Medical Sales Jobs
Medical Sales Jobs questions and answers
Find information on health career opportunitiesat the job website Employment 4U.
Q: What is a good medical sales job to start?
I keep finding medical sales jobs that all require two years of previous experience in what else medical sales. But none ever offer ground floor sales jobs. I have plenty of sales experience and I really want to try my hand at being a pharmaceutical rep.
Any ideas?
A: In many cases your actual sales experience will be considered in lieu of the prior medical experience, as long as your resume' supports consistency and performance...they usually prefer that you have a degree as well, but if you have 5 years of outside sales then take a shot....
Don't forget to highlight your willingness and aptitude for learning new things quickly
Q: Considering a Job in Medical Sales?
I am considering a job as a Sales Rep, for a medical supply company. Does anyone have experience with that and would you reccomend?
A: Go for it they make big bucks. You will need a good car.
Q: Who can help me get a job in medical device sales or pharmaceutical sales?Suggestions are greatly appreciated!
I have over 20 years of selling experience but not in the medical device or pharmaceutical sales industry. I have sent out numerous resumes through search engines, local newspapers, company websites and career fairs but can't even get my foot through the door! I am concentrating my job search to these fields. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance and have a very merry holiday season!
A: First and foremost, it is not impossible. I made the move from industrial sales to pharmaceutical (big pharma via little pharma) six years back now. It does and can happen. In fact, I've seen people of all ages hired in the last few years.
However, to be frank, why pharma? Many of us are trying to get so we'd be happy to make the vacancy. The game of pharma just aint that sweet these days.
Medzilla.com is a great resource for finding openings. But often, recruiters aren't going to work with people without industry experience. If you have b2b experience hype it in your resume and contact recruiters directly, or hr at various company websites.
Med device sales is different than pharma. It is more hands-on and measurable, whereas pharma sales is much more intangible as only information and sales presentations are passed on, but no product.
Look, lots of device companies are looking for people with strong b2b without pharma experience because selling is selling, just a different widget. Pharma is selling without the widget.
I got my first job, and subsequently current pharma position by applying to newspaper ads. Now, it's all web driven. I knew a salesman for a tobacco company who would take his lunch break everyday and stand in parking lots of hospitals and large practices to pass his resume on to reps.
Most tossed it as many of us are extremely arrogant. He eventually got a position and is one of his company's top reps.
Do some research first. What does the future hold for this industry; I have no idea. It won't, though, look like it does now in a few more years.
I guess to best answer your question is to pass on the best resources. Below:
www.monster.com
www.cafepharma.com
www.medzilla.com
Soul search, my friend. And good luck!
Q: Sales and Medical Job anyone?
Is there anyone out there with a job in medical sales. how is the job market? Do you like what you do? Why? What is your favorite part? What would you change about it if you could? I will now boldly ask, how much do you make an average year?
A: My sister works at Forest Pharmaceuticals in Kansas City, and she is a Drug Sales Representative...She says the market is very good and high when she sells drugs to doctors...Her favorite part is taking doctors out to dinner to discuss the drug(s) she is offering them, but then she has to pay the food bill herself...and the highest bill she had was $4,000 because she took a bunch of doctors out to this fancy restaurant in KC, and they all ordered lobster and steak, and 9 bottles of the most expensive wine on the list...lol...She would change the rules that they make like she has to drive their car, which is a Dodge something or other..lol...and she can't drive any other car to work, because it's the company car...she started at $80,000 and she's been on this job for 5 years and she's know making $128,000...The bad thing about this job is you get a raise for how many drugs you sell.
Q: How do I get a job in medical device sales?
I have sales experience , but no B2B experience. I worked in retail sales for three years. I also sold Vinyl siding for one year. I have a degree in Marketing as well. The only downside is I have not worked in sales for over 7 years.
A: There are so many sources available online to find jobs in specific areas. I will suggest this website, it has lots and lots of sales jobs.
http://www.sellingcrossing.com
Q: Pharma Sales/ Medical Sales or stay in current Industry??
