MED REPS.

Sample Interview Questions and

Answers with Explanation and Tips
Octoer !" #$!! at %&!#am
'hat is (our perception o) a t(pical da( )or a pharmaceutical
representative*
T+O,-+T PRO.ESS&
The +irin/ Mana/er is loo0in/ )or (our perception o) what the
representative does ever( da(. The( are also loo0in/ )or wor0 ethic
1wor0in/ earl(" late2 and commitment to /ettin/ the 3o done. The
more (ou can parallel what (ou are currentl( doin/ to the
pharmaceutical representative4s da(" the etter o)) (ou are. Show
them (ou have done research and have spo0en with someone in the
industr(.
56ote& I) (ou can ride with a representative do that. This is a sellin/
position7DO 6OT SA8 T+IS IS A P,9:I. RE:ATIO6S POSITIO6. Do
6OT answer" ;Drop samples and have dialo/ue with ph(sicians.< 8our
interview is dead with that answer


SAMP:E A6S'ER&
I have an idea o) what the da( is li0e )or a pharmaceutical
representative and I thin0 it parallels some o) what m( normal da( is
li0e. As a representative I would see as man( o) m( assi/ned
ph(sicians as possile and sell them on wh( the( should use m( dru/
over the competition. I 0now some ph(sicians are di))icult to reach" so
I would tr( to catch them earl( 1=7>AM2 in the hospital or a)ter
hours" li0e I have to do with some o) m( customers.
Some da(s I would utili?e a lunch to etter impact di))icult to see
ph(sicians. A)ter %&$$ PM I would enter m( calls in the computer 1or
a)ter each call2 and pic0 up e7mails. At ni/ht I would loo0 over pre7
call plannin/ )or m( next da(. I don4t 0now i) (ou entertain ph(sicians
li0e I do with m( customers currentl( ut I would do some entertainin/
at ni/ht 1restaurant2 or on the wee0ends" 1/ol)" huntin/" )ishin/27
whatever it ta0es to eat m( numers.
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'hat do (ou thin0 is the most challen/in/ aspect o) a pharmaceutical
representative*


T+O,-+T PRO.ESS&
A/ain" The +irin/ Mana/er is reall( tr(in/ to determine i) (ou 0now the
true challen/es a representative )aces dail(. The( are also tr(in/ to
determine i) (ou have the s0ills to meet these challen/es.


SAMP:E A6S'ER&
'ell numer one" I thin0 its proal( /ettin/ @ualit( time with the
ph(sician to impact prescriin/ ehavior. Another challen/e I thin0 (ou
would )ace is there are ph(sicians that don4t see representatives.
8ou have to e creative in )indin/ a wa( to /ain access to them. I)
(ou are currentl( in sales and )ace these ostacles in (our present
3o" e sure to add this to (our answer.
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8ou are /iven a territor( and a list o) ph(sicians to call on. +ow
would (ou or/ani?e and prioriti?e (our call schedule*


T+O,-+T PRO.ESS&
The +irin/ Mana/er wants to determine that (ou set (our priorities
ased on the /reatest return on time invested. 8ou should or/ani?e
(our territor( ased on callin/ on the customers with the /reatest
sales potential. +e is loo0in/ to see i) (ou 0now the ;A$B#$Crule.
Ei/ht( percent o) (our usiness comes )rom #$ percent o) (our
customers. 8our /oal is to )ind the #$ percent as @uic0l( as (ou can.
A)ter the #$ percent has een contacted (ou move down the list and
wor0 on developin/ new clients.


SAMP:E A6S'ER&
I would anal(?e m( territor(" and determine the accounts that have
the /reatest sales potential. I would @uic0l( wor0 to determine m(
most pro)itale #$ percent o) m( clients. Once the( have een
contacted and I )eel com)ortale with m( relationship with these
clients" I would then wor0 the rest o) m( customers and develop new
clients.
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Tell me aout (our last mana/er. Did (ou li0e himBher* I) I was (our
mana/er" what is the est wa( to coachBmentor (ou to success*
'hat @ualities should a success)ul mana/er possess* Descrie the
relationship that should exist etween the supervisor and those
reportin/ to him or her*


