Is a career in biotechnology sales for you?

If you are a scientist who has recently finished your education (to which ever level has suited you) you are probably considering what's next. You may have taken a role in a lab and simply thinking is this it for me? You work so many hours of your life it's important to work out where the passion is. You have more options than you think - sales is one route to consider.

I speak to many people in sales and I'm always interested in their journey - and what has worked for them. The reality there is no set path or timescale, no exact science - we are all different and that's fine - this is not conclusive but will perhaps help the thinking when considering your career aspirations. Particularly when selling a technical solution - the loudest most confident person isn't the most effective - so don't worry if this is not you!

These are the typical traits we see - different people will be stronger in some weaker in others but learn to compensate.

1. Communication - listening and talking. More extrovert than introvert (although doesn't need to be extreme!)
2. Consultative - you have to be interested in what you sell and you have to be interested in who you are selling to (the solution may not be what either party thinks in the first instance!)
3. Dynamic - this is important. Sales is a dynamic environment - companies change, projects change, expectations change - you have to be able to adapt. Maybe you were bored going to the same lab, doing the same thing everyday...
4. Goal driven - if you like working towards an end goal or reward sales could be well suited - if you don't like planning to achieve something you probably won't achieve anything. High earning should come with high performance - chasing the high salary isn't always the answer and can be a short term fix.
5. Positive mindset/ resilience - stuff will go wrong. Some in your control (you will learn next time) some not. How you react to this is often more important.
6. Tenacious and organised- if you are like a 'dog with a bone' sales is a good way to channel it. If you don't succeed at first try, try again...

I'm a big believer that you don't have to tick every box straight away - you can develop yourself with a good coach and learn - if you are willing to (we are a bit of nature/ nurture in my view).