I am currently working for one of the Big 3 Small Parcel Companies (UPS/ Fed-ex/ DHL) in outside Field Sales. I made about 100K last year which is great, but I doubt I will make that much in 2008. I have heard a lot about pharma and medical sales. A lot of people seem to think that as far as sales goes, pharma and medical is the best sales job you can have. I am a 32 -year old male, and I am actually not really enjoying my current position... I am an outgoing/ fun person who everyone likes, and I now have a great resume to explore other options. What are pharma and medical sales jobs all about? What are your thoughts about transitioning out of Transportation into pharma or Medical...? I am looking to make 100K or more, meet some great people, work hard, and also have some fun while doing it.
A: If your wanting to make the transition just remember ALOT of the pharma companies have been laying off they're reps and seasoned ones at that. I would recommend medical device and speciality pharma over primary care. The first 2 aren't really market driven whereas primary is typically market driven. Also, the pay of rep's first starting out isn't 100k. Depending on experience your probably looking at a base of around 45-55k. Probably not what your looking for. It may not be the best of ideas making the transition but it's something your going to have to research to find out for yourself. I would check out medzilla.com and take a look at the pharma/medical device sales forums. Good luck to you!
Q: How do I get into pharmaceutical/medical sales with little sales experience?
I will be completing my MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Management at the end of the this year. I am looking for my first professional job, preferably in pharmaceutical/medical sales/management, but not limited to this arena in order to create a strong foundation for my leadership skills and excitement for the industry.
A: Start out in a pharmcy
Q: With "voice recognition" tech devices emerging so well, will this make medical transcription jobs obsolete?
is it true that the medical transcription profession is basically a sales job... to get the work to begin with?
A: Speech recognition has been looming for over a decade, without posing a real threat to transcriptionists. The danger in using it in medical transcription is that many words sound alike and could negatively alter a patient's record. Even once perfected, how will speech recognition ever know the difference between an ilium and an ileum?
The theory is that once it is perfected, transcriptionists will move into editorial positions, listening to the dictation while correcting the patient's record.
More on this, plus real job listings, at the website below. No affiliation with any product or school, just good, free info.
Q: Can someone tell me about Medical sales rep job? what do u do? what is ur salary? how did you find this job?
I want to find what i can do with bachelor of biology degree/chem minor. just searching for options...
A: If you are comfortable with sales, I think you should look into this. The company will train you so you will have a good understanding of the products and what they treat or how they are used. You may represent only one product or more. And then, you basically work your territory - getting to see the doctors/pharmacists/nurses etc. There will be lots of record keeping, meetings, and goals to meet.
Salaries will vary -- some products do not require as much expertise as others, so the range could be anywhere between $50-90K for a starting salary, plus car and bonus if goals are met.
Most pharma companies have career sections on their corporate web sites, some also post to internet sites like Monster, etc., so you can search openings in your area.
Q: Any tips for getting a job in pharmaceutical sales/Medical Device Sale, and which companies should I apply to?
I am a recent college graduate with a Business Administration Degree with an emphasis in Marketing. I am looking to get a pharmaceutical or medical device sales job in the Lexington, KY/Cincinnati, OH or surrounding areas. I was hoping to get some tips from someone in the business, and hopefully make a contact or two. I have a good resume and cover letter-or as good as you can have fresh out of college-but would like someone to point me in the right direction. Also, I wouldn't mind suggestions for companies to apply to. Some that I have applies to already are Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Stryker.
A: I'd strongly advise using the following job websites:
Monster.com
Medzilla.com (Pharma/Med Sales Specific site)
CareerBuilder.com
Hotjobs.com (Yahoo job site)
You can also consider starting out as a Contract Pharma Sales Rep with Inventiv, Innovex, or PDI....Many reps got their start this way.
I'm seeking a new position myself, and noticed a LOT of Entry Level Pharma Sales opportunities on Monster.com....I'm a 10 year veteran in the Industry, so I'm looking at Experienced Level positions.
Good Luck to you! :)
Q: Any tips for getting a job in pharmaceutical/Medical Device sales, and which companies should I apply to?
