| Employers want to know about more than just your | | | | can’t just get by with “standard interview |
| skills and experience–they want to know how | | | | answers” here. But it also gives you a fantastic |
| you’ll get along day-to-day. How will you react in | | | | opportunity to set yourself apart from other |
| stressful situations? What will you do when a | | | | candidates and demonstrate why you’re the best |
| customer gets cranky, or there’s some issue with | | | | candidate for the job. |
| the product? | | | | You should always be prepared for these kinds of |
| One way for hiring managers to get to that information | | | | questions in your job interview. They really are a |
| is to use behavioral interview questions, sometimes | | | | great way for you to highlight your experience, and |
| known as the STAR technique. | | | | many hiring managers in medical sales, laboratory |
| STAR stands for (thanks to for the chart): | | | | sales, medical device sales, pathology sales, imaging |
| Situation or Task | | | | sales, pharmaceutical sales, clinical diagnostics sales, |
| Describe the situation that you were in or the task that | | | | and biotech sales like to use them because they’re |
| you needed to accomplish. You must describe a | | | | so effective. Your best way to prepare is to think |
| specific event or situation, not a generalized description | | | | back over your career. What situations can you think |
| of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give | | | | of where you resolved some issue, or successfully |
| enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This | | | | addressed a problem? Make a list. As you’re |
| situation can be from a previous job, from a volunteer | | | | preparing for your interview, think about which of these |
| experience, or any relevant event. | | | | stories best fits the requirements of the job you’re |
| Action you took Describe the action you took and be | | | | interviewing for (since you always tailor your answers |
| sure to keep the focus on you. Even if you are | | | | to fit the job). Be sure to emphasize the positive |
| discussing a group project or effort, describe what you | | | | outcome that was a result of your actions in each |
| did — not the efforts of the team. Don’t tell what | | | | situation. Here’s a link to an article with an |
| you might do, tell what you did. | | | | example of how to create a STAR Interview story. |
| Results you achieved What happened? How did the | | | | Also, don’t miss this transcript of my interview with |
| event end? What did you accomplish? What did you | | | | a sales manager, sales trainer, and a vice-president of |
| learn? | | | | sales and marketing. We discuss behavioral event |
| What this does is, it provides the manager with | | | | interviews in-depth. It’s a great resource for you. |
| real-world detail about how you do your job. You | | | | |