Medical sales is an exciting profession that allows you to connect with new and innovative customers. You can grow your career through medical sales in various ways. However, there are also many drawbacks to the medical industry. With all that considered, should medical sales be the next big thing for you?
How You Can Get Into This Career
Most medical sales positions require a bachelor’s degree in any major, with those in technical fields such as biology, chemistry, or engineering preferred. This is because they can better understand the product and improve communication with their clients. It also explains why most entry-level medical sales reps are often either fresh out of college or have a few years of industry experience. You may want to consider going to a specialist med sales institute in order to get your degree and improve your career prospects if this is a career you are serious about.
In terms of experience, an entry-level rep could have anywhere from no experience to 4+ years of full-time work experience. A recent college grad could be hired at this level if they have a combination of work and internship experience.
The Pros Of Medical Sales: Good Pay, Opportunity To Help People, and Interesting Work
The medical sales industry has a rather low turnover rate compared to other sectors. This means that if you work hard and gain experience and skills, you can be promoted to higher positions with better compensation.
One of the biggest advantages of this job, though, is the fact that it helps to improve lives. In medical sales, you are motivating customers to buy products that help them live healthier lives.
As a medical sales rep, you can learn how to be persuasive and how to talk directly with people about their medical needs. You can be a resource for doctors and other healthcare professionals who need help selling their products. By helping them make more money, your job also helps the economy in many ways as well.
A lot of people are also attracted to this career because of the potential for work-life balance and flexibility in terms of hours worked and location fulfillment.
Considerations about the Realities of the Job
The medical sales industry has a reputation for long hours, high stress, and difficulty advancing. Medical sales is a highly competitive field, meaning that to advance to the top, you must work extremely hard and have top-notch skills. You will find several careers with very similar realities, so don’t let this put you off.
The medical sales industry sometimes gets unfair criticism for being only for those who are “good talkers” or who can “sell ice to an Eskimo”. While there is some truth to this statement, medical sales involve more than just talking yourself into a sale. You will have to learn about your product inside and out before you are able to sell it with confidence.
Medical Sales Can Be A Rewarding But Challenging Career
The medical industry is competitive, especially when it comes to commission-based positions. You must have top-notch skills and experience if you want to succeed in this industry. Consider the benefits of this job and the realities that come with it.
