When is it too late to make a 180 Degree Sales Career Change?
Ralph Steeber
Founder & CEO, Medical Sales and Sales Management Recruiting - Career Advisor Offering Interview, Resume and LinkedIn Services to Enhance Your Searching Process. *connect directly to use my services!
That's a great question and subject to a lot of opinions. I can only tell you that after 35 years of helping clients recruit sales talent in the medical field, there seems to be an un-written time frame.
Let's be honest.. when changing jobs and wanting to command the monies you need and deserve, you have to offer your potential employer one of two things, Product Knowledge or Contacts. If you have neither to offer it's going to be tough for people who are midway in their sales career path to make a change that makes sense for both the client and themselves.
Let me share an example; a person with years of sales experience in industrial chemicals with a top 10% sales track record earning 90K per year can't offer much to an employer in medical devices that's worth 90K per year to start. Yes, the big thing most hopeful career changers say is, I have years of successful sales experience and I can sell ANYTHING! Yep, you probably can, but convincing this medical sales manager that you fit this opening with the product and customer base training just doesn't make sense.
As an optimist, I "never said never" but the percentages are fairly low. To be successful you're going to need to be connected with the right professional referral contacts, create direct access to hiring managers, digging through job boards and lots of hard work.
Generally speaking, it's easier too make a 90% turn by targeting potential employers who can accept either related contacts or similar products to make yourself a viable option.
Share your comments or career changing story with other LinkedIn members if you were faced with this obstacle.
Pharmaceutical Professional / Educator / Certified Integrative Health, Wellness & Weight Loss Coach
7 年I am in my late 30ies and am looking into a career change. I am a teacher by profession, which I love, but I am too much of a go getter and have realized there is nothing to "get" anymore in the field I am in and I have another twenty+ years to work. Before thinking seriously about this career switch, I have done my homework to make sure that sales is what I want. I "only" need to break through automated system which pulls "the right" candidates resumes and convince managers to want passion, fresh energy, enthusiasm and motivation to succeed over experience and a sense of entitlement that often goes with it. :) Is there any advice you could give me, Ralph. Thank you
I deliver comprehensive food service, healthcare tech, and facilities management solutions with superior people and technology to hospital systems throughout AZ, CO, NM, & UT. Ask me how at 480-673-3536
7 年I like the question. Ive made the successful transition. Couple things that worked for me. You have to be a sales fundamentalist-- meaning -- amidst all the noise of the latest and greatest methodology -- the fundamentals are universal and timeless. If you really study the sales ecosystem -- not much has really changed since Dale Carnegies(how to win freinds and influence people )-- the lessons are simply repackaged to fit the modern day norms . And you have to understand the concept of transferable relevance . Simply meaning that we simply need to understand and extract the common threads or elements for where we have been and where we want to go. Your gonna need a thoughtful communication blueprint to make your case . And finally - acknowledge that without the direct experience -- nobody is looking for you -- so you will have to be very precise in your target job choice , very prepared (do the things others won't) , and very deliberate -- in that it's on you to reach out directly and work your way into the selection process . It can be done -- takes a good work ethic and attitude.
Cryptography Vendor and Business Manager w HSBC
7 年I agree, some Hiring Managers are looking for professionals who already have experience in a given field and they would not agree to any compromises.
Purchasing Agent at Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center
7 年That's why I went back to grad school. To learn everything possible a first year Medical Device Sales Rep would learn, THEN market myself. It has been done.