How to Get A Job in Medical Sales Without Experience

How do you get a job in medical sales or break into medical sales without direct experience? Well, start to consider some of your inexperience as your expertise. Even if you have worked outside of medical sales, it’s likely that you have some sales or marketing accomplishments in another field. If you can sell your potential employer that your previous outside experience is sufficient, then you are well on your way to being a part of the medical sales world.

Below are some tips for getting a medical sales job without experience and breaking into the medical sales world:

1. Develop a resume that highlights or bullets your sales accomplishments. The employer should be able to see your accomplishments by just glancing at your resume.  Don’t hide sales accomplishments on the second page of a resume.  Put accomplishments on the first page of your resume and use bullets to highlight your successes.  A sales resume that shows sales numbers (rankings, quota attainment and awards) is an effective tool to sell your skills to an employer.
2. Use keywords in your resume, such as medical products, medical devices and pharmaceutical. Keywords can be added to the “Objective” area of your resume.  Resume submissions are typically entered into a company’s talent acquisition system and that system is often searched by researchers and human resource professionals for an appropriate fit. While searching for potential candidates for a position, they will enter keywords into a database to find candidates that best match the job description. By adding some of these keywords to your resume, it increases the likelihood that your resume will be viewed.

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1. Network with those you know within your desired industry. If you don’t know anyone, reach out to your physician, pharmacist or check medical sales groups in your area (LinkedIn offers some groups like these).  Give your resume to these individuals to distribute to sales representatives they know.
2. Target your applications. Use job search tools like Indeed.com to find medical sales jobs in your area.  Read the job requirements and ask yourself what skills you have that would be similar to the requirements set by the employer in their advertisement.  If you do not have any of the requirements set forth by the employer, then you most likely will not get selected.  If you have some of the requirements, then sell your background and skills in a cover letter to the employer.
3. Don’t give up. Everyone has to start somewhere.  Remember, you are selling a product and that product is… YOU!  Take time to figure out what unique qualities you have to offer when applying for a position.  Then, after you have thoroughly researched the role, go out and sell your credentials and abilities to that prospective employer.