Medical Sales Interview Tips & Tricks, Part II

As we discussed last week, the interviewing process for medical sales can be arduous both for newbies as well as veterans. While you are preparing your questions/answers, etc., don't forget to visualize success!

One of my sales managers used to ask me to sit in on all of his sales interviews.   I was a tenured member of the team, he valued my input, and I was a regional sales trainer who would be training the candidate he hired.  There was always a “gut reaction” the minute a candidate left the room, i.e. “Wow, they were prepared!” or “Great energy” or “This is not the one.”  Decide ahead of time what you want the gut reaction to be when you leave the room i.e. “Well, that was our candidate!”

Believe you are just as qualified as a candidate with previous experience and take that confidence right into the interview.  Salespeople have to “fake it until you make it” all the time.  Walk right into that room with your head held high and a smile on your face and sell yourself with confidence!  Do not make any excuses for “not having experience.”  State “I am going to show you today how my previous experience makes me the perfect candidate for this position.” Boom!

This is one of my favorite tricks to share - take notes during the interview!  I always received so many comments about my note taking.  It shows them you are interested and organized. 

And, don't forget to ask for a business card from anyone who sits in the interview, if they don’t proactively hand them to you.  You will use these to draft your thank you emails.  (We will discuss thank you notes in next week's blog).

Also, in the final stages of the interview process, you will be asked to provide references – at least three.  I realize this can be tricky as one cannot include references from a current job who would not be thrilled to learn you are pursuing a new career.  What I lay out here is a best-case scenario.  Carefully consider these references and make sure they are people you reported to, not just co-workers or contemporaries.  Ask people to serve as references who can back up the case you’ve laid out in the skills comparison checklist.  If they can tell a hiring manager, “I think they are capable of making the leap to medical sales because they have always been a self-starter and shown leadership,” that will go a long way.  If you are comfortable asking any of your references to draft a recommendation letter on your behalf, even better.

Close the interview. 

Ask for the sale.  This is a great way to show the hiring manager you already know what you’re doing.  Remember, there could be 3,4,5, interviews as part of the process.  Depending on what stage you’re in, you won’t be asking for the job - you could be asking to advance to the next round of interviews.  For example, “Thank you so much for your time.  I enjoyed meeting you and learning more about the company and the position.  I am very interested in this position, and I know I can make an impact.  Based on the skills and experience I have gained in XYZ profession, do you have any concerns I am not qualified for this position?”  If they say, “No, I don’t have any concerns,” then you can say, “I would love to be advanced to the next round of interviews.”  This is the “closing” statement.  If by chance they share a concern with you, i.e. “This position requires a lot of clinical data analysis, and we are not sure you are ready to take that on at this point,” etc. be prepared to go back to your skills assessment and find an example of where you were a quick learner or enrolled in a class outside of work to become an expert, etc.  Objections can be overcome – this is a HUGE part of day-to-day selling.  Stay calm and cool and address their concerns one by one.  Then when you send your thank you email(s), you could consider reiterating how you addressed their concern.

I recommend taking any interview you are offered, whether you want that particular job or not.  There is no better way to practice.  And why not get your nerves and flubs out of the way with a job you know you don’t want.  Then you will be ready for prime time when the right opportunity comes.  Occasionally I would practice selling a new product to a doctor who I knew would not be interested just to practice and see what questions I may get.  Then I am polished when I am in front of an important potential customer.  This practice is the same concept.

Last, I recommend keeping an open mind and considering a sales job even in another industry to gain sales experience.  Regarding my story, my first sales job ended up not being for a pharmaceutical or a medical product which is what I was originally after.  My first job was selling a service, but it was in the medical industry!  And it landed me my next big job in medical device sales, calling on hospitals, which is the big leagues.

I offer 1-on-1 coaching sessions to help you launch your medical sales career.  Go to www.primetimesellers.com/coaching and book a session.  I look forward to getting you prepared and nailing your medical sales interviews.

Best of luck!

Cathy