How To Get a Position In Clinical Revenue If You Haven’t Worked In Sales

As a pharma sales headhunter, I get almost every day inquiries from people who would like to be in clinical sales even though they have no sales background and want to know what they should do.  I’m never surprised to get these calls.  Clinical sales is (I think) the top tier of sales categories, and there are many, many people who want to be involved in it.  But because it’s such a desirable career path and so many strong candidates are vying for career opportunities, competition is tough–which means you’re going to have to be at the big of your game to land a spot.

Landing a career opportunity in laboratory sales is difficult, but not impossible.  There are 3 ways you can go (or you can mix and match):

Hire a career coach. An hour will do it for most people, generally split up into short sessions over days or weeks, as you implement the suggestions.  It might look something like this:

• First Twenty minutes: Review your CV, identify your goals, and pinpoint which areas you have to improve.  You’ll get a list of revenue books to read (so you don’t need to take a class), and we’ll set up a job-shadowing territory, if you’d like.

• Next 20 minute session: Once you’ve read the books and made your resume changes, we’ll discuss the concepts and review your resume.

• Final 20 minute session: We’ll put together a plan for your position shadow, discuss what your goal is, and talk about how to incorporate the keywords you’ll get from it into your CV so that it will get the attention of hiring managers and their Applicant Tracking Systems.

But the best thing about working with a career coach is that it’s personalized.  If you need help with another aspect of getting the career opportunity, that’s what you’ll concentrate on.  You’ll talk about your specific situation, in detail, to determine the most effective steps you can take to land the job.

Get the How to Get Into Clinical Sales kit. I have organized everything I’ve learned from the last 15 years in the business into a a step-by-step, comprehensive guide:

* tips and tricks from 15 years of working and placing people in medical revenue
* a RESUME template designed to be your marketing brochure
* a bold and persuasive cover letter
* a technology sheet –your “secret weapon”
* a thank you note that will be another selling tool for you
* A 30/60/90-day plan – you’ll be the most prepared candidate the hiring manager has ever seen

The tools available in this kit are a complete, step-by-step map for you to follow to land your dream career opportunity in pharmaceutical revenue.

Work the “Do-It-Yourself” plan.

You can completely research what it takes to transition into medical sales from a non-sales background.  There are hundreds of articles available right on this blog, and here are some key tips:

• Go for a ride-along with a revenue rep. See what a typical day is like.  Ask questions about the job, discover out how to be competitive in the career opportunity search and once you get the job.  Get a few names to call from labs, doctors, or hospitals they sell to.

• Use the field preceptorship (job shadowing) to fill your RESUME with keywords that will make sure it’s flagged by computerized tracking systems.  Your resume should have a sales focus and also highlight your technical background.

• Work your professional network. Set up a profile on LinkedIn.  Join revenue groups like Sales Cafe:  Sales Rep Careers to make contacts and gain knowledge.

• Improve your revenue skills. Read about sales skills and revenue call best practices online, and discover some books on sales techniques.  Watch my YouTube videos for job search advice.

• Learn to handle phone interviews. Most initial contacts with recruiters and hiring managers are conducted by phone, because it’s an efficient way to weed out candidates who aren’t going to fit.  You must know how to make a good impression so you can land the face-to-face interview.

• Learn how to write a 30/60/90-day plan. This is a key element to your job interview process–especially if you have no sales experience.  It helps the hiring manager understand that you know what it takes to be successful in the job, and helps him “see” you as a revenue rep.  A 30/60/90-day plan is a written outline of what you’d be doing in the first Thirty days, the first 60 days, and the first Ninety days on the job–like training, customer introductions, and going after new accounts.  If it’s specific to the company, it lets the hiring manager know that you’ve researched and prepared for THIS career opportunity, and you’re very interested in working for this particular company.

It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.  I wish you the best of luck.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Headhunter at the nationally
recognized pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
© Copyright 2008 PHC Consulting | All rights reserved

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How To Get a Job In Medical Sales If You Haven’t Worked In Sales