Is “no experience” stopping you from getting your dream job? Listen here.
If “no experience” is stopping you from the dream job that you desire?
Listen to this short audio clip about how to overcome this objection…..
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The Importance of Questioning Skills in Your Medical Sales Job Interview
It might surprise you to know that asking questions of your own during your health care sales job interview is just as important as answering them. Candidates spend a lot of time on interview preparation, and they should. Doing your research on the company, bringing your 30/60/90-day plan, and preparing compelling answers to interview questions (as well as having some stories to back them up) are guaranteed ways to have a good interview. But one thing that will make you stand out from other candidates is asking questions.
Asking questions tells you what you need to know.
After all, you’re interviewing the company, too. Is it going to be a good fit for you? Is it going to be somewhere you’ll be able to grow and advance your career? To find out these answers, you’ll ask questions about the company, the mission, the typical work day, travel schedules, and so on—just don’t ask about the salary or the vacation!
Asking questions gives you better answers to interview questions.
Do you want to know what the hiring manager wants to hear? Ask him. Say something like, “What are you looking for in a candidate?” or “Tell me about your most successful employee.” Or ask, “What tasks will define success for this job?” You can even ask, “What would sink an employee in this position?” Any of these questions will define for you what the hiring manager is looking for so that you can show him how you will deliver those qualities and skills he needs when you answer his questions.
Asking questions uncovers doubts the hiring manager might have about you.
When you ask questions like “Do you see any reason you wouldn’t move me forward in this process?” or “Is there any reason you wouldn’t hire me?” the manager will tell you what he sees as your weak spots. It might be a real one that you can provide a plan for correcting, or it might just be a misconception on his part because you didn’t give him the answer he was looking for in a previous question. Once you’ve uncovered those issues, you can correct them and possibly save the interview.
Asking questions turns the interview into a conversation.
Conducting a conversation, rather than participating in a ping-pong-style Q&A session, helps to establish rapport. It becomes a give-and-take between professionals. It makes you seem confident, and capable of thinking strategically. And, it makes you seem more enthusiastic and interested in the job.
You can’t go wrong by asking questions. Here’s a link to killer questions for a medical sales interview.
If you’re not comfortable with this, find an interview coach to role-play the interview with you. It’s worth it if it increases your confidence and gives you a smoother, more successful interview.
The Secret to Standing Out in Your Medical Sales Job Interview – Part V
If you’ve been in the job search very long for a position in medical sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, surgical sales, pharmaceutical sales, or any other health care sales field, you know how competitive it is. But there are things you can do to make yourself stand out as a candidate…and that’s where this series comes in. Previously, we’ve covered:
Part 1 – Rethinking your job search
Part 2 – Using social media to help you land the job
Part 3 – Using the right tools to impress your interviewer
Part 4 – Job shadowing (a.k.a. medical sales field preceptorship)
Today’s post is part 5: Polish Your Interview Skills
You already know the basic rules for interviewing: dress appropriately (usually, that means conservatively), watch your body language, and prepare answers to typical interview questions. And they really are make-or-break issues.
But did you know how important it is to ask questions of your own?
Or that you must ask for the job before you leave?
These actions demonstrate your confidence and professionalism. They definitely help you stand out, because you’ve gone a step or two farther than most candidates who just answer what they’re asked.
Asking questions of your own shows that you’ve done your research, you think strategically, and you have great communication skills. Yes, you should ask about the company and the job, but you should also ask “What are you looking for in this position?” or even, “Tell me about your best employee.” That’s going to give you big clues to what the hiring manager wants to hear in your answers, and you can tailor them accordingly.
Asking for the job shows that you want it. Many candidates are afraid to be that bold, but you have to do it. If you don’t, hiring managers wonder if you really want the job, or if you have enough initiative to do it well. Simply ask, “What’s the next step?” or “Are you confident that I’m a person who can meet the challenges of this position?” You’ll uncover any doubts the hiring manager has about you so that you can deal with them right then and there. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, because chances are you won’t get another one.
What else can you do?