I am a recent college graduate with a Business Administration Degree with an emphasis in Marketing. I am looking to get a pharmaceutical or medical device sales job in the Lexington, KY/Cincinnati, OH or surrounding areas. I was hoping to get some tips from someone in the business, and hopefully make a contact or two. I have a good resume and cover letter-or as good as you can have fresh out of college-but would like someone to point me in the right direction. Also, I wouldn't mind suggestions for companies to apply to. Some that I have applies to already are Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, Stryker.
A: http://www.ethiconinc.com/bgdisplay.jhtml;jsessionid=UKIAVWAKFXNVUCUCERDRXCQ?itemname=careers&topic=careers
http://www.jnj.com/careers/global/index.htm
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?IPath=JRGTM&sc_cmp1=js_navg_nvjtl&nvjtl=%5eJN049%24&APath=2.21.0.0.0&ff=21&excrit=QID%3dA3851720141948%3bst%3da%3buse%3dALL%3bCID%3dUS%3bSID%3dOH%3bTID%3d0%3bENR%3dNO%3bDTP%3dDRNS%3bYDI%3dYES%3bIND%3dALL%3bPDQ%3dAll%3bJN%3dJN049%3bPAYL%3d0%3bPAYH%3dgt120%3bPOY%3dNO%3bETD%3dALL%3bRE%3dALL%3bMGT%3dDC%3bSUP%3dDC%3bFRE%3d30%3bCHL%3dal%3bQS%3dsid_unknown%3bSS%3dNO%3bTITL%3d0%3bOB%3d-modifiedint%3bJQT%3dRAD%3bJDV%3dFalse
http://www.diversity-jobs.com/details/job/49918/search/
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2007/industries/21/1.html
http://www.medicalssi.com/job%20postings.html
http://www.nrcols.com/
http://www.surgisales.com/Job%20Openings.htm
http://www.gene.com/gene/about/
http://www.gene.com/gene/about/corporate/awards/index.html#fortune100best
http://www.merck.com/careers/
http://www.hirerx.com/a/pharmaceutical/ohio-jobs/
http://www.napsronline.org/
(the above site has many pharm co's HQ linked on bottom right of page)
http://covidien.com/covidien/pagebuilder.aspx?webPageID=161201
http://www.bostonscientific.com/Careers.bsci/,,/navRelId/1000.1007/seo.serve
https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_home.asp?partnerid=20053&siteid=5030
http://www.abbott.com/global/url/content/en_US/50:50/general_content/General_Content_00013.htm
http://www.allergan.com/careers/index.htm
http://www.depuy.com/Pages/Careers.aspx
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fortune/0704/gallery.500top50.fortune/19.html
http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/fortune/custom_ranking.jsp
http://www.rocheusa.com/career/default.asp
http://www.roche-diagnostics.us/careers.html
http://www.pharmahorizons.com/
Being an inexperienced new college grad, your best shot would be Pharmaceutical Sales because a Pharmaceutical company wants to train you in their drug line with their specific "detailing" style. I have attached the major fortune 500 drug companies in the U.S. If you call the corporate headquarters, sometimes they will give you the address of the regional sales manager in your area that you can forward your resume to. The bigger the company, the more corporate training involved, the bigger the chance that they will hire new grads.
Some companies use Recruiting Firms, the major names can be found in your local yellow pages. Most of the time pharm co's will simply put an ad in your Sunday paper for a open call for interviews. The recruiting firm is often easiest because they will just put a few good candidates up for a position. You set an appointment to meet with them & bring a resume. They will then put you in front of any possible medical/pharmaceutical managers that they feel are a good fit for the perspective employer. The newspaper open call will have you send your resume to a P.O. Box & then someone will call you for a phone interview if you meet their requirements. If that goes well, then they will schedule a face-to-face interview.
Most Pharmaceutical Co's are looking for a good GPA, good organizational skills, any activites that demonstrate team work skills. They are looking for a self-starter who is polished & can speak intelligently about their drugs, studies, etc. Most Pharm Co's have a 2-3 month training at their HQ. You do get a company car, so you must have a clean driving record.If you get a district /regional manager's name or interview follow-up is key. Always write a thank you letter & make a personal call too after any phone or personal interview. Know something about each company, as in major drugs, research news,homework is key in making yourself stand out . Watch & read medical news, if there is a new drug in the pipeline that usually means that the company will be launching it soon. This means new jobs openings in most markets.
