Looking for Your Insight . . . Please

[Anonymous]

I have worked for the same big pharma company for the past 7+ years, both as a sales representative and most recently as a clinical trainer and am now interested in pursuing a career in the sales of medical supplies/devices. I'm looking for some HELPFUL advice (complainers need not reply) as to how I can get my foot in the door without having previously sold medical equipment/devices before, but have been very successful in pharmaceutical sales.

Your insight/advice (specific to your current employer and/or generalized advice to what qualifications/requirements/skill sets the industry as a whole is looking for) would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

[salesgirl36]

Well I'm a couple up on ya....5 years pharma, Ortho Rehab Nurse, Ortho Nurse Educator, Corporate Rehab Clinical Training Specialist and I am getting little to no response.....facing the facts that pharma doesn't amount to jack in device sales. The two I have interviewed with said it was my clinical hands on and Medical Training experience that got me there.....bottom line for pharma reps is to know someone in the biz. One of my friends is going straight to F2f with Stryker without all the hoops, because she has mgmt connections.........I better get my fanny in gear!!

[Anonymous]

THE GRASS IS NOT GREENER> I was in big pharma for 9 years and got burned out. I was lucky enough to have some friends in ortho that said you will have fun for a while and you'll do well but you'll hate the on call schedule. I didn't care/ hear them and went for a trauma sales job with one of the top three companies. A year later I am kicking myself for the move. Please don't get me wrong, the scrubs and OR excitement keeps me waking up in the morning. However, my resume is dusted off and I am looking for a 9-5 pharma job again. Knowing what I now know I would tell you to wait for the best opportunity and make sure you don't have a "on call" schedule. You also have to make sure the company you go with has some products in the local hospitals that you'll call on. If not you may have to wait for months before you can get purchasing to look at your products. At least thats the way it is in the west.
Good luck and research the company, hospitals and orthos that use your product.