- Check out one of my free one-hour training classes:
How to Land a Job in Medical Sales
How to Get a Better Job – Faster!
- Read all the articles on this blog, and go to the Medical Sales Recruiter’s YouTube Channel for videos to walk you through the whole interview process–including the all-important follow up.
- Invest in yourself by hiring an interview coach to role play interview questions with you. Sometimes it results in a big shift in strategy or style, and sometimes it’s just the small tweak you need to put you ahead of other candidates.
Post-Interview Follow Up Tips: After The Thank You Note
Candidates often ask me, “Post-interview, how long should I wait AFTER I send the thank you note to contact the hiring manager again? What should I say? Should I call or email again?“
The post-interview follow up period can feel like the trickiest of situations for candidates. Push too hard, and you’ll annoy them. Don’t push, and you risk not looking like a go-getter. If you’re working with a recruiter, the recruiter will do the calling to see what’s up. But if you’re going after this job on your own, then it’s all up to you.
I put this question to my LinkedIn group to see what the experts think. (Yet another reason why LinkedIn groups are so valuable.) I got some fabulous answers from business leaders in management and HR, and wanted to share them with you.
The VAST majority of those who replied said that candidates can and should avoid that whole awkward situation by being direct in the first place. Ask about the time-frame for the hiring decision while you are still in the interview: “When do you expect to make a decision?” or “What are the next steps?” That’s a move that feels bold to some candidates, but it’s a really important step that’s going to tell you where you stand and what you can expect. And it shows the hiring manager that you really do care about landing this job. (Watch my video on How to Close for the Job to see how to ask for the job, or at least find out when they’re going to make a decision. )
At the very least, you should ask if it’s OK to call if you haven’t heard anything in say, a week. Or just ask them when it’s OK to call to follow up. Then call. ALWAYS follow through with whatever you’ve said you will do. They will be paying attention.
If you’ve gotten out of the interview and haven’t asked, then here’s what to do (although here’s also where they start to differ a little more in their opinions): wait no more than a week, and then call. Or email, and tell them you’ll call. If they tell you they haven’t reached a decision, ask if it’s OK for you to call again in another week.
Overall, the hiring managers who responded seemed much less concerned with being “hassled” by potential employees than with finding someone with initiative who really wanted to work for them. So, aim for politeness, directness, and clarity, and you should be just fine.
5 Killer Questions to Ask In Your Medical Sales Job Interview
Usually, the emphasis in job interview prep involves getting your answers ready for the toughest medical sales interview questions–and there’s no doubt that it’s a critical component. But you must remember that interviewing is a two-way street. In one respect, the job interview is your chance to find out if the company is somewhere you can shine and advance in your career. You have to ask the questions that will tell you what you want to know.
But the most immediate benefit to asking questions in the interview is that just by asking those questions, you stand out as a medical sales candidate. You show yourself as a go-getter, and you change the interview from a one-sided interrogation into a conversation between professionals. It helps you establish rapport, and it uncovers for you what the interviewer is looking for–so that you can tailor your answers to what’s going to make the best impression on him.
To effectively find out what the interviewer wants to know, you have to ask the right questions. What are they?
1. “Tell me about what you’re looking for in this position?” Or, if you want to be more specific, “Tell me about the best member of your team?“ You want to know what has made the top performers successful. What skills or characteristics do they have? Then you can point out similar skills and qualities that you have that will allow you to be a top performer here, too.
2. “What’s the greatest challenge for this position?” Same idea. You want to know what the hiring manager’s greatest problems are so you can tell him how you’re going to solve them. You can talk about similar situations you’ve dealt with, and show how you already know what it takes to be successful.
3. “What do you like or dislike about working for this company?“ Asking this question gives you insight into the company and even more help with the responses you give.
4. “Are you confident that I’m a person who can meet the challenges and issues that your company faces?” What you want to know here is that you’ve told the interviewer what they need to know to make a confident decision to hire you. This question will help you uncover any objections while you’re right there to answer them. Maybe there’s some doubt the hiring manager has about your experience or abilities, you can find out what it is and speak to that. It’s sometimes hard to do, but it’s worth it. (It becomes easier and more effective if you practice with an interview coach first.)
