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…)

Question:  I have a biomedical engineering background and am currently working as a medical sales rep. Could you kindly advise me of future potential career prospects after this? I have been told that sales experience is great and is an excellent stepping-stone but to what? I have met many product managers through this job and am quite interested in getting into it but not quite sure how? I am definitely interested in the technical side of things rather than marketing. What is this role called- “product development”?

Reply:  With a biomedical engineering background, you may want to go into a product development role or project management role within a medical device company.  Product managers typically are more marketing/brand based positions.  If you enjoy sales, then I think you may want to continue to develop your sales skills and move into product management.  If you enjoy the engineering side more, then apply to development positions.

1. Work with the right recruiting firm. It is important to find a firm that meets your needs. Interview the recruiting firm and get references from some of their past clients. It is also important to select a firm that specializes within your industry, such as medical sales recruiters.
2. Develop a partnership with a recruiting firm that specializes in your industry.
3. If you are not committed to hiring, don’t involve a search firm. Contingency recruiters work on a “commission-only” basis. Job orders are taken very seriously. Many hours go into the search and recruitment process to locate qualified candidates.
4. Provide a job description and accurate job order information to your recruiter.
5. Provide your recruiter with the hiring manager’s name and contact information. It is extremely difficult for a recruiter to recruit staff for a manager they have never spoken to.
6. Keep track of the candidates presented to you by a recruiter. Many companies utilize multiple recruiting firms on the same position. Recruiters earn their commission when a candidate they source is hired. Nothing upsets the process more than two recruiters presenting the same candidate for the same position. Candidates often think this helps their case but companies may become upset when the process becomes confusing.
7. Provide feedback to your recruiter when you receive a resume or interview a candidate. Your company and the recruiting firm are best represented when prompt feedback is provided to interested candidates.

To understand Contingency Search Firms, you must first understand how executive search firms, such as Global Edge  Recruiting, work. Executive Search Firms generally have agreements with many different companies to assist them in locating and recruiting the top talent on an ongoing basis. These types of search firms are generally independent contractors / outside vendors.

Executive search consultants should partner with Human Resources and your Talent Acquisition department to assist them in recruiting top talent for your open positions. As a hiring partner, the search firm gathers information about your company and open positions to gain an understanding of the key skills and abilities needed in various roles within your organization. With this knowledge, the search consultant can then network and search for successful candidates with the skill sets needed to work for your company.

The search consultant is responsible for carefully prescreening candidates. If a candidate is identified by the search firm to meet the qualifications of the open position, the search consultant will present the candidate to the hiring authority for review and assist with candidate communications, interviews and follow-up.

If a candidate presented by the search firm is hired by the company, the search firm is paid a commission fee for their work. There are two types of recruiting firms, retainer and contingency. Contingency search firm fees are paid by the employer only if a candidate is hired for the position.