How to Go From Tech Sales to Medical Device Sales
Tech sales reps bring pipeline and quota skills but lack clinical experience. Here's whether to target associate or territory manager roles and how to win the offer.
Anthony Giglia
· 3 min read
There are a whole host of reasons why someone in tech or software sales might want to move into medical device. Both careers can be lucrative, but the day-to-day work is very different.
The good news is that you already have skills that transfer. You know how to build a pipeline, work toward a quota, perform discovery, and manage opportunities. You may also have experience with longer sales cycles. All of that can make you a compelling medical device candidate.
Your glaring weakness is likely your lack of experience in a clinical environment. You’ll need to understand the nuances of case coverage, learn how hospitals work, and build relationships with physicians and staff.
Should you apply for associate or territory manager roles?
If you’re serious about making the transition, you have two possible paths.
The first is to enter as an associate sales rep. You may have to take a small pay cut, but you’ll get your foot in the door and learn the medical device business.
The second is to pursue a territory manager or sales rep role. Your compensation may be similar to, or even a little higher than, what you’re making in tech sales. The challenge is that these roles usually ask for a few years of medical sales experience. (Here’s what each level typically pays.)
Think about it from the company’s perspective. If they’re paying a rep to manage a territory, they want someone who already understands the clinical environment, knows how to cover cases, and can build relationships with physicians. You have strong sales skills, but they may see the clinical learning curve as a gamble.
That doesn’t mean you can’t go straight into a mid-level role. It means you need to prepare to address that concern directly.
Barrier 1: Getting the interview
Your resume needs to make your sales performance immediately obvious. I want to see rankings, quota attainment, percentages, achievements, awards, and significant recognition. Don’t just say you managed a pipeline. Show what you accomplished.
Keep it concise and easy to follow. A hiring manager should be able to scan the page and understand that you’re a high achiever.
Then be strategic about applying and networking. Find roles that make sense for your background, identify the people involved in the hiring decision, and make yourself known. Applying to hundreds of positions online without connecting with anyone is not the approach I recommend.
Barrier 2: Winning the offer
Your sales experience can get you into the interview, but you still have to show that you’re ready to make the move into medical device.
Learn the company’s products, the patients it serves, and the clinical problem it’s trying to solve. Understand what case coverage involves and how a rep works with physicians and hospital staff. Rehearse how you’ll answer the objection that you don’t have medical device experience, because it’s one you should expect.
Then provide overwhelming value during the interview process. Prepare thoughtful questions and build a highly specific business plan that shows how you would approach the role. A generic 30-60-90-day plan isn’t enough to separate you from other candidates.
In my program, I teach you the clinical and business concepts virtually so you can walk into those interviews armed and ready. We also position your sales results on your resume, help you connect with decision makers, and prepare you to address your experience gap directly.
Tech sales gives you a strong sales foundation. If you pair that with clinical preparation and an effective interview strategy, you can make a compelling case for the transition.