5. “What’s the next step in this process?” I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to close the deal. You can’t leave the interview without asking for the job. Not only will you give yourself a little more peace of mind by knowing what their timeline looks like, you demonstrate that you’re proactive and confident as well as give them an idea of how you’ll deal with customers.
Asking the right questions leads you to give the most impressive answers and creates a very successful environment for you to have a killer interview–a must-do for landing a medical sales job.
Best of luck.
Typical Phone Interview Questions for Medical Sales Jobs
Phone interviews can be deceptively casual to some medical sales and health care sales job seekers–maybe because it doesn’t feel like the “real thing”…and they can’t see you anyway. But not taking the phone interview very seriously is a huge mistake. If they called you, they like you, and they are screening their top candidates to decide who deserves the time and expense of a face-to-face interview. They’re looking for a reason not to like you. Don’t let them screen you out.
Beyond the basic phone interview survival tips of dressing professionally (it’s an attitude thing), reducing distractions, smiling, and keeping your resume, brag book, and notes in front of you (hey, you might as well take advantage of the one benefit of phone interviews), you should prepare for it just like you would prepare for a face-to-face. Research the company thoroughly. Think about what questions you might be asked, and practice your answers so that you’re smooth and confident.
What are some typical phone interview questions? Since this is really the first step in the hiring process, they are essentially the same questions you might hear in a normal interview. Like these:
Tell me about yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s a social question to break the ice. It isn’t. All your answers should relate to the job.
Why are you interested in this job? Relate it to your skills and what you can do for them.
Do you have the right educational/work background? However they ask this question, they’re looking to see if you have the skills and/or education to be successful at this job. In medical sales, you’ll need a science degree, or at least some science classes if you’ve got a strong sales record.
Are you in the right location? Is relocation going to be an issue for you? Are you willing to move? It could be a factor when deciding between candidates.
What’s your greatest weakness? It’s OK to admit to a real weakness, as long as you can turn it into a positive for the job. “Perfectionism” is overdone, though.
How do you handle conflict? This is a great place to use a story. The STAR technique–the Situation you faced, the Task at hand, the Approach you took, and the Results you got–is a fantastic way to answer this question.
Who would serve as your references? If they ask this, they’ll probably check them before they call you in. Choose great references like past managers or other high-level execs who can speak to your work skills, and prep them before they’re called.
One more thing: Never hang up without asking a few questions of your own, just as you would in a normal interview. Clarify, ask questions about the company, and ask for next steps. Active, engaged conversation and questions make a great impression on the interviewer. Prepare well and you’ll be on your way to acing the phone interview and getting to the face-to-face.
If you’d like an objective, expert evaluation of your phone interview style, consider a phone interview coaching session. It’s an investment in yourself that will pay off in more job offers.
What You MUST Ask Before You Leave The Interview
To prepare for a job interview in medical or health care sales, you have to make sure you’re ready to answer both common and tough interview questions, and know how to frame your answers to highlight what you’re going to bring to the company (a great way to do that is to structure your answers in the form of stories that spotlight your skills). You also have to have some interview questions of your own ready–after all, you’re interviewing them, too. You want to know if that company’s a good fit for you, and is going to be a place where you can succeed. But there’s one question you should absolutely remember to ask before the interview ends.
It’s “Do you see any reason why you wouldn’t hire me for this job?”
I know…there are many who would disparage that question, finding it too canned and predictable. So ask it another way, then. But ask it.
Uncover the hiring manager's objections.
Why? The interview is your best shot at securing a job offer. You don’t want to leave any doubts in the hiring manager’s mind about hiring you. You need to uncover those doubts and objections while you have a chance to address them. And many legitimate objections can be addressed simply by giving the interviewer a different perspective on whatever it is that’s bothering them. Or maybe you’ve forgotten to highlight some experience in your job history. The answer to that question will show you the weak spots in your interview, and give you another chance to shore them up.
