Zimmer Sales Academy

Hey Guys::::

Anyone gone though the Zimmer Sales Academy training? How was it? Did you get hired right away?

Worth it or waste of time?

 

I got hired the day we were done...at Arby's! Cmon thats funny. No seriously, its is better than having a MBA from Harvard I promise. If people see that on your resume they fall to kiss your 1st metatarsal. ( I learned that in the class)

 

Do you have to pay for it?

 

no, you just sign your future away with a non-compete. however, get into it if you can quick because Zimmer is going to end it, ..... it is a huge flop. great entry level resume builder, that bein said.... we hired a couple of z-acad kids.....50% success rate. the girls are the worst...just not wired for this job. however, the z-acad recruiters have a active casting couch and the classes have tons of hot chicks!

 

Thanks Guys,

Do they give you a choice on where you want to be placed?

Do they pay you?

 

Also, does it mean automatic placement in Zimmer??

Thanks guys you rock!

 

Does it mean automatic Sr. rep position where you have an assistant to ship trays around?

 

I was fortunate enough to be paired up w/ a senior rep who is supposed to "mentor" me as I learn this industry. My mgr told me 1st yr comp should be around 200k.

 

Is that straight out of the academy? Did you get to choose your territory?

 

Yes. The senior rep is doing really well & needed help

 

dang! thats really impressive!

TO THE Z-GRADS:
Did you travel around the country?
Did you get to choose your territory?
HOw did you choose where you went after graduating??

THANKS GUYS!!!!!!

 

This string of posts is retarded.

 

Worth it or waste of time? With no job guarantee should I just apply for a regular position?

 

Worth it. Any training you can get on a companies dime is beneficial to you. You would live in Warsaw for a period of time, learn the business, the products and competitors. I do not believe you get to chose exactly where you get to live and work, but the company tries to get you close. If you can take matters into your own hands, then go for it.

No doubt you will start out as the low person on the totem pole, but you would be doing that at any other company as well. Good luck.

 

Here's the skinny as it was run for some time, but I don't know if it's still the same plan:
6 months of training on the company dime. You splite between in-house corp training in Warsaw and a couple internship-like rotations with one of the distributors in the field. While in Warsaw you live in the Z Hotel in town (Zimmer owns it) until they find you some sort of group apartment or flop house to rent (program consists primarily of bright recent grads from engineering undergrad programs, but some slightly older people often with great sales backgrounds or eagerness but with no or limited industry experience. Pay is annualized at $60k/yr, so essentially you get paid $30k for 6 months of training. Training is very comprehensive, including intensive Med School-like cadaver training for a week at Ohio State and lots of hands-on product training and sales training/role playing. No guarantee of placement after the program, but the placement rate is nearly 100% with a distributor SOMEWHERE - they might tell you that you'll get your pick of where you want to go, but that's not totally true. Kind of depends on who wants to hire you and who has an open slot on their sales team. absolutely no way you will make 200k 1st year out of the academy. If someone truly did, then that is an exception, not the rule. In most cases you will be hired to sell in a place where there is little or no business, so you might be lucky to end up at the $50-100k level. Every distributor pays differently though, so it's all over the map. If you end up in a direct trauma role you will make peanuts and end up looking to parlay your newfound experience into a better paying role rather quickly. For recent college grads looking for work today though as difficult as the economy is, most people would love to get paid $30k to go to school for another 6 months to be prepared to work in a great industry. Just sayin. Kind of silly to pass it up, but you need to really understand what youre getting into with the non-compete (which any company will make you sign anyway). Just understand that if they train you for 6 months on trauma, you can't go sell trauma for another company for 12 or 18 months.

 

Sorry, I rounded my numbers. I made $191,482 in my 1st yr

 

THank you so much for your help. Do you recommend going to the sales academy versus just applying for a regular sales position? which looks better? I'm scared if I go through the academy I will get placed in the middle of nowhere with a horrible DM??

 

I am recommending you stop reading this stupid thread. $191k first year working under a senior rep is total BS. You will be lucky to make a $60k guarantee for a year. The new reps that get their own territories go on commission and then you make less. If you work under a senior rep you will make $40k and work your ass off. You have a non-compete contract and you are screwed.

 

What if you could land a spot with your local Zimmer Distributor, delay your start date and go through the training program? Everybody wins.

 

fantastic idea! but can they guarantee me a job like that? can you do it backwards like that???