Do You Have What It Takes To “Deal” Drugs?

Transcription

Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 7th floor
New York, NY 10020
www.waverlypress.com
Contact: Kerry Gladden • The Agency
(505) 257-9990 • [email protected]
Do You Have What It Takes To “Deal” Drugs?
Top Pharmaceutical Sales Recruiter Reveals How To Crack
One Of The Most Lucrative Industries – Legally!
“Tom Ruff has created a no-nonsense guide for people who want a career in pharmaceutical sales. Serious
candidates who possess the requisite skills and follow Tom’s advice won’t fail to stand out from the pack.”
-- AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Retired President Bob Black
“When Tom says, “I’m going to tell you what to do” – listen. His advice in How to Break Into Pharmaceutical
Sales is incredibly on target. Tom was my number one recruiter. I hired ten times as many of Tom’s applicants
than I did from any other recruiter.”
-- Herb Taylor, Staffing Manager (Retired), Pfizer Pharmaceutical, overseeing sales staff of 600
Few industries offer jobs that pay nearly $100,000 (with benefits) when you lack substantial experience in the industry,
but pharmaceutical sales positions are proving to be one of the most desired and competitive jobs in the nation. So just
how does one break into selling drugs – legally?
Tom Ruff, a recruiter for 18 years who, with the help of his firm, Tom Ruff Company, has placed nearly 3,000
professionals in pharmaceutical and medical device sales positions, reveals the secrets of his trade in a new book, How
To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy.
Tom shows us:
• Why a pharmaceutical sales career is so lucrative and increasingly competitive – and how you can break into
the industry.
• What the leading pharmaceutical sales companies are looking for and sheds insight on how they operate.
• Why the healthcare industry and pharmaceutical field continue to grow, and are relatively immune to
outsourcing, recession, inflation, or technology.
• What too many job applicants do wrong and why so many fail to even get an interview for their dream job.
• Results from a survey of 20 district managers and 150 sales reps from the world’s largest pharmaceutical
companies as to trends in their hiring process.
“Pharmaceutical sales jobs are ideal for people who communicate well, can sell with ease, and have outgoing
personalities,” notes Tom. “Parents of young children seeking a flexible schedule can excel in this field, as well as
recent college graduates or young adults dissatisfied with their career.”
1.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
He shares with us how to:
• Network aggressively, not just at industry trade shows, job fairs, or through family and friends – but through
doctors, pharmacists, and even at hospitals.
• Locate the best recruiting firms and utilize their contacts and knowledge to land interviews with coveted
companies.
• Prepare for an interview and strategically research a potential employer.
• Anticipate what the interviewer will ask – and how to answer their most challenging and tricky questions while
presenting a “brag book.”
• Overcome any potential obstacles: low GPA, lack of sales experience, second or third career, or little familiarity
with the medical field.
“Some successful pharmaceutical sales reps might actually out earn the very doctors they sell to – and work less hours
in doing so!” says Tom. “It’s obvious, with the ‘baby boomers’ well into middle age, as well as the increase in the
number of drugs available to patients, that the industry is a growing one. As Americans simultaneously live longer but
develop sickness or disease earlier, the market for prescription drugs is ever-expanding and the need for pharmaceutical
sales reps will grow as well.”
Since 1970, United States pharmaceutical reps jumped five-fold, from 20,000 to 100,000. CNN/Money.com ranked
pharmaceutical sales as one of the top 20 best jobs in America. The median salary for sales reps in cities like New
York, Chicago, and Los Angeles is well over $100,000, according to Salary.com. Global pharmaceutical sales, as well
as research and development spending by biopharmaceutical firms, are increasing.
Tom shares great career advice on the following:
• How to determine which industry – and job – is right for you.
• Why you may have failed to consider all of your career options.
• Innovative ways to learn about an industry – and secure your dream job.
• How to select and work with a recruiter.