T+O,-+T PRO.ESS&
The +irin/ Man/er is loo0in/ to see i) he can wor0 with (ou. The +irin/
Mana/er is also loo0in/ at (our perception o) authorit(" (our
willin/ness to learn" how (ou handle criticism" and how (ou li0e to e
mana/ed. The +irin/ Mana/er needs to 0now how to mana/e each o)
hisBher sales representatives and provide the support and or tools to
help the sales representative meet the /oals. The relationship that
should exist etween the mana/er and sales representative should e
open" honest" encoura/in/" and accountale on oth sides. 9e care)ul
on how (ou answer this @uestion. A/ain" no )ormer mana/er ashin/
allowedD


SAMP:E A6S'ER&
I li0ed m( mana/er and we had a positive wor0in/ relationship. 'e had
similar thou/ht processes on how to run m( territor( and how to est
mana/e me. The est wa( to mana/e me is to /ive me all the tools
1trainin/" )undin/2 necessar( to e success)ul. Then let me run m(
territor( in a wa( to exceed expectations. I would li0e a mana/er who
periodicall( rides with me so heBshe can understand m( account and
provide open constructive criticism. I view m( territor( as m( own
usiness and ta0e accountailit( )or its per)ormance. I )eel the
success)ul @ualities in a mana/er are as )ollows& hi/h expectations"
openness" honest(" excellent communication s0ills and the ailit( to
assist me in m( career development and /oal attainment. I want an
open and candid relationship with m( mana/er.
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+ow do (ou thin0 (ou would /et a Ph(sician to switch to (our dru/*


T+O,-+T PRO.ESS&
The +irin/ Man/er is loo0in/ )or sales s0ills and (our strate/ic process
in dealin/ with ph(sicians.


