Mastering the Pharmaceutical Sales Job Interview

Is your goal to get into the Pharmaceutical industry?Prepare 2-3 examples for each area and practice
Well I hate to tell you but you are trying to enter intoyour answers with a friend in order to master selling
one of the most competitive job markets in the nation. Iyourself to us.
have been in Pharmaceutical Sales for the past 17+Your Sales Aid
years and have interviewed thousands of candidatesThe brag book is looked upon as a sales aid about
who have all been looking to land their dream job. Withyou and obviously you are interviewing for a
a little preparation, lots of practice, and uncovering thepharmaceutical sales job so if you can't sell me the
keys to success you will increase your odds of landingone thing you should know better than anyone, You,
one of these coveted jobs today.than how can I be assured you will be able to sell my
What do we look forproducts. I believe they are great if you use them
That is certainly the million dollar question that everycorrectly to help convince the interviewer how
candidate wants to know and the answer is prettyexceptional you are. Studies have shown that
simple. There are 3 things that I generally look for inapproximately 80%+ of interviewers want to see the
every candidate and when I find these talents usuallybrag and how you use it. The problem is that most
the rep turns out to be extremely successful overhave them but don't know how to use them to their
time. The first talent is Competiveness and theadvantage throughout the interview. The key is to
candidate either has it or they don't and I can't just givemake it professional looking, easy to read, and have
them the magical elixir to make them competitive. Theyour top 2-3 examples in the beginning of the book.
second talent I look for is what I call BusinessThe Sell Me Something Scenario
Ownership skills as I am essentially turning over theWhy would this scenario even be used in the interview,
keys to a million dollar plus franchise. I need someonewell, you are trying to land a very coveted job that a
who is self driven, persistent, action based and will looksales job. This type of questioning is comes up a lot in
at everything they do around the goals of running athe interviewing process for a pharmaceutical sales
successful business. Lastly, the candidate must oozerep job as the interviewer wants to see how you
integrity as the most important skill we need to seereact to a little pressure, what type of social skills you
and I have to be able to go to bed at night knowinghave, and if you can think on your feet. I have always
every one of my reps is doing the right things with theirused and coached to a very simple selling process
customers.that will easily work in the interviewing process; Take a
Know your talentsminute to prepare yourself, ask some questions around
We have roughly 45 minutes in an interview to try towhat he likes about his current situation, sell the
know everything about who you are and that can befeatures/advantages/benefits of your product, and
a very tough thing to do so I would recommend findingthen ask him to buy your product. Keep in mind the
ways to maximize those 45 minutes to yourselling skills are very teachable but they are really
advantage. Keep in mind again I am trying to figure outtrying to identify your talents or skills of who you are
what talents you possess, what social style you are,vs. if you can sell using their process.
what levels of emotional intelligence you operate within,Why Should I Choose You
along with any gaps you fall into for weaknesses.On our interview guide I am supposed to circle if
There are multiple places to bring a lot of thissomeone asks for the business to close the interview,
information into the interview so that we do not havehowever, I only get to circle it maybe 10% of the time.
to uncover so much but rather focus on who you areCan you believe that? Also keep in mind you are
and where you will fit within my team. First of all, Iinterviewing for a sales job and if you can't sell
would recommend using the Dream Interviewing®yourself how are you going to sell my products to our
workshop, which will help you build your interviewingcustomers. You want your dream job that much yet
skills to their highest level. As far as finding out youryou don't simply ask for it and a lot of times that is the
talents get the book "Now Discover Your Strengths"difference between one candidate and the next. This
by Buckingham and you will get your top 5 talents inis your chance to raise your hand and tell them why
order. For your emotional intelligence scores get theyou are the best candidate for this job-so ask. Keep in
book "The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book" bymind, the interviewer will rarely ever give you the job
Bradberry, which will give you scores on the 4 keyon the spot as they need to discuss the interview,
measures of your emotional intelligence we are tryingwhere you stand, and what the next step is for you.
to uncover. These are all great resources that willWhen you close them be on the look out for body
allow you to learn more about yourself and get youlanguage, eye contact, or hesitation as all of these can
many steps closer to landing your dream job.tell you there is some issue that has not been resolved
Area's we Will Coverand this is your last chance to address with the
First of all, I want to know about your preparationinterviewers before they move on to someone else.
around my industry, company, and this job so we areThe other way you will feel this is in the interview
looking for motivational job fit. I will also be looking forwhen the interviewer keeps asking multiple similar
specific examples of leadership, teamwork, businessquestions around the same topic, which is a clear sign
acumen, problem solving, conflict resolution, influence ofyou need to give more examples or clarify something.
others, and your successes/weaknesses throughoutLastly, remember everything you do and say is a data
life. The key here is to have multiple specific examplespoint to the interviewer so do not do or say anything
for each of these categories. Too many people useyou will later regret as you are walking out the door or
the same one example to try to cover all of thesepulling out of the parking lot-trust me we are watching
areas or they don't have any examples and I am justand listening to everything.
supposed to trust that they are great in all these areas.