• Which three skills – no matter the industry or job – you must develop, improve, and perfect – in order to enjoy
a successful career.
Tom’s nationally known recruiting firm, with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Phoenix, and New York
City, works with major companies, including: Abbott, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson, Medtronic, Stryker Medical,
Covidien Healthcare, EMD Serono, Synthes, and GlaxoSmithKline.
With practical advice, easy-to-use tactics, insightful strategies, survey results, and interesting stories, How To Break
Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy guides readers through the process of finding and securing a
pharmaceutical sales representative position. Tom’s useful inside tips, networking pointers, and invaluable interview
how-to’s and do’s/don’ts provide professional guidance to those seeking an edge on the ever-growing competition for
what has now become one of the nation’s most coveted jobs.
Publication Data: How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy by Tom Ruff; 2007; Trade
Paperback; Waverly Press; 234 pages; $29.95; ISBN: 978-0-9786070-1-2
Contact Information: Planned Television Arts
Brian Feinblum: 212-583-2718 or [email protected]
2.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
Tom Ruff, President &CEO
Tom Ruff Company
Biography
Tom Ruff, a preferred recruiter for the world’s largest drug companies, has been responsible for the placement of nearly
3,000 pharmaceutical and medical sales representatives. His team at Tom Ruff Company, a firm he founded nearly 16
years ago at age 24, services 100 of the nation’s top pharmaceutical and medical device companies nationwide.
He has taken his experiences in servicing Fortune 500 companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Abbott
Laboratories, and has recently published the leading book for those interested in cracking one of the most competitive
and rewarding industries. His authoritative handbook, How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s
Strategy, has been hailed by critics and medical industry insiders as the book to consult for pursuing a career in
pharmaceutical sales. It was also acknowledged as a “best books award” finalist by USA Book News.
Tom, who splits his time between Manhattan Beach, California and New York City, speaks regularly at national
meetings, forums, and universities on the trends and opportunities in pharmaceutical sales, recruiting, leadership, and
motivation. His company has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Dallas, and Phoenix.
He has been featured in a number of online and print stories, including Forbes.com, Fortune.com, Yahoo! Finance,
LATimes.com, Kipplinger’s.com, DallasMorningNews.com, South Bend Tribune, Easy Reader, and The Beach Reporter.
Tom is a member of U.S. Recruiters Organization. His expertise has also garnered him a consulting position with the
Gerson Lehrman Group (GLC), a firm that manages industry- and discipline-focused networks of the world’s leading
experts.
Tom, a new member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from
Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
For more information, please consult: www.tomruff.com and www.breakintopharmsales.com.
3.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
Tom Ruff
Q&A
1. Why is it so difficult to break into the field of pharmaceutical sales? The pharmaceutical industry offers great
benefits packages and numerous perks that make these positions very popular, and it’s no surprise that CNN/
Money.com just listed pharmaceutical sales as one of the top 20 best jobs in America. With the tightening of the job
market, fewer jobs available, and with an increase in applications for pharmaceutical sales positions, it boils down
to supply and demand. Simply put, there are not enough pharmaceutical jobs to go around.
2. What is the state of the pharmaceutical industry today? While there were only 20,000 pharmaceutical sales
representatives working in the United States in 1970, that number has jumped to an estimated 100,000 today.
Though the number of working representatives has doubled in the past five years, the size of the workforce
now appears to be stabilizing. The result is an increasingly competitive job market. Research and development
investments in new medicines by the biopharmaceutical industry totaled more than $55 billion in 2006, an 8%
increase over 2005. Globally, total sales for the pharmaceutical industry stood at $582 billion in 2006, representing
6.2% growth over the previous year, according to Standard & Poor’s.
3. What exactly does a pharmaceutical sales rep do? A pharmaceutical representative markets prescription
medications to, and acts as an educational liaison for, physicians, pharmacies and hospitals. As a pharmaceutical
sales representative, your primary objective is to persuade a physician to prescribe your products for appropriate
patients, based on need and clinical studies.
