Advice ~ Top performing B2B wanting to make the jump into Medical Device

[Anonymous]

Ok so here goes:

I am a rep with Cintas, and finished the year in the top 5% of the company (Presidents Club). I am just earning over 100k and have been with the company for 18 months. Needless to say, I am a beast with a killer resume, I am well-spoken, good looking, VERY marketable. I also have OR experience from a class in college.

I want to switch gears, and start making some real money. However, I am VERY picky on what type of position I would take, the company I would work for, where I would live, what products I would sell, etc... I want to sell surgical implants like screws, blades, replacement joints, etc...

For the past couple of years, I spent the $ on Medreps and Gorilla. I would apply to alot, but never really had much success (I would get call backs from pharma, which is what I dont want). I am also very involved with LinkedIn and have connected with 100's of recruiters. I just dont want to waste another $100 on these sites.

My first Question is: Should I goto the top 10 companies websites that I want to work for and fill out an application (make a profile with my resume)? Or should I rely on working with a recruiter?

That leads me to my next question: What is the etiquette of reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn?

Does anyone have any suggestions of great medical device companies of what I am looking for above?

Should I be patient and wait for that perfect opportunity? Rr should I just jump on the first medical device position that comes my way? (I have a family to support, so I dont want to give up a good thing).

Are there any free websites that I can look at job postings on?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Anonymous]

Needless to say working at Cintas for 18 months doesn't make you a rockstar... by your post it sounds like your ego is a little inflated. Having an ego in our field can be looked down upon especially if you haven't earned the right to walk around like your sh!t doesn't stink. There are plenty of "beasts w/ killer resumes" out there that HAVE experience SELLING devices that you are competing with. Good looking? you might be better off in pharma, as long as you're not trash, good looks will only get you so far you have to provide service in a clinical setting, that's what's most important not the fact that you could be in "Men's Magazine". And what makes YOU more marketable than someone from Synthes, Depuy, Biomet, Zimmer, etc (all of which have had layoffs recently) with years of experience w/ existing surgeon connections? Hate to knock you off your "high horse" but sometimes the truth stings..

My advice,
1.use medreps, etc. apply to "associate" sales positions. Getting a full line gig is possible but an associate job is more likely.
2.Take what you can get! if you wait around for the big dogs to come knocking on your door you may end up waiting forever. Besides the smaller companies provide the better rips.
3. leave your ego at the door, just by reading your post i can tell i already have doubts on how you'd get along w/ co-workers, surgeons, hospital staff, CPD, etc... first impressions mean something in this business, and my first impression of you left a lot to be desired, just being honest.

good luck

Ok so here goes:

I am a rep with Cintas, and finished the year in the top 5% of the company (Presidents Club). I am just earning over 100k and have been with the company for 18 months. Needless to say, I am a beast with a killer resume, I am well-spoken, good looking, VERY marketable. I also have OR experience from a class in college.

I want to switch gears, and start making some real money. However, I am VERY picky on what type of position I would take, the company I would work for, where I would live, what products I would sell, etc... I want to sell surgical implants like screws, blades, replacement joints, etc...

For the past couple of years, I spent the $ on Medreps and Gorilla. I would apply to alot, but never really had much success (I would get call backs from pharma, which is what I dont want). I am also very involved with LinkedIn and have connected with 100's of recruiters. I just dont want to waste another $100 on these sites.

My first Question is: Should I goto the top 10 companies websites that I want to work for and fill out an application (make a profile with my resume)? Or should I rely on working with a recruiter?

That leads me to my next question: What is the etiquette of reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn?

Does anyone have any suggestions of great medical device companies of what I am looking for above?

Should I be patient and wait for that perfect opportunity? Rr should I just jump on the first medical device position that comes my way? (I have a family to support, so I dont want to give up a good thing).

Are there any free websites that I can look at job postings on?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Anonymous]

ok, truth be told, I am not that good looking.

 

[Anonymous]

Just cause u can sell bathroom services doesn't mean you will be successful in med device but your good looking never mind .

 

[Anonymous]

OP, first, I would cut the ego out. Just because you are good at selling uniform services doesn't mean you will cut it in the medical device world. There are lots of "killer" resumes out there who suck in the hospital. Also, that arrogance won't get you very far with most physicians.

Second, if you aren't willing to invest $100 in medreps.com, then you really don't care about your career that much. Medreps is how I got my current job and my income quadrupled. That's a pretty good ROI. Medreps is probably the best way to contact with recruiters, etc. If you are simply just sending your resume out to large company databases, then you are wasting your time. They will NEVER contact you because you have no medical experience.