Yet another way to get in front of a hiring exec is to use your college placement program. Almost all the Fortune 500 companies do campus recruiting. You can usually coordinate several interviews in a 2-3 day time frame with several companies while they are on campus.
Hopefully this will give you a good start. Get as many resumes out and be persistent.If all else fails,go to a teaching hospital in your area, hang out there on Mondays around noon. You will see at least 10 reps bringing in lunch for the interns. You can always ask for a card or a contact, lots of people used to ask me for info. Almost all wear a company name tag & are easy to spot. Your local pharmacies are also great to get contact names. The head pharmacist at CVS or Walgreens often not only has all of the PSR business cards & contact info but, they usually also have the district mgr's info. Make sure you go during the week around when they are less busy & have some time to talk.
Some drug co's look for a heavy science background but, most don't. Eli Lilly is an example of a company who mainly pulls from science, pharmacy, or medical backgrounds. The others are fine with a business degree. Get to know types of docs too. As a PSR the majority of your duties will have to do with organizing your day, setting meetings with Dr's & detailing them on the latest drug or study info, having educational luncheons, delivering samples, setting up seminars, special events,calling on departments of hospitals, & calling on Pharmacists in your zip coded sales territory area. You need to be computer savy as your daily calls are tracked & presentation info. is contained on your company provided laptop. All of this is very structured and meticulously taught in training but, it always helps to know a bit about what your job would entail when interviewing.
Good luck!
______________
Just thought of another field that is big for medical sales...homecare sales. Here is a link with all the locations in Ohio & Kentucky. You can give them a call or drop in and get regional or local contact info:
http://www.apria.com/branch_locator1/1,3577,496-Ohio,00.html
http://www.coramhealthcare.com/
http://www.baxter.com/about_baxter/careers/index.html
(pharm, equipment, home infusion)
Q: How does a former professional baseball player make the jump from mortgage sales to a more stable sales career
I have been in the mortgage business for two years. Sales and the industry are down and I need to make a change. My only relevant sales experience is in mortgages, but I want to get into the pharma-medical sales industry. Any tips on how to land a great sales job for a tall handsome former professional baseball player?
A: I don't think there's much you can do, other than come up with a good CV/Resume + references, and just apply for them.
Though it may help (if you've got the money & spare time) to do a few relavent courses to boost your skills, and try make it at least look like you're interested in advancing your career (e.g. Computer skills, management, etc), if you aren't already doing this.
Q: How do I become a medical sales rep and what companies could I work for?
I'm looking to get into this field. What companies could I potentially work for? All the jobs I've seen online don't actually tell you as it is recruitment companies who are advertising.
A: I was a Medical Rep some years ago. I guess many aspects will not have changed.
Pharmaceutical companies look for medical knowledge (drop out 2nd or 3 rd year Medical students) pharmaceutical knowledge (qualified pharmacists) and other graduates with relevant job experience. Irrespective of qualifiaction and experience you must have the right sort of personality and communication skills.
Medical Reps do not sell drugs to doctors and pharmacists; they try to convince the doctor to prescribe their company's Branded drug as opposed to the generic product. E.g amoxil rather than penicillin; erythrocin rather than erythromycin. Then s/he has to persuade the chemist to stock their Branded drug and if possible to dispense it against an open or generic prescription as well as when it is named in the prescription.
The Medical rep must know everything about each of his company's,products, because s/'he will provide the doctor's initial education in the properties and conraindications for each new product.
A good Medical rep is welcomed by his doctors as a knowledge resource - if s/he is really good s/he might well become a friend as well. It is a great job, but very responsible and demanding.
There are several sources of information on pharmaceutical companies. Try contacting the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), in Whitehall, for references and even some Career Advice.
Good luck
Q: what is the job of a medical sales representative?
A: To sell incontinence pants to old ladies. They don't need them, they just like to be measured by you to find the right size. Then they ask you to give advice on colours/styles while they try them on in front of you.