If you are a sales professional or want to become one, or if you are looking for a new sales job, you will face one of the toughest interview processes of any job seeker.
Interview preparation in any industry requires that you know what queries are likely to be asked so that you can formulate answers ahead of time, and rehearse your delivery. Typical interview queries and the kind of answers hiring managers are looking for are widely available online with just a little effort, even if you’re interviewing for a sales position. Medical revenue interviews can involve more specialized musings than an average sales job, depending on the area you’re in (clinical, medical diagnostics, biotechnology, imaging, pathology, hospital equipment, surgical supplies, medical device, or pharmaceutical), but the revenue process is generally the same—the difference is in the details. And the details can be taken care of by careful research of the company and its products, goals, and culture.
1. Are you in the right location? Will they need to relocate you? Are you even willing to move?
2. Can you trip? Most sales positions require traveling to customers throughout your region, and clinical sales are no exception.
3. Do you have the requirements? What experience/training/education do you have that qualifies you for this job?
4. Do you’ve the BS degree? Is it in the life sciences? A Life Science degree isn’t always necessary, but a background in chemistry or biology does help. If you don’t have the degree: if you can show specific classes you took in these areas, it increases your chances because it demonstrates some knowledge in the pharmaceutical arena.
5. What have you done to prepare for this type of territory? Hint: Don’t say “nothing”….talk about the sales books you’ve read, the training you’ve taken, the ride-alongs you’ve done with reps in the field, and the information-gathering interviews you’ve done.
6. What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Focus your “strengths” answer to these actual strengths you’ve that will be a benefit in this job. Candidates usually answer the “weaknesses” question with something that isn’t, like “I just work too darn hard,” but you could go the refreshingly honest route of naming an actual weakness that you, naturally, have already taken steps to overcome.
7. Where do you want to be in 5 years? What are you looking for long-term?
8. How do others describe you? Before you get to the interview, ask a few friends that very question. It may surprise you, and it may give you a excellent answer. No matter what, though, have the presence of mind to limit your “description” to qualities that would be great in a pharma revenue rep: energetic, smart, ambitious, dependable, a team player, a leader, loves people, loves technology, fascinated by medical breakthroughs, likes helping others, competitive, loves to travel, etc. They don’t need to know about how much you love your yoga classes, paintball weekends, or your staunch conservatism/liberalism.
9. Who would serve as your references? Be very sure that you know what your references will say about you. When you call to give Them a heads up, take that opportunity to coach them on tailoring their answer to what will be the most effective for this particular position.
10. How do you handle conflict? Here’s where you give an example from your past about something that happened with a co-worker or customer, and how you successfully negotiated an agreement that everyone was happy with. Use the STAR approach to answering: State the Situation, the Task that was at hand, the Approach you took, and the Results you got.
11. What would you do…then they give you a tough sales scenario? This is a classic behavioral interview question. (Here’s a link to a movie for how to handle ‘em.) If you can, bring it around to something similar that did happen, and what you did about it.
12. How would you build your market? This is an awesome territory to introduce your 30/60/90-day revenue plan, which you create out of your research on the company and the career opportunity. It’s your “to do” list for exactly what you will do during your first 3 months of employment to learn your career opportunity, learn your customers, and build your market to increase sales. If you need help with this, get it. It’s worth it.
For all those questions, the key is to listen, clarify, answer and then ask how they would answer that question. You can learn a lot—which will either impress them with your initiative and willingness to learn, or give you something you can use for your next interview.
Article courtesy of Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Recruiter at the nationally
recognized clinical and clinical sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
© Copyright 2008 PHC Consulting | All rights reserved
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