4. You and your company have placed nearly 3,000 people in medical jobs over the past 16 years. What have
you found to be the type of skills, education and personality required to excel in this field? People of all ages
and backgrounds qualify to become sales representatives. Although it can be difficult, some enter the profession
right out of college and/or without any prior outside sales experience. Pharmaceutical companies also realize that
different doctors may respond as well or even more readily to someone who is mature and seasoned. Recently,
pharmaceutical companies have increased the number of nurses they hire into the field. If you have a background in
nursing, you have a particular advantage. However, not having the classic educational or experiential background
need not be a hindrance — as long as you’re willing to throw yourself into the pursuit of the job. A four-year degree
is required.
5. Is it more important for a potential candidate to have selling skills or industry knowledge in science,
medicine, and health? Definitely selling skills. Based on my survey of pharmaceutical managers and 150 sales
representatives, the most important background they look for is previous sales experience. About 43% said that
they preferred a selling background versus 18% that preferred a science background. In addition, the majority of
people we place into the industry have previous business-to-business sales experience, not a science background.
6. You surveyed 20 district managers and 150 sales representatives. What have you found to be the trends or
concerns of the industry today? Pharmaceutical companies are starting to scale back their operations as well as
the size of their sales forces. In the early 80’s & 90’s it was an arms race to see who could build the biggest sales
force. Today, it’s all about who can build the most lean and tactical sales force. Additional challenges within the
industry include increased competition, products losing patents with generics increasing in popularity due to cost,
managed care restraints within the industry and finally, longer and a much more difficult process in getting drugs
approved through the FDA regulatory process.
4.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
7. So how would someone go about breaking into the pharmaceutical industry? Here’s a crash course on how to
get a job as a pharmaceutical sales rep: Step One: Set a goal for finding a position in pharmaceutical sales and
write it down. Step Two: Write your resume and compile your brag book. Step Three: Research. Step Four:
Network. Step Five: The phone interview. Step Six: The In-Person Interview. Step Seven: Close the interview.
Step Eight: Creative follow-up.
8. Is advice for getting a job in this industry different from that of other industries? Many of the techniques
discussed in How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales: A Headhunter’s Strategy regarding interviewing and
following up are applicable to any industry and will definitely make you stand out from the pack. However, there
are some techniques for finding a position in the pharmaceutical industry that would not work in other industries.
Such tactics include: standing in front of a hospital and handing out resumes to pharmaceutical sales reps that are
working the doctors in that hospital, or visiting a local pharmacy to get the names of the their drug representatives
so you can contact them to try to secure an interview.
9. In today’s world where so much business is conducted via email, why do you encourage people to send
handwritten thank you notes after interviews? With the dawn of electronic communications, many people
thought that handwritten communications would simply disappear. In many ways, they have. But, at the same
time, handwritten letters have taken on a greater currency. People appreciate the time you take to put your thoughts
down in ink on paper, to affix a stamp to an envelope, and to drop the note in the mail.
10.You are a self-proclaimed fanatic about remembering people’s names. Why do you place such great
importance on this? Dale Carnegie famously said that the sweetest sound to any person is the sound of his or her
own name. When I heard this, it struck a chord in me. Remembering people’s names will set you apart in your
hunt for your first pharmaceutical sales job.
11. In How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy, you give readers a tip about
“sharpening your saw.” What do you mean by that? I heard Stephen Covey tell a story once about a man who
walks into a forest and sees another man sawing away feverishly at a tree. He notices that the saw is dull and points
it out. “That doesn’t matter,” the man snaps back in response, furiously moving the blade ineffectually against the
wood. “I have to cut down this tree!” Get the idea? Every person knows what to do to sharpen his or her saw.
Whether it’s a good night’s sleep, an hour of exercise each day, or eating a balanced diet, it’s important to set aside
time for activities that keep you sharp and effective.
