Medical Sales Job Interviews: What Hiring Managers Really Think About What You Wear
Listen to this conversation between two former medical sales managers Chris Norris (formerly with GE, CCS, Bayer) and Kraig McKee (formerly with Ventana Medical, Transgenomic, Bayer/Chiron) chat about what to wear to the interview and how to think about it–for both men and women:
Hear about how to buy a suit, all the details about what’s appropriate in terms of attire, jewelry, hair, and more. And get the inside scoop about what all those details tell the hiring manager about you in your job interview.
For additional information, check out this survey of what hiring managers expect you to wear in the job interview.
If you have a topic that you would like a manager’s perspective on, let us know in the comments below.
Medical Sales Reps, Get Over the Fear of Closing (in the Sales Call and the Job Interview)
Don't be afraid to close the deal.
Today I’m bringing you a tip that does double duty: check out Mark Hunter‘s article 3 Ways to Stop Being Afraid of Closing.
Mark is an excellent source for sales tips, but this one is also great advice for job seekers–because the job search is a sales process and that means you have to close in the interview. It’s very intimidating for many job seekers, but it’s also very necessary.
Here are Mark’s tips and my thoughts:
Number one: Believe in your price. (In the job hunter’s case, that’s your salary range.)
Number two: Have more than one close. (The same phrase doesn’t always work in every interview situation.)
Number three: Remember that you are helping your customers. (Can you articulate what value you bring to the company?)
Mark offers true wisdom in these tips. Go check them out!
30-60-90-Day Plans for Medical Sales Jobs
Most sales reps are familiar with 30-60-90-Day Sales Plans, but unbelievably, not all of them bring one to their job interviews. As a medical sales recruiter, I push all my candidates to create a 30-60-90-day plan for each job interview, and that’s one of the reasons my candidates are so consistently successful. In candidate comparisons, the one with the plan always wins. You have a lot to prove in the interview, and a well-written plan will help you do it. It’s part of the whole process of marketing yourself.
In the video below, I’ll tell you more about why 30-60-90-day sales plans are such a natural fit for medical sales jobs.
Get expert guidance for your 30-60-90-day plan here.
Medical Sales Interview Question – “What’s Your Sales Style?”
“What is your sales style?” If you’re trying to land a position in medical sales, you will definitely be asked this question at some point in your interview. (Probably right before “Can you sell me this pen?“) It’s one of many common sales interview questions.
As a medical sales recruiter, I expect a certain kind of answer when I ask someone that question, but in many cases, I don’t get it. In the video below, I’ll let you in on what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for when they ask you about your sales style.
Get started on the right foot by preparing for these typical phone interview questions for medical sales jobs.
Medical Sales Job Search: Don’t Make This Fatal Mistake With Your References
What you say about your references can kill your chances to get the job–not to mention what they say about you when they’re called! Your references are a huge factor in your success–they can make you or break you (see How Bad References Can Kill Your Job Search). But I just talked to a candidate who, even though her references aren’t negative, is making a fatal but common mistake when asked about them.
Listen to this audio to find out what her mistake is and how you can avoid it:
Get more valuable tips like these when you sign up for How to Get a Better Job – Faster!
It’s a free training webinar that will show you how to guarantee yourself a job offer every time you interview!
Job Interview Questions and Answers for Medical Sales: What You Have to Prove In the Interview
If you’ve been in the job market very long, you know how competitive it is out there–especially if you’re trying to land a job in medical devices, pharmaceutical sales, or health care sales in general. But all that means is that since employers probably aren’t chasing you, you’ve got to bring your “A game” to the interview. The good news is that if you understand what the medical sales hiring manager is looking for and know what your goal is for the interview, you have an excellent chance for success!
Your mission in the interview is to prove to the hiring manager that
(a) you understand the job;
(b) you will be successful in the job; and
(c) you not only won’t be a risk to his own employment, you’ll make him look good.
But how do you prove that? He’s got more than a few candidates telling him that they have such-and-such experience, and that they’re driven, hard-working, enthusiastic, energetic, etc. How do you stand out?
You stand out from the rest of the candidates through your extensive research and preparation.
You’ve got to be able to address, with as much knowledge as you can, what the company’s issues are and how you’re the best person to them. That means doing your homework. You’ve got to know what the company’s mission, goals, and biggest problems are. Do you see the shift here? It’s a little less “this is what I can do” and a little more “this is how I can help you get where you want to go.”
And, the best way to showcase your job interview preparation is through a 30/60/90-day plan.
A 30/60/90-day plan is a written outline of your tasks and goals for your first 3 months on the job. (It’s really fantastic for sales jobs, but it’s completely adaptable to just about every job). You’re spelling out for your potential employer that you know what you need to do to be successful. The more company-specific it is, the better–and that’s where your research comes in. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s a tool that will facilitate your interview conversation, and you can revise it later. The important thing is that it shows the hiring manager you’ve thought about how you’ll accomplish important goals. It demonstrates your communication skills, strategic thinking, dedication, and commitment.
Putting this kind of plan together takes a significant amount of work–a lot more than most candidates will do. But that’s exactly why it makes you stand out as a candidate who can prove why you are the best person for the job.
Want to find out more about how to bring your A game to your medical sales interview?
