The Skinny on Medical Sales Interview Prep

Preparing for an interview is a lot of work, especially when you are breaking into a new industry.  From my years of experience as an interviewee and interviewer in medical sales, I have compiled a list of commonly asked questions to help you prepare. 

I recommend you have answers prepared for each of these questions whether it is with stories, examples, etc. to support your skills and qualifications.  Be strategic with the examples you share to be geared towards a sales position.  Where did you show leadership?  Where did you over deliver?  How can you quantify your results if it was not a sales-type position?

This is not a comprehensive list of questions you might hear in a medical sales interview, but it will get you into the mindset.  I recommend that you write out your answers to each of these questions and then practice delivering each one with a partner or in the mirror.  Practicing out loud is a crucial step that you don't want to skip.  Even the first question (while seemingly very easy) can catch people off guard who haven't planned and practiced how they are going to "tell them about yourself."  This question sets the tone for the whole interview - so get it right!

Medical Sales Interview Sample Questions:

Q: Tell me about yourself.  (This one is harder than you think.)

 They don't want you to start at birth.  I start with something like, "I graduated from college with a degree in public relations and was fortunate enough to get a great job in my field where I gained a ton of experience right off the bat." 

Q:  Why do you want to get into medical sales?

 Please say anything other than "make more money."  Good examples here could be, "I am ready to level up my career."  "I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit."  "I like the idea of introducing new technology to the market that can help patients and even save lives."  You get the idea...

Q:  Give an example of how you set goals and achieve them.

 Quantify where you can...

Q: Give an example of how you worked on a team.

 In medical sales you are in your territory solo most of the time, but there are activities/calls/meetings with your region often.  A region consists of 8-10 reps who report to the same manager.  There are many opportunities to help your coworkers out at any given time whether it's helping them during an implementation or sharing an idea you tried with a customer that worked, etc.  Give good examples of being a team player in your current role.

Q:  Tell me about how you work effectively under pressure.

Q:  Give an example of a goal you reached and tell me how you achieved it.

Q:  Give me an example of a goal you didn’t meet and how you handled it.

Q:  How do you handle a challenge?

 Show ingenuity here along with leadership examples.

Q:  What do you do when your schedule is interrupted?  Give an example of how you handled it.

 Sometimes one call with a problem from your biggest account can change your whole day.  Give an example from your current or past work experience that demonstrates how you handle situations like this (demonstrating you know how to prioritize).

Q: Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty?  If so, how?

 Demonstrate dedication - maybe to a customer or patient.

Q: Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.

 Cool as a cucumber, baby.

Q:  When you worked on multiple projects, how did you prioritize?

Q: What is your biggest flaw?  How do you compensate for it?

 Cue humble brag..

Q: If you were me, why would you hire someone for this position without medical sales experience?

If you are new here, check out my first blog entry "the tool I used to break into medical sales."  You will need this tool to address a question like this.  The tool is applicable for candidates breaking into medical sales or reps looking to level up, i.e. break into the operating room.

This list is a good start.  Don't forget to practice with a partner.  If that is a challenge, video yourself answering the questions and then watch the playbacks.  If you need additional help or guidance preparing for an interview, schedule a training session with me, your friendly neighborhood medical sales coach (sessions available on my website).

Good luck!