Finally, ortho sales is not all it's cracked up to be. There are a lot of ortho reps out there who make less than 100k. Keep your options open to multiple fields. I would look into Covidien, Bard, Johnson and Johnson, Stryker, etc.

Good luck!,

 

[Anonymous]

Its funny how the ones on the outside want in and the ones on the inside are watching this industry fall apart.

I started out selling copy machines and then took an associate position selling ortho for a few years. Now I'm selling devices to brain surgeons. After five years, I just now feel like I have finally earned the right to call myself "good looking, well-spoken, very marketable, and a beast with a killer resume." Like the above poster said, you better leave your ego at the door. Besides, what makes you better than a lot of other medical reps that have been a victim to downsizing?

 

[Anonymous]

Its funny how the ones on the outside want in and the ones on the inside are watching this industry fall apart.

I started out selling copy machines and then took an associate position selling ortho for a few years. Now I'm selling devices to brain surgeons. After five years, I just now feel like I have finally earned the right to call myself "good looking, well-spoken, very marketable, and a beast with a killer resume." Like the above poster said, you better leave your ego at the door. Besides, what makes you better than a lot of other medical reps that have been a victim to downsizing?

You too are an asshole. Ask one of those brain surgeons to unfuck your brain during the next case.

 

[Anonymous]

Yous guys are morons....I'm gonna go hit the gym....

 

[Anonymous]

I bet this guy is one of those guys that wears polo's with his collar up. Stay at Cintas. We have enough cool guys in our business.

 

[Anonymous]

Stay at Cintas until you get a job with a device company making the same. Why would you cut your pay in half in this economy. Also, go into a growing business like Covidien or Ethicon. People are getting bigger, that means more gastric bypasses and more bariatric procedures. Stay with MedReps and hold out. It is worth it. They led me to my current job. It's $10 a month

 

[Anonymous]

Stay at Cintas until you get a job with a device company making the same. Why would you cut your pay in half in this economy. Also, go into a growing business like Covidien or Ethicon. People are getting bigger, that means more gastric bypasses and more bariatric procedures. Stay with MedReps and hold out. It is worth it. They led me to my current job. It's $10 a month

Covidien or Ethicon are growing? Clearly you have not been in this industry for any length of time.

 

[Anonymous]

Covidien or Ethicon are growing? Clearly you have not been in this industry for any length of time.

I think he meant since these are entry level jobs this is where he should look to get in.

 

[Anonymous]

To the OP: There are a lot of things you are not telling us that also need to be taken into account. You said that you have a family to support which I will assume means you are older than 23-24 and out of college. So how does the resume look before Cintas? Sales? Non sales? If non sales you are a b2b rep with 18 months and that's it.

The market is dictating experience trumps everything as longas there is no non compete issues. Spine, ortho, any specialty arena in med sales will usually require a current rolodex of doctors that you can bring to the table unless the manager is willingto take a chance. But now let's put you in a spine opp and put you up against a non spine OR rep because the manager has had success in the past doing this. Candidate with multiple years of OR, hospital knowledege, success in the OR vs Cintas rep of 18 months vs the other 3-4 OR reps who will give their first born for this position? I'm just presenting what's going on out there.

The opportunities are out there it's just a matter of being more open minded and looking at the big picture. Previous posters have made some great suggestions on who to look at for opportunities.

 

[Anonymous]

Consider starting at PSS to get your feet wet . You will get abused but you do have a notch on your belt for medical and you can start knowing doctors. Tone down the douchbag personna we just love watching your types get humbled in this business. Good Luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Ok so here goes:

I am a rep with Cintas, and finished the year in the top 5% of the company (Presidents Club). I am just earning over 100k and have been with the company for 18 months. Needless to say, I am a beast with a killer resume, I am well-spoken, good looking, VERY marketable. I also have OR experience from a class in college...

Dear Anonymous Rep,

First, congrats on making PC this year! What a great accomplishment in your first year as a rep! This past year as a sales organization, we had a record number of reps qualify for PC (20%+). If you are just now breaking the $100k mark, then I would challenge you to set the bar higher and shoot for truly finishing this year in the top 5%. In financial terms, moving from the top 20% to the top 10% is the difference in making $95k-$105k to $155k-$175k. The top 5% nationally (Top Diamond Level Reps) are at or above $200k.

Remember, the second year is much easier than the first, because you are more experienced in your position. Don't fall behind your number. Set high goals and verbalize them to your manager, director and VP. These guys are here to help you succeed! If you are truly looking to make more money, then I hope you will seriously consider the above.

Many of life’s failure’s are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.* ~Thomas Edison

 

[Anonymous]

Remember to save all of your "Atta Boys!"