Top 7 Mistakes During a Medical Sales Interview
There are many articles on how to prepare for the interview, but knowing what not to do is often just as important as knowing what to do.
Our team of medical recruiters see these 7 mistakes over and over again. Make sure you don’t make any of these mistakes during your next medical sales interview.
1. Not dressing for work
2. Do not carry copies of your resume
3. Texting or picking up a phone on a trip
4. Not having good questions for the hiring manager
5. Talk about salary/commission before the interviewer brings it up
6. Talking negatively about your old company/boss
7. Not asking for the job
1. Talk about salary/commission before the interviewer mentions it. We all know that medical sales reps have to be motivated by money and motivated by commission, but don’t make the mistake of only talking about money and how much commission you can earn. Never bring up the subject of money before the interviewer does. Sales managers want someone who drives sales and wants to make a lot of money, but more importantly, they want someone who has a proven track record of success, knows the company’s products, territory, culture, and can work team up. Let the hiring manager meet you and lead the money conversation.
2. Not having good questions for the hiring manager. Have you ever been in an interview and they ask you “Do you have any questions?” Make no mistake here and say no. If you’ve read our article The Top 7 Interview Questions When Applying for a Medical Sales Job and Why They’re Asked, you’ll know to make sure you have good questions for the hiring manager. Asking insightful, thoughtful questions shows that you are a prepared and intelligent candidate.
3. Texting or picking up a phone on a trip. I include a walk as an interview because it is an important part of the process. Unfortunately, many sales reps aren’t taking this step seriously and it ruins their chances of getting the job. A common mistake medical sales reps make is texting or picking up the phone while on a trip with a contracting company sales rep. The sales rep you travel with is part of the interview process and will give feedback to the hiring manager. Be professional along the way, treat it like an interview. We’ve seen a lot of people get knocked out at this point for being too casual.
4. Do not bring copies of your resume. A few years ago, when people applied for a position, they would mail a good copy of their resume to the hiring manager. Today, the most common way to apply for a position is to upload your resume to a job board or email your resume to a recruiter. For that reason, candidates often overlook the need to print their resume on thin paper and bring a few copies with them to the interview. This may be a mistake. When you first sit down for an interview, one of your first questions should be: do you need a copy of my resume? The second impression of you as a candidate after your attraction is the presentation of your resume. Make sure you have your resume printed on high-end paper. Also bring a few copies, in case someone else unexpectedly joins the interview.
5. Not dressing for work. This is common sense, but for some reason many people don’t dress to impress. What you wear to the interview does matter and is the first impression a hiring manager has. While many opt for business casual, it’s not okay to be business casual in an interview. Men must wear a neutral colored suit, always wear a tie and shine their shoes. Women should wear a neutral colored suit or business style dress.
6. Talking negatively about your old company/boss. Another question that always comes up in an interview is “Tell me why you’re looking.” At this point, don’t go wrong and say something negative about your current company or boss, even if that’s exactly what you’re looking for. Managers will distrust you and think that you don’t get along with others and may even be worried that you will speak ill of them in the future.
7. Not asking for the job. Sales 101, always close the interview. Sales managers will think you won’t ask for the business if you can’t ask for the job. Always close the interview by letting the hiring manager know that he is interested. More candidates are eliminated from the interview process because of this mistake.
Now that you’ve read our Top 7 Mistakes During a Medical Sales Interview, you’ll make sure you don’t make them at your next interview and you’ll be well on your way to the medical sales job of your dreams.
