Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / How One Parent Returned as a Medical Device Sales Rep After a Gap
Transcript
- Lucas: So you take five years off to raise kids, and now you want to come back as a medical device sales rep — one of the most competitive, relationship-driven roles out there. Is that realistic? The short answer is yes, but the path is narrower than most people assume. Luna: And it's not just about 'polishing your resume.' I've heard from parents who felt like their clinical knowledge was obsolete after a few years. Lucas: Exactly. So let's look at one specific case — I'll call her Sarah. She was a rep for a big orthopedics company, took five years off, and wanted back in. She didn't just send out a hundred applications. She did three concrete things that most people skip. Luna: Okay, what's the first one? Lucas: First, she got the Medical Sales Rep certification — the one from the Medical Sales Professionals group. It's not mandatory, but hiring managers told me it signals you've stayed current. It covers the basics: anatomy, reimbursement, hospital buying processes. She studied for two months while her kids were napping. Luna: And that certification probably helped her answer the 'what did you do during your gap?' question. Lucas: Exactly. Second, she didn't apply cold. She made a list of every surgeon and hospital administrator she had worked with before. Then she sent a quick email — not asking for a job, just asking to catch up. She scheduled ten coffee chats over two weeks. Luna: And those conversations led to referrals. I read that about 40% of medical sales hires come from employee referrals. Lucas: That number is real. And it's even higher for people returning after a gap — because the referral vouches for your soft skills. The third thing Sarah did was prepare for what's called the Skills Assessment test. Luna: Is that the personality and aptitude test that many medical device companies use? Lucas: Yes. It's not about medical knowledge — it's about how you handle rejection, how you prioritize, whether you're competitive. Sarah found practice tests online and drilled for a week. She said the actual test felt exactly like the practice. Luna: And she ended up getting an offer? Lucas: She did — at a smaller regional company that valued her previous experience more than a big national firm would have. She took a slightly lower base salary but with better commission structure. And she's been back for eighteen months now. Luna: I want to pause on something you said — the smaller company. That's a smart play for someone re-entering, because the competition isn't as fierce. Lucas: Right. The big players like Medtronic or Johnson & Johnson get thousands of applications. But a regional distributor might only get a hundred. And they're more flexible on gaps because they care about hustle and relationships. Luna: And that hustle is exactly what you've been practicing at home for five years. Lucas: That's a great way to frame it. But let's be specific about the gap itself. How do you even talk about it on the resume? Sarah used a functional format — skills-based, not chronological. She listed 'Clinical Sales Expertise' and 'Relationship Management' as headers, then put her past experience under that. Luna: And she included volunteer work. She had been on the board of a local nonprofit, which showed she stayed networked and organized. Lucas: Exactly. And in the interview, she said something like, 'I took those years to focus on my family, but I also kept up with industry news, attended a webinar series on new surgical techniques, and stayed in touch with a few former colleagues.' That's honest and confident. Luna: Let's talk about the economics of this show for a second. You know, we do this podcast ad-free, and it's only possible because a handful of listeners chip in monthly at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. If it's helped you think through a career move like this, that's exactly why we keep making them. Lucas: Yeah, and it's not a big ask — it's just that listener support keeps the lights on. No ads, no sponsors, just people who find these conversations useful. Luna: Right. So back to the medical sales path — what about the actual interview itself? What's different for a returner? Lucas: The biggest question they'll face is 'Why now?' And you need a story that's not just 'the kids are in school.' Sarah's answer was: 'I've always loved the pace of this work, and I've been watching the industry shift toward value-based purchasing. I want to be part of that conversation.' Luna: So she tied her gap to industry trends. That's smart. Lucas: And she showed she'd done her homework. She mentioned a specific study about how hospitals are consolidating purchasing groups. That kind of detail signals you're not just looking for any job — you want this one. Luna: What about compensation? Did she negotiate? Lucas: She did, but carefully. She asked for a higher commission rate instead of a higher base, because she was confident she could perform. That's a common trade-off for returners — you trade guaranteed income for upside, and the company sees it as less risk. Luna: And now, eighteen months in, she's probably making more than she left. Lucas: From what she told me, her total compensation is about ten percent higher than her best year before the gap. So the gap didn't hurt her earning potential long term. Luna: One thing that I think a lot of parents worry about is the travel. Medical sales often requires being in the OR early or driving between hospitals. How did she handle that? Lucas: She was honest about it in the interview. She said, 'I have after-school coverage with my spouse and a backup sitter. I can start at six a.m. and handle a full territory.' The hiring manager told me later that honesty was refreshing — most candidates overpromise and then can't deliver. Luna: So the key is to show you've thought through the logistics, not to pretend the gap doesn't exist. Lucas: Exactly. And one more thing — Sarah also reached out to a recruiter who specializes in medical sales. The recruiter helped her find companies that were more open to returners. That's a shortcut most people don't use. Luna: So if someone's listening and thinking about this, what's the one thing they should do today? Lucas: Sign up for that certification course. It's about three hundred dollars, and it takes two months. But it gives you a concrete answer to 'what have you been doing?' And then start the coffee chats. Don't wait until you're ready — start while you're studying. Luna: That's a solid takeaway. And if you have questions about this or any other career comeback, we'd love to hear from you — we read listener emails on the show. Lucas: Next time we're going to look at a parent who returned as a commercial real estate agent after a gap. That one surprised me.