Throughout his career, Joe Mullings has placed nearly 8,000 valuable employees in 600 medtech companies across the country. As a result, he’s gained an inside look at how to enter this rapidly advancing field and succeed as a leader.

Mullings recently sat down with Scott Whitaker to discuss his time as a recruiter and what it takes to make it in the medtech industry. Reflecting on his long career of recruiting, he noted that “it is incredibly rare that people exit this industry when they’re in it.”

“[Medtech companies] are always looking to hire smart, young, driven people.”

––Joe Mullings, Founder, The Mullings Group

For those looking to enter the medtech industry, which Mullings refers to as “a calling,” he recommends looking at the pathway to clinical trials. “If you’re smart, if you’re committed, if you’re structured, there’s always an opening for the CRA, the clinical research associate, and you will learn the technical side of the business.” While this type of role is not the most well-known, it provides young talent with the ability to understand the entire life cycle of a medical device while gaining exposure to key opinion leaders.

The Importance of Leadership and Diversity Across Medtech

As new talent continues to enter the medtech field, it’s also crucial that the workforce is as diverse as the patient population it serves. Mullings and Whitaker agreed that they have seen a rise in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, but there are still ways to further engage women and people of color within medtech. Mullings noted: “I want to see us as a community spending a lot more time with the youth,” encouraging young people from diverse communities to get involved in STEM fields.

Mullings also emphasized the importance of strong leaders across the industry who demonstrate empathy and accountability in their roles. He noted that some of the most critical leaders in medtech “are not in positions of functional title and influence,” but are still succeeding and growing within their companies. Whitaker highlighted the importance of “being comfortable being uncomfortable” in order to challenge oneself within the medtech industry.

Bridging a Medtech Role with a Passion for Health

Both Mullings and Whitaker have personally seen the impacts that medtech can have from their own experiences with the health care system and know the importance of today’s most advanced medical technologies. For those who choose to enter medtech, their career is a part of a larger passion for helping others and improving health. As Whitaker highlighted: “It’s not just a job, it’s about creating new technologies that change and impact peoples’ lives.”

Hear more from Joe Mullings on the U.S. can expand access to health care, how to increase the medtech industry’s inclusiveness and diversity, and more on the latest episode of Medtech POV.