A bit about my background: Around three years ago, I was approached by an old friend with an opportunity in medical device sales. At the time, I was working in IT, but I made the leap based on the promise of a salaried role and a new career path. Unfortunately, the experience didn’t turn out as expected. He was an independent sales rep with multiple product lines and took a very hands-off approach to management. We weren’t a good personality match, and he never provided transparency around my actual sales numbers. Ultimately, we parted ways early last year.
Shortly after, one of the companies we previously worked with offered me another opportunity. I accepted under the impression that I’d be co-managing a large territory alongside another rep. However, it turned out I was simply a 1099 contractor, not a true partner. Since then, the rep has brought on two more team members—both with more industry tenure—so they now get priority access to larger hospitals and accounts.
While I’ve had a few solid wins, the assigned hospitals in my territory have very limited budgets, and I’m not earning enough to support my family. I’ve come to realize that this unstructured, commission-only setup isn’t sustainable for me. I’m ready to transition into a more stable, corporate sales environment—ideally with clear expectations, support, and room for growth.
My biggest challenge right now is that I don’t have quantifiable sales metrics from these roles to present on my resume, which has made connecting with recruiters more difficult. I know I have what it takes to succeed in sales—I build strong relationships, and when I get in front of a customer, I almost always close the deal. That said, my biggest challenge is the lack of hard sales numbers to include on my resume, which makes it tough to stand out to recruiters. Cold calling has also been my weakest area, but I’ve been learning and improving through real-world experience.
I’m confident in my ability to thrive in a more structured and supportive sales environment, but I’m struggling to position myself effectively on paper. Does anyone have advice on how to tailor a resume when you know you have the skills, but not the metrics to back it up (yet)? I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed and could really use some guidance.
Sorry for the wall of text!
Shortly after, one of the companies we previously worked with offered me another opportunity. I accepted under the impression that I’d be co-managing a large territory alongside another rep. However, it turned out I was simply a 1099 contractor, not a true partner. Since then, the rep has brought on two more team members—both with more industry tenure—so they now get priority access to larger hospitals and accounts.
While I’ve had a few solid wins, the assigned hospitals in my territory have very limited budgets, and I’m not earning enough to support my family. I’ve come to realize that this unstructured, commission-only setup isn’t sustainable for me. I’m ready to transition into a more stable, corporate sales environment—ideally with clear expectations, support, and room for growth.
My biggest challenge right now is that I don’t have quantifiable sales metrics from these roles to present on my resume, which has made connecting with recruiters more difficult. I know I have what it takes to succeed in sales—I build strong relationships, and when I get in front of a customer, I almost always close the deal. That said, my biggest challenge is the lack of hard sales numbers to include on my resume, which makes it tough to stand out to recruiters. Cold calling has also been my weakest area, but I’ve been learning and improving through real-world experience.
I’m confident in my ability to thrive in a more structured and supportive sales environment, but I’m struggling to position myself effectively on paper. Does anyone have advice on how to tailor a resume when you know you have the skills, but not the metrics to back it up (yet)? I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed and could really use some guidance.
Sorry for the wall of text!