Choosing Your Next Advancement in Sales: Vertical versus Lateral Moves
True, times are tough, particularly in medical and pharmaceutical sales, but there may be opportunities for you to move up due to realignments, mergers, acquisitions and the like.
Consult with your friends in the medical sales field, it’s important not get caught up in the emotional component of a new “gig” and to consequently fail to evaluate the opportunity fully as a true business/family decision. Unless you deem your sales position to be in immediate peril, evaluate new opportunities as you have in the past with “due diligence.”
Make sure you’re not making a lateral move and that you are truly advancing your career. Many medical sales jobs vary tremendously relative to how the compensation packages are derived. Determine what your qualifier will be in terms of financial reward. Is it an additional incentive of 10 or 15% above your current base pay? Will it be an annual bonus incentive? Whatever the qualifier for your next medical sales position, try to keep it as objective as possible and of course, make sure every important element is defined in your written offer.
Assuming you really want this new job or advancement, you must also make sure it is the right move relative to monetary gain and your career stability. Consider basing your next opportunity on strategic and objective planning, particularly if you consider yourself to be in the latter part of your medical sales career.