Additional tips about ride alongs….
June 22nd, 2007 by the medical sales recruiter
The folks over at http://nonsterile.com had a few more comments that I really like about ride alongs. I am going to take the liberty of just pasting those here:
“Medical Sales Recruiter posted a great article for those who are trying to break into the medical sales industry. The first suggestion is to ride along with a representative. So contact a representative and ask if you can ride along with them for a couple of hours.
Not only will you learn about the day to day responsibilities of a sales representative, but you will learn more about the corporate culture of the company. Find out how many calls you are expected to make per day. Watch closely and see how the representative interacts with the doctor. Are they pushy or more laid-back.
This is a great time to ask a lot of questions about what the representative likes and dislikes about the position. If will be reporting to the same manager, then take the opportunity to see if your styles are adaptable.
If you are lucky, the representative that you are riding with will schedule a luncheon. Representatives spend a lot of time setting up lunches, so you will learn valuable, first-hand experience.
Maybe not as important, but you will also see what type of company car you get. I have known pharmaceutical representatives that have chosen their future employer by the make and model of the company car. Me, I would rather have an auto allowance, so I can choose whatever car I like. “
