Experienced Medical Sales Representative

If you are reading this page, you have some sort of experience selling a product in the healthcare arena. We must make an important distinction, however, between relevant experience and sales experience that, while valuable, is not directly relevant to the position you are applying for. You must look at this from the hiring manager’s perspective.

Relevant experience refers to a salesperson who has previously sold a similar product to a similar target market in a similar environment. For example, you have relevant experience if you have sold spinal implants to orthopedic spine surgeons and neuro-spine surgeons and are applying for a position selling spinal implants with another company or in another marketplace. Your experience is not relevant if you have sold specialty pharmaceuticals to the oncology market and are applying for positions selling spinal implants.

If your sales experience is not relevant, that does not mean it is not valuable or is irrelevant. It does mean that a hiring manager will still have to make a very big investment in you if you are hired for the position, and that may be a deciding factor in whether or not you are considered for the position.