Career Path of a Software Sales Executive at Siemens Healthineers
Scott's 30-year career in sales began with waiting tables, which honed "public speaking" skills and comfort interacting with people, and transitioned through orthopedic power tools sales to a long and varied career in medical imaging sales with major vendors like "Siemens, GE, Phillips, and Fujifilm," ultimately leading to Scott's current role selling advanced visualization and AI software at Siemens Healthineers. Their agricultural business degree from Cal Poly provided a valuable blend of business acumen and scientific understanding, proving beneficial throughout their career.
Sales, Medical Sales, Teamwork, Collaboration, Medical Imaging
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Scott Pryor
Product Sales Executive, Digital and Automation
Siemens Healthineers
California Polytechnic Sate University, San Luis Obispo
n/a
Environmental & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness, Technology
Sales and Client Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Develop strong communication and interpersonal skills. Scott emphasizes the importance of his experience waiting tables in college, highlighting how it improved his comfort level in public speaking and interacting with people, crucial skills for sales roles.
2. Gain experience through internships and entry-level positions. His career path started with selling power tools, which transitioned into orthopedic sales and eventually into medical imaging. This highlights the potential for transferable skills and career progression.
3. Consider a major that blends business and science. Scott's background in agribusiness provided a useful balance of business knowledge and scientific understanding relevant to his medical sales career. This is particularly valuable for sales roles in technical fields like medical technology.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college and any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
I graduated about 30 years ago. My first job after college was in sales, which has been my career. While at Cal Poly, I found that waiting tables and public speaking classes were most helpful.
Waiting tables taught me valuable interaction skills. It made me comfortable speaking with people and prepared me for sales. I also took many collaborative classes.
My current role involves enterprise sales in healthcare, working with large teams. The ability to collaborate effectively is crucial, and Cal Poly's emphasis on teamwork and competitions prepared me well.
My first job out of college was selling power tools for Black and Decker. I transitioned into medical sales by adapting the skills I learned there, specifically for orthopedic power tools.
Essentially, I was selling similar tools but for a different application – bone instead of wood. This is how I entered the medical field.
I majored in ag business at Cal Poly, which proved to be a good balance. While it's a sales and business role, it's also science-based. My science and biology classes were very helpful.
I've primarily worked in medical imaging for over 20 years. The major players in this industry are Siemens, GE, Philips, and Fujifilm. I've worked for Fujifilm, GE, Siemens, and Philips, so I know the industry and its vendors well.
I've sold every imaging modality, from MRI and CT to X-ray. Currently, I'm in software sales, focusing on 3D advanced visualization software for MRI and CT, as well as storage systems for radiology and cardiology. I also work with AI software products. I truly enjoy my work and have found the right career.