Of course you know to prepare answers to the most common interview questions. Queries like, What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years? Why do you want to work for our company? Why do you want to leave your current company? Why is there a gap in your employment? And, What can you bring to this role? This is interview preparation 101. But how do you prepare specifically for pharmaceutical sales interview questions? These questions tend to be more behavioral in focus. They want to know how you have handled certain work situations in the past. They want to know if you have the skills and experiences required for a sales job. The most recommended method to prepare for these questions is the STAR technique: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

1. 15 Pharmaceutical Sales
Interview Questions

2. You’ve prepared for common
interview questions.

3. But, how do you
prepare specifically for
a pharmaceutical sales
interview?

4. Here are 15 sample behavioral
interview questions to help you
prepare. Good luck!

5. 1. Tell me about a time you had to sell a
product to someone who didn’t know you.

6. 2. Tell me about a time you heard
“no” repeatedly, even though you
felt you had rapport with the lead.
What did you do?

7. 3. How competitive
are you on a scale of 1
to 10 (1 being the least
and 10 being the most)
and why?

8. 4. Are you a lucky person?

9. 5. Give an example of a time you disagreed
with your supervisor and how you handled it.

10. 6. What have you done to
increase your margins?

11. 7. What is your
typical day like?

12. 8. What is the most
irritating part of your day?

13. 9. Marketing provides resources to help you
promote your product. Which tool is the most
important in helping you reinforce your
message to the doctor?

14. 10. How do you use
your computer/iPad
on a sales call?

15. 11. Tell me when you made
a mistake on a sales call.

16. 12. Make a product
presentation to me.

17. 13. What ethical
dilemma have you
experienced?

18. 14. How do you handle the situation when
a doctor cancels at the last second before
a lunch and learn?

19. 15. What is in your
pharmaceutical sales
brag book? When did
you last update it?

20. Looking for more interview
and pharma job search tips?

21. Contact Jacque Paige
Partner, Smith Hanley Associates
203-319-4310