12.You recommend to your candidates that they develop a “personal constitution.” What is a “personal
constitution” and how do you use it in your everyday life? Back in the early ‘90’s, I wrote out my own “personal
constitution.” It’s a list of principles that I strive to live by each and every day. Especially when faced with a
dilemma, I look at this list and it helps steer me in the right direction. Pretty much every decision I make every day
gets filtered through these principles.
13.You reference 15 different networking sources in How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s
Strategy. Which are the top three? It’s challenging to narrow it down to three because in order to be effective,
you need to be trying all of them simultaneously but here it goes. First, you must take advantage of and network
with your personal network. This includes, friends, friends of friends, family and your professional network.
Secondly, get the names of all of the pharmaceutical sales representatives that call on your doctor and pharmacist.
This is a great technique that not many people use. This way you can call sales representatives and managers
directly and let them know you were referred to them by your doctor, which is also a customer of the sales
5
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
representative. You better believe they will at least return your call or e-mail when you let them know one of their
main customers referred you. My third recommendation would be to use a good, ethical recruiter that specializes in
pharmaceutical sales. There is one exception to this rule, if you don’t have any previous outside sales experience, a
recruiter probably will not be able to help you since they usually help candidates with some type of previous outside
sales experience.
14.What’s the best career advice anyone has ever given to you? My father wrote me a letter the day I graduated
from college offering some lessons that he had learned over the course of his lifetime. One of the lessons that stood
out was his advice on finding a career that you enjoy. In the words of my father, “Keep in mind that a job does not
have to be a lifetime commitment. Try to find something that you think you will enjoy and then give it your best but
if it isn’t right for you, look for something that is right. It is important that you end up doing what you enjoy.”
15.How often do people embellish their resume? Does the potential reward outweigh the risk of being caught?
Everything, absolutely everything in your resume must be accurate. Don’t even think about fudging the dates or
any numbers to inflate your record. If you do, it will come back to haunt you when, after you receive an offer, your
employer conducts a thorough background check based on the information you provided. We’ve had clients rescind
their offer due to finding false information during the background check.
16.In How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy, you encourage people to go to
hospitals and approach sales reps that are currently in the field. How does someone do that without making
a nuisance of themselves to the hospital or the sales reps? This is one of the best ways to meet pharmaceutical
sales representatives. Hardly anyone uses this approach and the representatives I have talked to that have been
approached by candidates looking to break in, loved the initiative they took in order to make this happen. The
thing to remember is respect. You always have to respect other people’s time and the fact they are out there
working, doing their job. The key is to approach them in a non-threatening manner and simply ask if they are
in pharmaceutical sales. If the answer is yes, let them know you are trying to break into the industry and ask
if you could give them a copy of your resume to pass along to their boss. Usually this will open the door to a
conversation. But if you see they are busy, ask for one of their business cards and see if you can follow up with
them at a more convenient time for some advice or assistance.
17.You mention submitting a “brag book” with your resume when applying for a job. What should go in that
book? What do people mistakenly include? A brag book is a requirement for every prospective pharmaceutical
sales representative. Traditionally, it consists of a professional-looking, 3-ring binder containing from 15-20 pages,
many in plastic sleeves. Those plastic sleeves contain diplomas, letters of recommendation, awards, proof of sales
rankings and other materials supporting information listed on your resume.
18.What type of preparation should one undertake before going on their job interview? Many candidates make
the mistake of thinking the interview alone is the most important part of finding a job in pharmaceutical sales. It
is not. Preparing for the interview is the most critical part of your search. People either succeed or fail based on
the amount of research and preparation they’ve done prior to the interview. 1. Start with the Internet. Research
the companies with which you plan to interview, their competitors and their drug offerings. 2. If at all possible
at this stage, go for a ride-along (also known as a field ride or a field preceptorship) with a pharmaceutical sales
representative. 3. Call the customer service department at the company with which your interview is scheduled
and ask to speak with someone who can answer general questions about the company. 4. Ask your doctor
and pharmacist about their experiences with the company with which your interview is scheduled. 5. Talk to
representatives themselves — one of the best strategies.
