It’s tough out there in the job market! I was recently thinking about our old Christmas friend Rudolph who really does have a great employment victory to tell us about. You see, Rudolph at face value might not have been the best choice to lead a team of reindeer on such a critical Christmas mission. In fact, he was somewhat smaller than the rest of the herd, appeared a little clumsy and probably wasn’t the brightest reindeer around. But, without question, he was different.

If Rudolph possessed a resume, I can almost guarantee you that “Red, bright-beacon nose” didn’t appear on it. He simply thought it was something that caused him grief and embarrassment and couldn’t possibly possess any type of future benefit. However, on that one particularly blustery Christmas Eve his future employer, a certain red-suited man, realized that this little reindeer had something unique to offer.

Without question, this anomaly was something that no other reindeer could offer. Rudolph’s perceived deficit or potential disability became an attribute on the grandest scale! He was the one that could set himself apart from the rest of the reindeer and help complete the critical mission! Although laughed at and ridiculed through it all, he became appreciated and most certainly employed! You know the story and how he won the job. It was his hugely bright navigational nose that cut through the fog like a hot knife through butter. No other reindeer could compete with him.

So to you I ask, “Can you find your beacon in this troubled economy?”

Remember, all you need is an opportunity or inroad to showcase your skill(s). When you get that interview, describe your underlying skills and provide your prospective employer with your benefits by demonstrating how you can provide value to their organization.

If you’re unemployed this holiday season and feeling as though you belong in the “Land of the Misfit Toys,” maybe it’s time to really evaluate the attributes that have made you who you are today. Take some time over the holidays to think about those potential employment attributes or benefits that might set you apart from the herd.

You are an individual and as such you have your own unique set of qualifications that many others will not possess. Get help on identifying these particular skills from friends, relatives and associates. Once your key sets of skills are identified, use them to begin or further your career. These are difficult times for many. Don’t lose your faith or your spirit. Your destiny awaits you in 2010!

Randy Wilkerson, MBA, has worked for three fortune 500 medical sales companies and is currently a medical sales consultant and Business Development Manager at Global Edge Recruiting Associates, LLC.

The medical and pharmaceutical sales industry is constantly changing.  As an executive search firm specializing in medical and pharmaceutical sales, we have recently seen a shift in the type of candidate some of our clients are seeking.  Many pharmaceutical and medical device companies are moving to a more clinical sales approach.   To accomplish this, some companies have shifted from hiring those with business to business sales experience to hiring sales representatives who can not only sell; but may also be able to provide value to the client through their clinical knowledge.  

Medical products such as laboratory equipment, radiological or surgical products can often involve hands-on demonstration of the equipment.  Because of this, adding an employee with clinical skills makes sense. Adding a sales representative with clinical background helps to establish product credibility and customer trust.    (continue reading…)

As a medical sales recruiter, we often times receive feedback concerning the performance of a candidate in the interview process.  Sometimes the feedback is quite specific, but generally we are provided a broad perspective of how the candidate performed. 

Frequently, an interviewer will be truly impressed by a candidate and wish to hire them, but simply cannot due to a lack of experience or a missing skill set.  Many times these candidates are just getting started in their sales career and are truly on the right track by exhibiting the passion and energy for the position, particularly in the interview.   (continue reading…)

New website offers career information and job opportunities for healthcare professionals and medical and pharmaceutical sales representatives.

Press Release-November 7, 2009 – Rogersville, MO. Global Edge Recruiting announces the launch of their newly revised website.  The updated website is based upon 13 years of successful web marketing experience in the medical sales recruiting marketplace.  The new site allows individuals to access current information on how to succeed in today’s tough employment market in either a hiring or job-seeking role.  Although designed for medical sales professionals, many of the tools and information are transferable to any sales or marketing discipline. 

Currently, Global Edge Recruiting.com has over 200,000 hits each month demonstrating the reach of it’s resources on the web.  According to Director of Executive Search, Denise Wilkerson, “The Career Center has always been a popular destination on our site.  It contains information to assist job seekers in learning how to develop their resume, enter into a job search and successfully interview for a medical or pharmaceutical sales job. It is our hope that the information we provide can help make the job search and interview process easier for those experiencing difficulty in this market.”  (continue reading…)

This year, it’s more important than ever to take a respite from all the activities that 2009 has offered in the field of medical sales.  Many have been affected by the tumultuous economy through an actual job loss.  For others, even the threat or worry of an employment loss has caused many to experience an additional level of anguish that we haven’t seen in decades.

So, for managers and representatives in the medical sales and pharmaceutical world, take heed to this advice.  RELAX.  Reflect upon the year, but most importantly spend time with your friends and loved ones.  They are truly the important part of your life!  If you get a little down time, contemplate making some additional acquaintances this Holiday Season.  Find some old friends or past associates on LinkedIn or Facebook.  They might just come in handy for a future employment opportunity. 

By doing these things and backing off from the “rat race” for a week or two, you will gain a new perspective and attitude.  By 2010, you’ll be able to face those perceived obstacles of 2009 as opportunity for the New Year.