Sign up for this FREE webinar: How to Get a Better Job – FASTER
Over 200,000 Views on Medical Sales Recruiter Video YouTube Channel!
I am excited to announce that we’ve hit the 200,000-view mark on the Medical Sales Recruiter YouTube Channel!
Thank you for watching and for referring my videos to others. They are all designed to give you a strong competitive edge in the medical sales job market, and I would love to hear from you about which tips or advice you’ve gained the most from that resulted in your career success!
Top 5 Videos (by view numbers)
Salary Negotiations: Discussing Money in the Job Interview – Get Hired Today!
Get advice on how (and when) to handle the very delicate topic of financial compensation in the interview process. Sail past the obstacles that cause trouble for everyone else!
Closing in the Job Interview for a Job Offer
Maneuver through the interview toward the best possible outcome! Never leave another interview wondering if you’ve done everything you can to get the job.
30/60/90-Day Plans for Job Interviews – Get Hired!
What is a 30/60/90-day plan and how can you use it to be a powerhouse candidate who gets the offer?
How to Ace the Behavioral Interview
Get the techniques to master this very common but tricky interview style.
Don’t let panel interviews make you nervous! Get the keys to being a calm, cool, and confident candidate.
These videos offer solid advice on topics that candidates are most concerned with, but I also want to recommend 3 more videos to you. These include some insider tips and out-of-the-box techniques to becoming an outstanding medical sales candidate!
4 Impressive Job Interview Techniques to Get the Offer
I’ve got 4 stories for you about candidates who used my interview techniques with their own unique twists that made amazing impressions on the hiring managers and got them the offer!
How to Prepare for the Toughest Interview Questions
You can find job interview prep tips anywhere, but only here are you going to get the powerful technique to help you slam dunk the interview questions that are real “showstoppers.”
Asking Questions in the Interview Process
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for candidates to participate in the interview by asking questions of their own. Learn which questions really separate you from the other candidates!
How to Transition From Pharma to Medical Device Sales
Times are tough in pharma sales, and it has been for a while now. (Over 6000 jobs were cut in September alone, and more pharma job losses are coming.) That means that many pharma reps are looking for new positions in other areas of medical sales, like medical devices or laboratory sales, and it can be hard to transition because of the reputation, structure, and procedures of the pharmaceutical sales arena. They need to look stronger in the job market.
What’s the secret?
Well, when I coach former pharmaceutical reps, I let them in on a few things to focus on:
- the language they need to use with hiring managers, recruiters, and in interviews
- what kind of proof they need to give potential employers to prove they can be successful at the job
Watch this video to get the details, and learn how you can transition to a new medical sales job:
What to Wear to the Medical Sales Job Interview: What Hiring Managers REALLY Expect
Are you wavering over what to wear to your next medical sales job interview? Your attire is another piece of the puzzle for your interviewer, and along with your interview preparation and presence, has a huge impact on whether or not you end up with the job offer.
Recently, PHC Consulting conducted a survey of current hiring managers within medical sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, surgical sales, and other health care sales areas to determine what kind of job interview attire is appropriate for the medical sales interview and what makes the best (and the worst) impression on hiring managers. Which details make the difference?
Here are the results:
If you’d like to have one-on-one coaching or counseling about your next interview, check out this information on medical sales interview coaching. Constructive critique from an expert will make the difference in your job search.
30/60/90-Day Plan for Medical Sales Job Interview Success!
Recently, I had a conversation with a strong, articulate medical sales candidate who was still struggling with the interview process. He thought the interviews were going well, but he wasn’t making the cut and he didn’t understand why. After some questioning to pinpoint the problem, I discovered that he wasn’t bringing a 30/60/90-day plan.
A 30/60/90-day plan is a written outline of what you intend to do during the first 3 months on the job: training, learning your market/territory, and going after new sales. It’s an incredibly powerful tool in a medical sales interview because it provides some evidence for the hiring manager that you understand the job, you know what it takes to succeed, and you won’t pose a risk to his own continued employment. It doesn’t matter whether that manager is in laboratory sales, medical device sales, surgical sales, or medical software sales…he wants to know that you will be able to hit the ground running and produce results as a member of his sales team.
Some candidates are uncomfortable with the idea of using one because
(1) What if they make a mistake with it or it’s not complete? Will it kick them out of the process?
(2) What if the hiring manager doesn’t want to see the plan?
(3) What if there’s no opportunity to present it?
In this video, Peggy will show you why that thinking is faulty and exactly what to say in the interview to overcome all of these obstacles and successfully present the plan to the hiring manager. In the end, you’ll understand why bringing a 30/60/90-day plan is right for every interview–and you’ll never go into another medical sales interview without it.
Learn how to create a 30/60/90-day plan that will knock the socks off any medical sales hiring manager:
http://30-60-90-day-sales-plan.com/getthe306090daysalesplan.htm
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Ace Your Sales Interview If you are a sales professional, or want to become one, looking for a new job, you will face one of the toughest interview processes of any job seeker.
Now you can ace your interview with the 30 60 90 Day Sales Plan template with audio coaching. This simple tool will help you knock the socks off your interviewer and bury your competition. Over 30 minutes of concentrated instruction that jobseekers can use to get multiple offers from their next interview process.
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