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?
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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 to write the 30/60/90-day plan that is proven to knock the socks off any medical sales hiring manager here: 30/60/90-Day Sales Plan
Medical Sales Job Interviews: When It’s OK to Leave Your Brag Book
Brag books are an important part of your job interview documents, especially for candidates in medical or health care sales. They are fantastic vehicles to highlight your achievements in sales rankings, sales volume, percentage improvements based on customers or territory, and other numerical evidence that you know how to ring the cash register. Find out how to create a killer brag book.
Recently, a candidate asked me if it’s OK to give your potential employer a copy of your brag book. Her feeling was that it would be a good reminder/reference for the hiring manager later on in the decision-making process.
That’s smart thinking.
But the decision to leave your brag book with your interviewer should depend on the circumstances. If you’re leaving your interview and you haven’t had a chance to go over your brag book with the hiring manager, then you shouldn’t leave it. If he wasn’t interested in seeing it in the interview, he won’t look at it later, and you’ve wasted your efforts (and a lot of paper). (See this video on what to do with your brag book for more information.)
In this candidate’s case, she had a great interview with a hiring manager who was very impressed with her accomplishments highlighted in her brag book. So leaving him a reminder was a good decision.
If you think, based on your experience in the interview, that it’s a good decision to leave the brag book and that it will add value to you as a candidate, then you should. Many don’t give it to them due to the cost of reproduction and some concerns for confidentiality, but I don’t think that confidentiality is really an issue. Over the years I have had many candidates send me their brag books and I can tell you that I remember them more for it.
Medical Sales Job Interview Advice: Talking About Salary (aka The Money Question)
Of all job interview questions or issues, possibly the most anxiety-inducing one is the one about money. What’s your salary going to be? How much are you worth?
As in all things, there is a time to talk, and a time to shut up.
And if you haven’t already guessed, the time to talk about your future salary is NOT during your interview.
Watch this video to find out:
- Where your focus must be to conduct a successful interview
- How to deflect questions you’re asked about money (exactly what you should say)
- When it’s OK to finally talk about it
Get more valuable tips like these when you sign up for the How to Get a Better Job – Faster! webinar. It’s a free training class to show you how to stand out as a star candidate in every interview.
Best Tip for Standing Out in Your Medical Sales Job Interview
If you could do only one thing different that would really make you stand out from other candidates in your medical sales or health care sales job interview, what should it be?
It’s the foundation for everything else in your interview, but I bet it’s not what you think it is.
Watch this video to find out.
Click on this link to find out more about how to get into medical sales.
Interview Coaching for Medical Sales Interviews
The medical sales arena is the top tier of sales positions in the workforce. Because the area is so varied, exciting, and lucrative, many, many candidates are vying for those jobs. So, if you want to land a job in medical sales, you’re going to have to bring your “A” game.
Every point-of-contact with a medical sales hiring manager (or the HR department) is a make-or-break one. Each one is a “weeding” opportunity for them: your resume, your cover letter, your online presence, your phone interview, and your first interview. They’re looking for a reason to throw your name out and narrow down the field to make their jobs easier.
In response to that, the smart candidate will prepare, refine their job search and interview techniques, and give it all they’ve got. But there’s one other trick you could have up your sleeve: your own personal interview coach.
Why an interview coach? Well, the best-of-the-best are competing for these jobs. Think of it like the Olympics (the job interview competition). Yes, Olympic athletes have talent, but what else do they have? They have excellent coaches who fine-tune their skills and get from them that extra few seconds that make the difference between a really talented athlete and an Olympic champion.
How does that translate into your job search? A great interview coach will
- take into account your individual history and talents and show you how to shape them into job-winners for you.
- customize your resume and 30/60/90-day plan.
- help you construct compelling, individualized answers to standard interview questions so that you’ll stand out in a big way.
- help you figure out what makes you unique in the job market.
- help you improve your closing skills so that you can ask for the job (a critical skill).
- show you how to negotiate your job offer.
The real beauty of individualized interview coaching is that it’s customized. It’s whatever you need it to be. You’ll discuss that with your coach, who can also point out things you weren’t even aware of.
What are the biggest things to keep in mind? Find a coach who’s an expert in your field, who knows what the hiring managers in it are looking for, and who is excited to be on your team. Make sure you’re comfortable working with your coach, too.
It’s difficult to get a job in medical sales, but it’s not impossible. Find a coach who can help you reach your goals.
I offer interview coaching for medical sales candidates, but you don’t have to work with me. Find someone you’re comfortable with and make the investment in yourself. It will be worth it.
Do Recruiters Help You Put Together Your 30/60/90-Day Plan?
The short answer is yes. A recruiter can and will absolutely help you put together a 30/60/90-day plan, especially an external recruiter whose paycheck depends on you getting the job.
The longer answer is also yes, but you have to do your part in making sure that happens. A good medical sales recruiter will point you in the right direction for your research on the company. But you also have to ask the right questions to get the recruiter to share with you what they believe and know about the company and the job.
What are some basic things you need to know to create a killer 30/60/90-day plan?
- What’s the greatest challenge for the position?
- Why is the position open?
- What has to happen for the role to be successful?
- Who has been hired for this position before?
- What made them successful at it (or not)?
These concepts are huge. They are going to help you think strategically about the role and create a plan of attack that will ultimately result in your success. And the candidate who asks them will make a very favorable impression on the recruiter.
A good recruiter will also be able to point you to essential resources to help you. Not just a home webpage address, but possibly a summary of the company, white papers on company products or services, or more. (But don’t forget the company’s LinkedIn page. That’s a tremendous resource, also.)
Even better, a smart candidate will have the recruiter review and critique the plan before it’s presented in the interview. The input you get could in fact be what makes you superior to all other candidates and get you the job offer.
Check out this free webinar to give you more insight into landing the medical sales job you want:
How to Get a Better Job – FASTER
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