Although this advice applies to any job interview in any industry, it’s especially true for sales. If you can’t even close the deal during your interview, what’s going to make the medical device, laboratory sales, or pharmaceutical sales hiring manager think you can close the sale when you’re on the job?
If you have any doubts about your ability to ask this question in the interview, PLEASE consider hiring an interview coach to role-play interview questions with you. Practicing asking that question with a coach will make it easier and more natural for you to ask it in an interview. You deserve to know the answer.
And getting it could make the difference in whether or not you get the job offer.
Listen to these tips on how to close for the job in the interview–exactly the words you need to say to the interviewer.
The One Question You Must Ask The Interviewer
Don’t get me wrong…there are many questions you must ask the interviewer in order to land a medical sales job. Asking questions in the interview demonstrates your intelligence, drive, enthusiasm, and preparation for the job. It turns the interview into a conversation between professionals, putting you in a better psychological position, interview-wise. You’ll also find out if you really want to work there. You’ll find out, for instance, if the environment is a good fit, if you can work with this manager, and if it’s a place where you can advance your career. All in all, having questions of your own to ask in the interview is a great thing.
But.
What's the most important interview question?
What’s the one question you can’t afford to forget? It’s the one question that can make or break your interview.
It’s “What are you looking for?”
Or you could ask it in a different way: “Can you describe your top performer in this role? What are his or her characteristics?”
Why would you ask this question? Because it sets up the interview…tone, structure, focus, etc. Maybe you think it’s obvious from the job description, or otherwise self-explanatory. By asking this question, you’re going to get at the heart of what the employer’s looking for, and it’s going to give you major guidance for how to formulate the rest of your answers–especially if you’re asked any behavioral event interview questions. You can choose the stories that are going to really tilt the interview in your favor.
Health care sales managers are going to have a “formula” in their heads for what makes a great medical sales rep. It will vary depending on the industry (medical devices, laboratory sales, pharmaceuticals, pathology, biotech, etc.), the individual company, and the products they sell. If you can uncover what that formula is, then you have a much better shot at showing the hiring manager why you fit.
The interview is pretty precious real estate in your job search. You don’t want to waste time addressing what you THINK the employer wants. Just ask. Make every minute count, and make every answer give the hiring manager one more reason to offer you the job.
Check out my free training webinar “How to Get a Better Job Faster” for more job search tips.
Don’t Sabotage Your Job Search By Making This Critical Interview Mistake
Just got off a coaching call with a candidate who is making a critical mistake in the interview and missing the job offer.
I don’t want you to miss this – it’s a less-than-5-minute audio that will change the way you think about the interview.
Here is what you should do:
1: Click the audio control below to listen to the audio
2: Go here to sign up for custom interview coaching (or coaching on any other aspect of your job):
I know that this will make a difference in your job search.
Peggy
Should you hire a career coach to role play some job interview questions?
You know the drill for medical sales job interviews: research, prepare, and be ready for the toughest interview questions.
There are some job interview questions for health care sales jobs that inevitably trip candidates up. “What’s your greatest weakness?“ is a famous one. The typical advice you’ll usually find is to prepare for the interview by practicing your answers, and role-play it with a friend (if you’re really serious).
Preparation is key to landing any job in medical device, laboratory sales, or pharmaceutical sales; and role-playing your interview answers is going to do nothing but help you. That’s the truth.
Having said that, I want to suggest that you kick it up a notch: hire a career coach to role play job interview questions with you.
Think of it this way: You will get better at your golf game by going to the driving range or playing a few holes with your buddies–your skills will improve over time with practice and the competition from your friends. But if you were really serious about improving your swing or wanted to get Phil Mickelson good, you’d find a coach.
So how serious are you about your job search?
A coach can help you
- construct answers that sell you as a candidate for the most common interview questions as well as the toughest ones.
- take your personal history into account so that you don’t answer standard interview questions with the same standard answers everyone else gives–you’ll be memorable.
- practice closing the deal (many candidates find this difficult to master–but it’s vital).
Think about hiring a career coach before you go to your next interview. Seriously.
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