6.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
19.Some interviews happen by phone. What tips do you have for this type of interaction? Treat the phone like a
regular interview, because it is. Stand up and walk around when you are talking on the phone. Wear a suit to get
you in a confident, business-oriented mindset. Have your resume and brag book in front of you. Secure a quiet
place where you have privacy. Ask the same questions you would ask in an in-person interview and keep asking
questions to re-energize the conversation. Close the interview strongly and don’t forget to smile.
20.What questions should a job applicant ask a potential employer? Which ones should they avoid? Some of
the best questions to ask are these: What are you looking for in a sales representative? Who is your number one
sales representative, and why? Why is the position open? How long has the position been open? What shape is the
territory currently in? What is the territory currently ranked? How would you describe your management style?
What would it take to make this position the #1 territory in the region and in the country? What do I need to do to
get this job? The worst questions to ask are any questions that are very obvious or that you can clearly find on their
Web site.
21.How should one negotiate once they have an offer? If the offer is lower than what you had expected, or if there
are some terms you would like to negotiate, continue to display enthusiasm for the job. Presume that you will
work your differences out. If that presumption is correct, you don’t want to leave an impression that you were
a complainer or had a bad attitude. Tell the interviewer you are honored by the offer and express your gratitude
for his or her time and consideration. Then, mention that you have a few remaining questions. The main thing to
remember when trying to negotiate more money, is to present all the reasons you are worth it, in the same way an
attorney presents evidence in a court of law. You want to make the reasons crystal clear to motivate an interviewer
to go back to her boss and use your very same line of reasoning. Arm your interviewer with the necessary
information. Don’t let your pride keep you from taking a great position if you didn’t get everything you asked for.
I’ve seen candidates walk away from wonderful jobs over a mere $2,000. Break that down and you’re not pursuing
your dream job over just $38.50 a week.
22.When should someone work with a job recruiter? If you have outside sales experience and a strong track record
of success, working with a reputable recruiter can be a fast and efficient way of breaking in. It’s important to keep
in mind that recruiters are getting paid by the pharmaceutical company to seek out and find candidates they can’t
find on their own. Companies typically won’t pay a recruiter for candidates without any previous outside sales
experience. They are looking for top performers with a proven track record of success in order to justify paying a
fee to a recruiter.
7.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
Facts & Stats
• CNN/Money.com selected pharmaceutical sales in 2007 as one of the Top 20 Best Jobs In America.
• Pharmaceutical sales representatives cannot be outsourced or replaced with technology or software. The number of
sales reps in pharmaceuticals has increased by 500% since 1970, going from 20,000 to over 100,000 today.
• Global pharmaceutical sales grew to $582 billion in 2006, up 6.2% over 2005.
• Research and development investments in new medicines by the biopharmaceutical industry totaled more than 55
billion dollars a year ago, an 8% increase over 2005.
• A recent Hay Group survey, published in Pharmaceutical Representative Magazine, found that pharmaceutical
company employees report higher levels of job satisfaction than their counterparts in other industries. Nearly 9 in
10 interviewed expressed pride in their company and 98% had favorable attitudes toward their company’s products
and services.
• In a survey conducted by Tom Ruff of 20 district managers and 150 sales representatives from some of the world’s
largest pharmaceutical companies, he found that:
70.6% anticipate sales force expansion at their company;
93.8% are aware their company plans to hire within 3 to 6 months;
43.8% had no minimum college G.P.A. requirement for job applicants;
43.8% find most of their employees via recruiters vs. 6.3% from personal referrals.
Personality, experience, and communication skills are the three most important qualities they look for in
job applicants.
