| Job interviews for pharmaceutical sales are unlike | | | | good working mix in my mind." |
| other types of job interviews. These interviews are | | | | Asking you about your strengths during an interview is |
| used to assess whether a candidate is suitable in the | | | | an opportunity for you to sell yourself. Asking you |
| sales environment in addition to reviewing background | | | | about weaknesses is another matter and is another |
| histories and skills. Interviewers would often ask tricky | | | | example of a tricky question. You must be careful |
| questions that test the personalities of candidates in | | | | here not to expose any specific weak skills that may |
| order to determine sales potential. | | | | hurt you during an interview. Whenever I encountered |
| If during a pharmaceutical sales job interview and the | | | | questions about my weaknesses during my interviews, |
| reviewer asks you a question on whether you prefer | | | | I countered with something like this; |
| to work alone or with others in groups, you have to be | | | | "In all honesty, the only weakness I think I have is |
| careful here. If you say a solo environment is definitely | | | | perhaps a lack of industry specific experience since |
| better, they may not see you as a team player. If you | | | | pharmaceutical sales will be new for me. However, I |
| say that you prefer working in groups, they might think | | | | am strong on my communications and sales related |
| that you would not be effective in sales since most of | | | | skills. I am also a fast learner so I am certain that |
| the time, pharmaceutical reps are out in the field on | | | | industry specific training that your company could |
| their own. | | | | provide will help me make up for this lack of industry |
| Therefore, the safest route to take here is to say that | | | | experience. I'm sure that I would be able to get up to |
| you like both environments and can be effective in | | | | speed pretty quickly and start growing those sales for |
| both. When you are alone, you can be effective as an | | | | your company." |
| independent worker. Then when you are working with | | | | Notice that I bring up the trainability fact in the above |
| others in group projects or at meetings, you can also | | | | statement. It is extremely important that you convey |
| work effectively in teams. | | | | the fact that you are an effective learner of new skills |
| You must convey the impression during a job interview | | | | and environments. I use this attribute to effectively |
| that your skills enable you to excel in both scenarios. | | | | wipe out any weaknesses. |
| Don't get fooled by the interviewer's trick question. | | | | Be prepared to answer trick questions during |
| Here's an effective response; | | | | interviews for pharmaceutical sales positions. They are |
| "I like both. I realize that most of the time, reps work | | | | designed to see if you really have what it takes to be |
| alone and I certainly can be effective in this mode. | | | | in sales. Learn all you can about the pharmaceutical |
| Working with others at times will be a nice change and | | | | sales job and focus on selling your skills as well as |
| I can also be quite effective in teams as well. It's a | | | | personal attributes. |