales rep profession is a very personal decision.

The thing is:

No one has complete information regarding their future.

Not you. Not me ...

... So, my suggestion is, make a calculated risk and just move on.

You probably make a mistake, and you realized it soon enough to make the necessary change. You either change job, change company, change portfolio, or perhaps choose to study some more.

But some just don't realize it until it's too late to change. They just stay on and hope things change for the better, which they rarely do. Not until you do.

Why you want to pursue a career in pharmaceutical sales?

You've probably read about it.

The internet is full of related resources, and perhaps you stumble upon it while doing your career research. You probably heard people talk about it, formally or informally. You probably knew people who work in the pharma industry and envy their lifestyle.

Whatever and whichever way you've come across the medical sales profession, you've drawn a conclusion that you want to be part of it.

Previously, I wrote that people who want to join pharma sales profession because of its attractive total remuneration package (salary and perks), flexible working time, and chance to learn and improve sales competencies.

Why you don't want to be a medical sales representative?

The top reason is that you have to sell to earn your salary and commission.

Yes, I know it's evident that this is a.sales job, but many applicants seem to miss it.

Generally, people don't like to sell. They want to spend money to buy things.

But someone needs to sit on the other side of the table, and when they do, they find it not comfortable.

Next:

You have to do something different from what you study, and I don't have to look far for confession.

If I follow my field of study, I should be working with lab rats doing research. But I did something farther from it, and study people and their reaction to product offer. It still examines but not precisely what I did in Uni.

Anyway:

The sales job is not a steady job.

No matter how people like to twist and turn, sales job has its ups and downs, and in fewer than two decades, I have changed companies more than five times.

If you're looking for a steady job:

The medical sales profession is not for you.

These are, very briefly, information on medical sales rep job, and I leave it to you to make your own judgment to whether you want to pursue or ignore it before you graduate.

Related reading: Medical device sales job

What New Grads Need to Look For When Doing Online Pharmaceutical Sales Jobs Search?

I've heard about it before, but I've never seen it happen to any new grads I know, who are looking for pharmaceutical sales jobs through the online job search.

There's this news reporting about a salesman being put on trial for molesting candidates during jobs interviews. He's actually a con man (kind of remind me on the phony recruiter in the adult film industry. Don't ask me why). His idea was just to call candidates for interview at hotel rooms, and touch them.

It was not reported whether the video the whole things or not.

For new grads, to avoid being suck into such con artist scam, no matter how alluring the offer is, start doing a few things:

• Stay online and do a background check

Take a few more minutes to do a quick search, and visit the company. Check the company profile, the people behind, accolades, accomplishment, products, services, or in short, everything.

If one thing causes suspicious, it might be right.

Furthermore:

People tend to forget stuff when they do them online so check out everything and read between the lines.

And that's not all:

• Ring them up

I can only speculate, but the victim in our molest case could be blinded by monetary gain.

Yes, money is essential, but it should not take place before safety and well being.

Live, and live well to earn and enjoy the money you've made!

Or:

• Email them

At least, send them an electronic mail, not just to say 'Hi!' but to ask a few test questions:

Ask them about the job role

Ask them about the wrong words in their ads

Ask them to check whether their existence is real!

I started off with going door to door and online job search. It's the latter that land me my first job in pharmaceutical sales after my graduation.

But I did call them up.

I did not email them because back then, technology was just at its infancy:

No broadband

No smartphone

Less connectivity.

Today grads are a world apart.

In fact, they can do all the things I mentioned above before they walk down the alley for their scroll.

Do the search now!

See if there's a place for you in pharma company before you walk out the college's gate.

Will Medical Sales Rep Be Replaced By Robots?

Is there a possibility for the robot to replace a medical sales rep job?

Some human beings who sweat and bleed for companies are not so lucky. As time goes by, what they can do can be carried out by things without feeling and know only how to do their jobs. Some industries already seeing it happen but they are yet to hit common sense human interaction industries including Pharma Industry, especially sales function.

Yes, I'm talking about robots.

Will the times come for robots to replace pharma sales reps, carrying a suitcase of products samples and making calls to clinics or hospitals?

They probably won't have a problem with call report submission, but we all know that pharma sales job requires more than just filling in the report, right? Maybe some pharma companies to pay their sales reps just to fill in report and logging in activities these days. Anything can be changed.

But can sale robot take over the salesperson function?

Maybe the day will come when I can see Robo does detailing session with a sales trainer, who probably still requires human species, and with all the sophisticated programs installed into Robo, the detailing will go very smooth and precisely according to a script.

"Beep Beep ... Detecting close-ended questions asked. Use the SPIN implication question to counter the query ... Beep!"

Ha Ha Ha!

That will be the day. Imagine the same thing happen when Robo when out to see customers. Good luck Robo!

But just hypothetically:

Which company will be the first to come up with Robo prototype into the market (startup)?
Which company will be the first to engage Robo as its sales force?
Who will be the first ever sales trainer to train Robo?

I'll race to be the first blog to publish the news:

The turn of the century - Human Train Robot to Sell - RoboSell!

How's that for the blog post headline?

Do you like it?

Here's a snippet from Job Stability: 7 Jobs That Are Least Likely to Be Replaced By Robot:

"The top skills employers look for include digital knowledge, management skills and creativity, according to the authors of the 2014 study. The 2013 research focused on job requirements like people skills, cleverness, negotiation skills and the ability to maneuver in awkward spaces."

Weigh yourself against those requirements:

How did you do?

Go RoboSell (spare parts and accessories sold separately)!

Did You Make This Mistake For Your Medical Sales Job Interview?

This article is worth reading if you're currently looking for a medical sales job or any other jobs:

And do pay attention to the group which was mentioned therein (to be honest, it feels good being aged ;-)

"A recent survey conducted by JobStreet.com revealed that 87 per cent of employers encountered candidates who exhibited poor behaviour in job interviews.
Its Country Manager Chook Yuh Yng said this posed a problem to Employers seeking hire the right talent as a large portion of shortlisted candidates failed to show up for interviews despite being invited for the sessions.
Of the top 5 complaints made by employers, 34 per cent voted "No Show", whereby candidates do not show up for scheduled interviews.
She said this was followed by "Lateness", "Not Properly Attired", "Not Prepared" and "No Response to Interview Invitation".
Chook said a majority of the candidates that employers referenced came from a pool of fresh graduates and junior executives." [Article Source]

So, what do you make of this junior?

Ha ha ha ...

Remember the ole wise saying:
"Your attitude determines your altitude."

Looks to me that paper cert didn't carry colossal weight when it comes to scoring for interviews because no cert tells people how well your attitude is.

That part MUST be seen, which means face to face.

So, what's right about this?

For folks who feel that they don't quite match up with academic qualification compared to the currently available candidates, make sure you keep your positive attitude because for many employers it counts.

Always has, always will.

For juniors:

Grow up!

You have the advantage of age so use it to work for you, not against you.

Stop with all nonsense and craps which you usually use to skip classes last time.

Juniors ... sheesh ...