Soaring in Sales: Results of the Animal Health Jobs Survey of Animal Health Compensation Summer 2021

Soaring in Sales: Results of the Animal Health Jobs
Survey of Animal Health Compensation Summer 2021

Are you a self-starter? Can you turn your talents for connecting with people and solving problems into results? Do you love animals? If your answers are all yes, a career as an animal health sales professional might be right for you.

By helping veterinarians, farmers and other animal health professionals find the products that can solve their problems, you make a real difference to animals and their people every day.

Animal Health Sales: A Career, Not Just  A Job

At Animal Health Jobs, helping animals and their people is our goal too. We recently surveyed (LIVE LINK TO SURVEY WHITE PAPER) the members of our Animal Health Jobs (LIVE LINK) candidate database to understand current levels of compensation in the animal health industry.  The results, particularly for sales professionals, were fascinating.

Nearly half (43%) of the survey respondents were sales professionals, from part-time inside sales reps with less than 3 years of industry experience to national sales executives with over 15 years in animal health.

Their answers show that a career in sales can take the right person from inside sales, to field sales, to management.  Are you that person? If so, your career could look like this.

From Babe in the Woods to Top Dog

Inside sales is the first step on the sales ladder. In our survey, inside sales colleagues were significantly more likely to be part-time employees, and to have less than 7 years of experience in animal health. Inside sales is a great place to learn about products, customers and the competition.  

When we think of an animal health sales professional, most of us think of full-time field sales reps with a deep knowledge of the industry. In our survey, field sales reps were significantly more likely to have 7 or more years' experience in animal health.

Many people lead long and satisfying careers as field sales reps, building friendships with their veterinarian and veterinary technician customers. Some become almost "part of the family" of the practices they serve. They may serve these clinics for 20 years or more as field sales reps, or they may become sales leaders.

Sales leaders were most likely to have more than 15 years of animal health experience. Being a sales leader in animal health takes deep knowledge of the industry, products, and people. No wonder it takes years of sales experience to reach these roles.

Bringing home the bacon

With each step you take up the animal health sales ladder, your compensation increases. Entry-level roles in inside sales can still pay well. Seventy-six percent (76%) of full-time inside sales team members earned between $50,000 and $95,000, with managers earning slightly more. 

Moving to a full-time field sales role brings an increase in compensation; 80% of field sales reps earn more than $95,000. If you become a top sales performer, you can earn well over $100,000. That's not chicken feed!  

Are you interested in leadership? Sales professionals who progress to regional or national leadership roles can see significant jumps in their compensation, with national sales leaders in our survey earning more than $175,000.

"The sales force is the beating heart of every animal health company. Competition for the  best reps is fierce. For people with the right "Sales DNA," a career in animal health sales is personally and professionally rewarding."

Bob Jones, President, Brakke Consulting

Could you be an animal health sales professional?

The results of our survey clearly demonstrate that the professional sales ladder presents powerful career opportunities for the right person. You can find more insights from our Summer 2021 Animal Health Compensation Survey here. 

Could you be a great sales professional? See our white paper on the science of great salespeople.  

If you think animal health sales be the right career for you, get started now. Post your resume on Animal Health Jobs and register for job alerts.

Sign up for our newsletter to hear from us about jobs and trends in animal health and animal nutrition.