Interview Questions to Ask a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep

A pharmaceutical sales rep is an essential role within the medical field, playing an integral part of physicians gaining access to pharmaceutical devices and needed medicines.

Also known as medical or drug representatives, these professionals often have specialized knowledge on specific medications and treatments and serve as a region’s point of contact to access medical products.

With such an important function in the industry, it’s no wonder that demand for pharmaceutical sales reps has been growing—the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 6% growth in employment opportunities for this role between 2022-2032.

Let’s look at the skills needed to be a good fit for this role.

Skills & Qualifications of a Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Candidate

While searching for your ideal pharmaceutical sales rep candidate, there are some skills and qualifications to keep in mind that make candidates stand out. A strong candidate should excel at these skills:

Sales experience: As a sales representative, it’s important that a pharmaceutical sales rep has prior experience in sales and is skilled in pitching products, conducting cold calls, and fostering business relationships.

Effective communication: Pharmaceutical sales reps often present new products and training directly to medical staff, so the ability to persuade and inform will certainly come in handy during these moments.

Scientific knowledge: As a member of the medical industry, it’s important that a pharmaceutical sales rep stays up to date on the latest scientific breakthroughs in the medical field and understands common terminology.

In addition to these skills, a pharmaceutical sales rep should have credentials that highlight their ability to perform the role. A qualified candidate is one with a bachelor’s degree in life sciences, healthcare, or another related field.

Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Interview Questions by Category

Now that we’ve gone over the skills to look for when interviewing pharmaceutical sales rep candidates, let’s get into the best interview questions that’ll allow you to gain a fuller understanding of each candidate’s background.

To make things easier, we’ve broken up these questions into categories based on relevant topics.

Prior Experience

When interviewing any candidate for a role, it’s important to learn of any past job experience that would make them a good fit. Try asking these questions to understand how their prior experience can translate to this specific job:

Have you ever made a mistake on a sales call or pitch? How did you recover?
Share a time you successfully switched a physician to your product.
Have you ever lost a facility’s business? How did you respond?
Can you discuss a time when you exceeded sales targets, and how you achieved it?
Was there ever a time when you had to change your sales tactic?

Industry Knowledge

As we mentioned earlier, it’s essential for a qualified candidate to have a good grasp on scientific knowledge and medical terminology. Use these questions to test a candidate’s industry knowledge:

How do you stay up to date on industry trends and the latest medications?
How do you ensure compliance with pharmaceutical regulations and ethical standards?
Can you discuss a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in the pharmaceutical industry?
Tell me about a time when you saw an opportunity implement industry best practices and led your team through the initiative.
Can you explain the sales cycle for pharmaceuticals?

Communication

Good salespeople should have proven methods of communicating effectively. Ask these questions to determine your candidate’s ability to communicate within the role:

How do you build and maintain relationships with healthcare professionals?
What strategies do you use to effectively communicate complex medical information?
How do you handle objections or resistance from healthcare providers?
How do you prepare your sales pitch for different audiences?
Can you provide an example of a time you had to work with a team to achieve a sales goal? How did you contribute to the team’s success?

Organization and Initiative

Pharmaceutical sales reps need to stay organized as they juggle multiple clients and sales kits as part of their role. They must also show initiative in finding new opportunities for potential customers. Get your candidate to paint a picture of those skills with these questions:

Describe your process for planning and organizing your territory.
When was the last time you had to complete a project on a deadline? How did it go?
How do you prioritize and manage your daily tasks and responsibilities to ensure productivity and success in your role?
How do you assess the needs of different customers?
What strategies do you use to identify new potential customers in the pharmaceutical industry?

READ NEXT: 8 Healthcare Interview Tips

Find Qualified Candidates with Insight Global

If you’re looking to expand your team of pharmaceutical sales reps, we’ve got you covered. Insight Global can help you find qualified candidates in the healthcare industry. Contact us today to find the right talent for your needs.