SAMP:E A6S'ER&
Eirst" I would 6OT expect the ph(sician to ma0e a sudden chan/e to
m( dru/ i) he is happ( with the dru/ he is currentl( prescriin/. I am
/oin/ to have to start small and expand his usa/e 1nile awa( mar0et
share2. I would determine what in)luences his ehavior& reprints"
spea0er pro/rams" peers" and )ormularies. I would use a comination o)
the appropriate tools to /ain ph(sician a/reement on m( dru/4s
e))ectiveness. A)ter this" I would /ain commitment )rom him to use the
dru/ on a speci)ic patient t(pe. A)ter the ph(sician has tried m( dru/
on this patient t(pe" I would /et him to notice the success on this
patient when the patient comes ac0 in )or a )ollow up visit. 'hen the
ph(sician admitted e))icac(" I would then /ain commitment )or use in
other patient t(pes. This is comparale with m( current usiness.
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Some Additional Questions&
1 'h( did (ou decide pharmaceutical sales would e the ri/ht
career )or (ou*
This is the most asic o) @uestions" ut (ou are almost certain to e
as0ed this @uestion. 'hile people interviewin/ )or other t(pes o)
positions are as0ed wh( the( decided on their career choice" it is
ver( important that (ou answer this @uestion correctl( )or a
pharmaceutical sales interview.
Eirst tell them that (ou love sellin/ and site examples where (ou have
done this even i) (ou haven4t een emplo(ed as a salesperson.
Mention instances where (ou persuaded someone to ;u( in< to (our
ideas" etc. That is sellin/D Mention that (ou have alwa(s een hi/hl(
motivated" ener/etic" and enthusiastic. Success)ul sales people have all
o) these @ualities as well as ein/ creative and resource)ul. 9e
prepared to cite examples where (ou displa(ed these ehavioral
characteristics.
6ext" expound upon wh( pharmaceutical sales would e ri/ht )or (ou.
This is a /ood time to pull out the in)ormation that (ou have collected
durin/ (our research. 8ou can explain how stale the industr( is" how
excitin/ it would e to e part o) such a d(namic )ield" and one where
the opportunit( to help thousands o) people is a realit(. State that
this would /ive (ou tremendous 3o satis)action. Also let them 0now
that (ou reali?e the opportunities )or personal and pro)essional
/rowth are tremendous with pharmaceutical sales companies. 8ou will
thrive on the dail( challen/es o) per)ormin/ a pharmaceutical sales
representatives 3o. 1This would e a /reat time to mention the ;)ield
preceptorship< and how much (ou en3o(ed (our da( in the
representative4s territor(D2 The research (ou have done on their
compan( and the industr(" and the extra e))ort (ou have put )orth to
spend a da( in the )ield to see )or (oursel) what a pharmaceutical
sales representative does will /ive (ou tremendous crediilit(. 8ou will
e viewed as a serious candidateD
2 'hat is (our current occupation*
-ive an honest answer" ut hi/hli/ht an( area o) responsiilit( that
(ou ma( have which would e seen as a ene)it )or someone in
pharmaceutical sales. This would e a /ood time to show the ;.areer
.omparison< in)ormation that (ou have placed in (our Personal
Presentation 9inder. 8ou will have alread( compared (our 3o
responsiilities to that o) a pharmaceutical sales representative. 'ere
(ou responsile )or mar0etin/ a product or idea to others* +ave (ou
anal(?ed a ;u(er< to determine that u(er4s potential* Do (ou
have dail( contact with ph(sicians or other medical personnel in (our
da(7to7da( activities* These are excellent 3o responsiilit( areas
to compare with pharmaceutical sales 3o responsiilities. 9e care)ul
not to ma0e a ne/ative statement. Alwa(s expect to e as0ed to
prove an( statement that (ou ma0eD
3 I see (ou have held several di))erent positions over the last )ive
(ears* .an (ou explain wh(*
The ovious o3ective in this @uestion is to determine whether (ou are
a ;3o7hopper.< Trainin/ and educatin/ pharmaceutical sales
representatives is ver( time7consumin/ and expensive. A ad choice
would (ield an ine))ective pharmaceutical sales representative and one
that would potentiall( leave the 3o ;undone< ecause that person
has a/ain decided to do somethin/ else. The district mana/er will
attempt to ascertain whether (ou are a dependale person and
whether (ou do indeed reall( want a career that o))ers upward
moilit(. +e must e convinced that (ou will sta( and wor0 smart. I)
(ou have chan/ed positions in order to increase the challen/e o) (our
3o and allow upward moilit(" then that is an excellent reason )or
chan/in/ 3os. .areer transitions or 3o transitions made to increase
compensation )or (our wor0 is another /ood reason.
4 'hen did (ou decide to pursue a pharmaceutical sales career
position*
8ou mi/ht repl( that a)ter (our extensive research into this career
)ield includin/ actuall( /oin/ on a )ield preceptorship" that (ou elieve
this a per)ect career )or (ou. Then (ou must explain wh( it is
per)ect )or (ou. It is per)ect ecause (ou thrive on the t(pe o)
challen/es )aced ( pharmaceutical sales representativesD 8ou want to
ma0e a di))erence at a 3o (ou are certain (ou will love.
Pharmaceutical sales is a per)ect match )or (our personalit( and wor0
experience. Then suppl( proo) )or (our statement.
5 +ow lon/ havin/ (ou een see0in/ emplo(ment in the
pharmaceutical sales industr(*
8our answer here will e important. 8ou have the opportunit( to ma0e
(oursel) loo0 /ood with the ri/ht answer. I) (ou have een loo0in/ )or
a position )or a lon/ time" six months or more" then (ou need to
present (oursel) as a tenacious person who never /ives up ecause
(ou are asolutel( certain that (ou are the ri/ht person )or the 3o.
'hether (ou have een /ranted interviews will matter" ecause the
district mana/er will wonder wh( (ou didn4t /ain the position i) (ou
interviewed. On the other hand" i) (ou didn4t /ain an interview that
means (ou )ailed the )irst sales test. Perhaps (ou turned a position
down ecause o) location. That4s a /ood reason to decline. I)
(ou4ve 3ust started loo0in/ )or a pharmaceutical sales position and
(ou4ve alread( /ained interviews" it4s ecause (ou are impressive"
on paper and in person.
6 +ow does (our current or )ormer 3o experience compare to
pharmaceutical sales*
7 'hat was (our ratin/ on (our last Per)ormance Mana/ement
Review*
8 +ow would (ou descrie ;sellin/*<
9 6ame )ive reasons wh( (ou elieve (ou would e a /ood
pharmaceutical sales representative.
10 +ave (ou interviewed with other companies*
11 +ow do (ou )eel aout wor0in/ on (our own most o) the time*
12 'h( should we hire (ou over other candidates*