• According to Salary.com, the median salary, including benefits, for a pharmaceutical sales representative
nationwide is $95,660. In Chicago, that number is $103,688, in Los Angeles $108,227, and in New York $113,114.
• Preferred Background: Four-year Bachelor’s Degree with an emphasis on science; 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher;
ideally 2+ years of Fortune 500 outside sales experience; clean driving record, good credit and no bankruptcies.
• Acceptable Background: Four-year Bachelor’s Degree; 2.5 GPA or higher; no more than two traffic tickets in the
last six years is a general rule of thumb.
• Knockout Factors: Lacking a 4-year degree; a DWI or a DUI; bankruptcy within last three to five years; more
than three traffic tickets in last five years; criminal record; bad credit; or a failed drug test
8.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
7 Tips From A Top Recruiter:
How To Land A Pharmaceutical Sales Job
By following the advice outlined in How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy, job seekers
will gain the edge against thousands of candidates for increasingly lucrative jobs in pharmaceutical sales.
“In 18 years of placing candidates in jobs as pharmaceutical sales representatives, often through exclusive contracts
with the country’s largest pharmaceutical companies, I’ve discovered sure-fire strategies for finding work in this
exciting field,” says author, Tom Ruff.
Here are seven tips Tom offers to snag a dream job in pharmaceutical sales:
1. Send out a large amount of resumes to a targeted list of prospects on a weekly basis and be relentless on your
follow-up phone calls. The job won’t come to you – you go after it!
2. Visit with doctors’ offices and ask them to share the names and contact information of the sales representatives who
call on them. You can reach out to the reps, pick their brains, and network with them.
3. Visit with pharmacists at local pharmacies, just as you are doing with the doctors. Also, quiz the pharmacists about
trends in the industry and network with them.
4. Network by attending job fairs, pharmaceutical industry trade shows, and pharmaceutical networking events. Send
e-mails or make calls to friends, neighbors, colleagues, and relatives asking them if they know of anyone in the
field that you can contact.
5. Stand in front of hospitals and wait for sales reps to walk by. Ask them questions, collect business cards, and hand
out your resume.
6. Locate leading recruiting firms and seek out their assistance.
7. Create a “brag book” and be prepared to share it on interviews. It consists of a professional-looking, three-ring
binder, containing 15-20 pages, many of which are in plastic sleeves. Those plastic sleeves contain diplomas,
letters of recommendation, awards, proof of sales rankings, and other materials. Often candidates insert pages with
subject tabs so that you and your interviewers can turn quickly to your sales documents or awards or other sections.
“The brag book” supports and documents the information presented in your resume and buttresses your case. It’s
an important tool you will use in telling your story to an interviewer, not simply a calling card to be left behind at
the end of each meeting.
9.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
What To Do Once You Land An Interview:
7 Steps To Acing it!
Once you’ve landed an interview for a pharmaceutical sales job, how should you prepare for it?
Tom Ruff, a top recruiter in the medical industry for the past 18 years who shares his advice in a new book, How To
Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy, recommends you take the following steps prior to going on
your interview:
1. Research the companies with which you plan to interview, as well as their competitors and drug offerings. Use the
Internet to compile your research.
2. Ride along with a pharmaceutical sales representative. By shadowing him or her for a day you’ll really see what it
is like to sell drugs and learn some of the tricks of the trade.
3. Call the customer service department at the company with which your interview is scheduled and ask to speak with
someone who can answer general questions about the company.
4. Ask your doctor and pharmacist about their experiences with the company with which your interview is scheduled.
5. Talk to pharmaceutical sales representatives. You can find them via hospitals, doctors, or pharmacists. You might
see them at trade shows or industry networking events. It is best to talk to them and gain valuable insight on what
would be of importance for your interview.
6. Create some 3 x 5 flash cards that reflect information about you and the company, including: top ten reasons why
this company should hire you, a list of the company’s new product launches and their history of success.
