Myths of Landing a Medical Sales Job

Medical sales jobs (and especially medical device sales jobs) are notorious for being difficult to get into, and most people assume that it’s impossible for candidates who are right out of college. While it’s true that competition for these jobs is fierce, it’s a myth that you can’t land a spot for yourself as a new graduate. The same information applies to anyone who wants to transition into medical sales.

How? Here are some possibilities that can get you past that hurdle:

• If you have a very technical degree like chemistry, biology, or other life science degree.

• If you have some experience in the medical field from a job you’ve worked in college.

• If you have any special relationships in your network that could open doors for you.

Some experiences that would give you an additional significant boost:

• Sales experience from a full- or a part-time job

• Preparing a 30/60/90-day plan for the company (a plan for success in your first 90 days of employment shows hiring managers that you do know what you’re doing and you’re motivated to do it)

One thing to keep in mind: You will be vying for jobs against people with a lot more experience than you, especially in this economy, so you should have a fall back plan for other types of jobs you would take or other experiences you could get that would prepare you for the medical sales field. Think sales jobs that require a closing process, jobs within the medical field that teach you the language and build relationships, job shadowing experiences, and more. Be creative and keep your end goal in mind: a medical sales job.