How to Prepare for a Clinical Sales Job Interview

Jobs in clinical sales, pharmaceutical revenue, biotechnology sales, clinical diagnostics sales, medical device sales, imaging sales, hospital equipment sales, clinical laboratory sales, and other healthcare sales are fairly competitive to get into (you’re going to need to put some effort into it), but worth it in terms of compensation, commissions, and extras.  Plus, it’s an exciting place to be if you have an interest in science or medicine (but not blood), technology, business, and helping people.

You’re going to have to go the extra mile (especially in this economy!) to land a job in healthcare sales, but there are several great ways to set yourself apart from the competition.  Doing all of ‘em will definitely make you a standout candidate!  Here’s how to prepare for a revenue job interview: 

1.  Research the company.  There is no substitute for doing your homework.  Know what the company does, what its current issues are, and what the future plans include.  Your career opportunity is to discover out what you can do for them.  Your research gives you material to talk about during the interview and a way to custom-fit your answers to their specific questions. 

2.  Build a brag book.  Click the link for the video and more explanation, but basically it’s a collection of awards, sales rankings, successful projects, letters from happy customers or managers, and so on.  When you present it during the interview, it showcases your presentation skills as well as your accomplishments.  Here’s a link to a podcast if you need it.

THREE.  Create a 30/60/90-day plan.  This kind of plan is a written demonstration of what you will do for the company in your first 3 months on the job–how you will get your training, how you will transition into being a contributing member of the sales team, and so on.  Here’s a link to a video and a blog post that explains them in more detail, but if you need more help, you can download samples and a template with audio coaching from the Sales Recruiter.  This kind of plan will definitely get the attention of the hiring manager.

4.  Read my Tips on How to Ace Your Medical Sales Interview.   Also, here’s an article on Sales Interview Queries for you.  Think of your interview as a sales call, and act accordingly. 

5.  Consider custom coaching from the Pharma Sales Headhunter.  Most people need no more than an hour.  Ask the musings you need in a intimate, one-on-one conversation to improve your personal situation.  I’ve been a medical sales headhunter for over 10 years now, and I was in the pharma sales area before that as a sales rep, regional manager, and national accounts manager.  I can go over your resume with you, critique your answers to interview queries and prepare you for the interview, give you insider tips on the industry, help you get into pathology sales if you’re new to it, teach you how to negotiate and recognize a fair offer, build your personal brand, or even decide between career opportunity offers.  Career coaching works.

Article courtesy of  Peggy McKee - Owner / Senior Headhunter at the nationally
recognized pharma and clinical laboratory sales recruiting team of PHC Consulting.
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How to Prepare for a Medical Sales Job Interview