job-seeker contacts/advice

[MilwaukeeBeers]

25 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

Don't be disheartened.  Right now, not a lot of companies are hiring.  I spend 10 years in sales/sales management in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries and it is hard to break into them.  Took me a year of applications and interviews.

Companies are always looking for good salespeople.  In addition to medical device and biotech, look into lab service providers (Labcorp, etc.), other medical supplies (think of everything that goes into a hospital - surgical supplies, sterilization/disinfecting supplies, etc.), agricultural products (fertilizers, etc.), food products/ingredients/manufacturers, and others where having a base knowledge of biology could come in handy.  A guy I used to manage just got hired as an inside sales rep at Exact Sciences, and I don't think he had a lot of sales or biotech experience.  Inside sales could be an opportunity to work from home.

If you have a good relationship with your doctor/dentist/etc, ask the people in their office to recommend any companies that supply products and services to them.

That is good advice I will ask around especially our OBGYN since we have a decent relationship with her. I should say I have 5.5 years of proven sales experience so I figured it be a tad bit easier looking lol. It is really humbling to finally break through 6 figures which was always one of my goals income wise and then come crashing down to Earth. I think that is where I feel the root of my current failure. I have an interview lined up at another insurance firm in Appleton so we shall see how that turns out. I just know I need to make some leaps forward career wise. Thank you for your response. 

[Samurai Bucky]

On 6/4/2025 at 6:58 PM, LouisEly said:

Don't be disheartened.  Right now, not a lot of companies are hiring.  I spend 10 years in sales/sales management in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries and it is hard to break into them.  Took me a year of applications and interviews.

Companies are always looking for good salespeople.  In addition to medical device and biotech, look into lab service providers (Labcorp, etc.), other medical supplies (think of everything that goes into a hospital - surgical supplies, sterilization/disinfecting supplies, etc.), agricultural products (fertilizers, etc.), food products/ingredients/manufacturers, and others where having a base knowledge of biology could come in handy.  A guy I used to manage just got hired as an inside sales rep at Exact Sciences, and I don't think he had a lot of sales or biotech experience.  Inside sales could be an opportunity to work from home.

If you have a good relationship with your doctor/dentist/etc, ask the people in their office to recommend any companies that supply products and services to them.

I'm going to add a "+1" to this.

The fact that you have been successful before the merger proves that you know what you are doing.  So from that standpoint, don't get down on yourself.  That shows me that you have good person-to-person skills.  If you would have sold ice to an eskimo, then you would be over the top... 😉

The Broker Dealer (BD) space is going through a lot of changes.  Cetera has bought a lot of companies.  LPL is always buying companies.  Heck, there are even a flurry of acquisitions happening at the fringe insurance business such as COLI and BOLI.  I know it doesn't help, but I know you are not alone.  Not sure if you could reach out to a BD to see if you could join an existing team.  Having a young family might restrict you from going completely independent (start a new firm and then say, "Hey, Ameriprise... wanna buy my assets?).

Pharma might be a great start.  Abbott and Lilly are two companies that have been a good place for my brother in law.  AI is a big deal -- I don't know if that would be something you could get into without more of a technical degree.  I forgot about Boston Scientific -- they might be a place to look at, too.

Thinks will work out for you.  Hang in there... 

[nate82]

17 minutes ago, Samurai Bucky said:

AI is a big deal -- I don't know if that would be something you could get into without more of a technical degree.

You don't need a technical degree to sell AI.  Heck I sit next to a bunch of merchant services sales rep (they sell the whole package including the technical parts API, systems and PoS) where I work and only one has some tech background.  In a sales job as long as you can sell and you have good people skills then you are good.  I have a friend who works at Salesforce and they are selling their technical properties and they can barely use their smart phone or turn on their computer.  But they can sell like no one else and they have really good people skills.  

[GAME05]

I've been avoiding the advice of "You should talk with the boss about the issues" because it would most likely turn into a talk of all the ways in which I'm terrible and I'm not anxious for that conversation, nor am I a "roll off your back" type of person to begin with. A co-worker says it would be a bad idea. But things have only gotten worse and I guess if I say nothing, than nothing could possibly change. Boss just said he's eyeing retirement in three years, which is both too long to just suck it up and deal with it, but also not so long that transferring is my only option. Had a staff meeting yesterday to introduce a new wave of nonsense and the boss asked me a few times for comment, which I declined as I wasn't going to be negative like that in front of the staff.

[CheezWizHed]

On 6/2/2025 at 1:42 PM, MilwaukeeBeers said:

Some nights go by and I feel like I am failing my 1 year old and wife (who is a K teacher) even though I am absolutely busting my rear end. 

You already got good advice on what you could look for, but I wanted to touch on this comment.  

Without knowing your wife specifically, I highly doubt she feels this way.  If you doubt that, be as vulnerable with her as you were with us and tell her that is the way you feel.  The man and father you are at home is more valuable than the paycheck you bring home.  

Certainly, there will be stress if you can't pay mortgage or other bills.  But stresses can also build and strength a marriage if you are open with her.  It can also drive a wedge if people close up. Work with her through this stress and you will see the relationship grow. 

Your 1 year old wants one and only one thing from you: time. (but your wife will also want you to change his/her diaper too 😉).

Don't be discouraged.  Bad things do happen to good people.  But good people don't let bad things stop them. 

Sincerely

Cheez - father of 6 and husband of 1 wife for 30 years.