Advice about working in pacemakers

[Anonymous]

Had a question, at Medtronic is a Clinical Specialist considered a rep and a Sales Rep basically the manager of a group of Clinicals? I was told I would come in as a Clinical Specialist with my first year guaranteed at 120K. Would I report to a Sales Rep or to a Manager? How much do they earn?

 

[Anonymous]

Why don't you track down a rep and talk to them. I can answer a little. Clinical is clinical. While a representative of the company you would not be a sales rep. If you can get 120K guaranteed the first year go for it. It seems high. As for what sales reps and managers make it depends on whether they make plan or are floundering. In the whole scheme of things though you make what you are offered and can negotiate. Some make more and some make less. All of them make more than clinicals.

If you start as a clinical it is unlikely you would become a sales rep. It's not that it doesn't happen it just doesn't happen often. I my area the sales rep has been here for almost 15 years. None of the clinicals have gone on to greener patures (outside of layoffs).

I hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous]

Had a question, at Medtronic is a Clinical Specialist considered a rep and a Sales Rep basically the manager of a group of Clinicals? I was told I would come in as a Clinical Specialist with my first year guaranteed at 120K. Would I report to a Sales Rep or to a Manager? How much do they earn?

120k? That is very high for someone getting started...congrats.

Agree with above poster about how cinicals typically remain clinicals. If the territory is big enough, they usually make a spot for someone. The more important point here is that unless you're coming in with Cath Lab experience, you probably need to spend 2 years in the field developing the technical proficiency expected of a rep.

120k....I can't get over that...

 

[Anonymous]

Why don't you track down a rep and talk to them. I can answer a little. Clinical is clinical. While a representative of the company you would not be a sales rep. If you can get 120K guaranteed the first year go for it. It seems high. As for what sales reps and managers make it depends on whether they make plan or are floundering. In the whole scheme of things though you make what you are offered and can negotiate. Some make more and some make less. All of them make more than clinicals.

If you start as a clinical it is unlikely you would become a sales rep. It's not that it doesn't happen it just doesn't happen often. I my area the sales rep has been here for almost 15 years. None of the clinicals have gone on to greener patures (outside of layoffs).

I hope this helps.

Thanks for insight but as a Clinical am I supervised by a Sales Rep or by a Manager? Is the transition usually: Clinical to Sales Rep to Manager? And one more question, if 120K seems high does that mean I shouldnt expect to make more years 2,3, 4 etc? My current status is I'm a hospital rep already making 110K/year but am burned out and am looking to transition to medical devices

 

[Anonymous]

Clinical specialists report to their District Service Manager. Sales reps report to their District (Sales) Manager.

If you've already talked money, then you should have known this. Sounds like you have some fact checking to do. $120k sounds too high for a CS starting out.

 

[Anonymous]

For a person with a "guaranteed offer of 120k for a CS position", you seem to know very little about the position or what the reporting structure is.

With that being said, a previous poster was correct in that it will take you at least 1 year to complete training and another year to 2 years to achieve some level of technical proficiency. Furthermore, after completing these introductory years, a promotion to a 'sales rep' position certainly isn't guaranteed.

Clinical Specialists do report to a District Service Manager [or directly to the District Sales Manager in absence of a DSM]. They do have the ability to move up the clinical ladder by achieving promotions to Senior CS, Principle CS, et al.

In terms of potentially making a transition to a Sales Rep or District Manager; it is something that is possible but certainly isn't probable in the case of every CS. If you look at the just the sheer numbers, there are somewhere around 1-2 sales reps for every 2-4 CSes; and 1 DM for ever 6-10 sales reps. So just the law of numbers highlights how difficult it is to make the transition from one track to the other.

If making it to the Sales Rep or District Manager level is what you aspire to do, I certainly wouldn't dissuade you. Just know that its going to take some patience, a significant amount of hard work and touch of luck to make it.

Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

OP here: 120K is guaranteed and it was told to me very clearly that my bonus is guaranteed first year. I don't mean to offend anyone here at all, but that is a fact. Having said that I am still curious why there are sales reps if CS can do the job after that 1 year of training? Seems like a un-needed overlap. Service Rep (CS) can easily be a sales rep. I ask because I don't want to worry about layoffs later on.

Btw how much do sales reps make here at MDT?

 

[Anonymous]

Why are there sales reps at Medtronic? It is a good question. Almost no selling takes place anymore. Contracts are negotiated at a much higher level than sales reps. A sales rep is more like one of those display folks you see at Sam's Club around noon. They spend some time showing off new items or explaining use.

I thinks everyone making about 120K seems fair, with everyone reporting to a regional guy. Maybe there is a need for a senior clinical to direct the other tools.