What are the requirements for medical sales jobs?
The medical field is extremely complex in terms of career opportunities and, contrary to common belief, they do not just include jobs like doctors, pharmacists and nurses. You can also become a sales representative for clinics, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies and promote things such as medicine, medical software, equipment and lab tools to clinics and hospitals. Medical sales jobs UK are not hard to find, especially today, given the advent of online recruitment platforms, but that doesn’t mean you will not be facing competition. Here are the most important things you should know about the standards you have to comply with if you want to work in medical sales: education, experience and skills.
Do you need a medical degree to work in medical sales?
Having a medical degree is not absolutely vital if you want to work in sales, but many employers prefer those who can prove that they have some experience in this field. After all, the job will involve promoting specialised products and services and if you do not know anything about them you are unlikely to be successful. A business degree may help, even for candidates who do not have experience in the medical field. It is not impossible for someone to get hired even if they do not have medical and business studies, but these cases are quite rare and apply to people who have worked in the field for many years and in time they have learned everything there is to know about the products they are selling. Basic medical training could be required during your career.
How important is work experience?
The answer to this question depends on the employer. Some companies do not mind hiring fresh graduates and invest money and resources into their training, whereas others prefer hiring only those who have at least three years of experience. Before submitting your application, check the required level of experience. If it is entry level, your chances of getting hired are better. In case you cannot find any work offers that do not require experience, look for internships. After you achieve the required experience, you will be able to apply for other jobs as well.
What other requirements are there?
Having the right education and experience on paper does not guarantee that you will get the job. It will probably help you pass the initial recruitment stage, but afterwards you will also have to go to an interview and show that you have what it takes to be a sales person. This means having the persuasive and interpersonal skills to sell products, being motivated, confident and flexible. You might be born with some of these skills and others will have be honed throughout your career. In addition to these requirements, you will probably also need a driving license and be willing to travel, in case your employer is a large company with local and international branches.