7. Generate a list of questions to ask your interviewer, to reflect thoughtful interest on your part. Also, write out the
ten most likely questions you will be asked and create responses for them. Role-play over and over as to how you
would be interviewed and what you would say.
“Anticipate being asked about any perceived weaknesses, such as a low GPA in college, a lack of sales experience, or
little professional knowledge of the medical industry,” suggests Tom. “By researching, preparing, and anticipating, you
will discover how to put the best possible shine on your strengths and weaknesses.”
10.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
How To Handle The 5 Most
Frequently Asked Interview Questions
by Tom Ruff
Author of: How To Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales - A Headhunter’s Strategy
At some point in your interview, you’ll probably want to come “off script.” You will have rehearsed and memorized
a couple of points you want to make, but you should feel comfortable enough to go with the flow of the interview, to
respond to any surprises that come your way – and, most importantly, to speak from the heart. In the words of the
utterly unique Dr. Seuss, “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” Here
are five of the 10 most frequently asked questions in pharmaceutical sales representative interviews, along with insight
into what the interviewer is looking for:
1. What are your weaknesses? This isn’t necessarily about weaknesses but about determining if you are working
aggressively on your self-development and can talk about the areas in which you need work. Some show stoppers
to this question: “I need to learn to close better. I need to become more organized.” I can tell how goal-oriented a
person is by how they answer this question.
2. Describe how you worked through a situation with a difficult or dishonest person in your workplace? Here is
where you are looking for maturity and sound judgment. This is where someone who is not so mature can slip up.
It also gives me a glimpse into their ethics. I’m looking for someone who won’t go along with an unethical choice
and who won’t let the team go along with it either. I’m looking for someone who is going to stand their ground.
3. Describe a situation where you had to overcome an obstacle to achieve your goal: the sale. I want to see if this
person has a plan in place. I am looking for multi-layers of effort and ideas. Were resources brought to bear that
were outside the candidate’s sphere of influence?
4. Why should we hire you? Here I am looking for your preparation. Do you have a track record of success? Do you
know what makes you successful?
5. Tell me about a time when you faced a challenge. Often when asked this question, people forget to talk about
the result. They’ll either downplay the result or take for granted that you know what the outcome was. If you take
me all the way through the problem to the result, it indicates to me that you are a good planner. People with weaker
planning and organizational skills tend to have trouble answering this.
11.
Waverly Press
Rockefeller Center
New York, NY 10020
Testimonials & Reviews
“This is a great book. Tom Ruff knows better than anyone how to prepare you to break into this challenging field.
Follow his directions in this book, and you will blow your competition away.”
-- Ken Macdonald, Regional Sales Manager, Retired, Abbott Laboratories
“With honest advice, practical research exercises and document-ready job search tools, Tom’s book will provide you
with everything you need to walk into your first interview with absolute confidence. Having worked with Tom for 10
years, I can vouch for the fact that his candidates are always prepared.”
-- Betty Kuhn, Regional Sales Director and 15-year veteran at one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies
“Without a proper roadmap, a candidate can waste years of searching for work in this competitive industry. Tom Ruff
has provided such a roadmap: succinct, informative, practical. It should be required reading for anybody seeking a
position in pharmaceutical sales.”
-- Michael Olson, President, Highland Search Executive Recruiting
“How to Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales teaches you to make the most important sale you could ever make – yourself.
After that, the products and services you are selling will follow. A great book!”
-- Steve Johnson, President and CEO of The Next Level Sales Consulting, author of Selling Is Everyone’s Business
and If You’re Not Out Selling, You’re Being Outsold
“Tom Ruff knows the ins and outs of the pharmaceutical sales industry. He knows what it takes not only to break in,
but how to thrive once you are there. Now he has put all of his secrets in one place. If you want to learn from a master,
do not miss Tom’s book.”
-- Rob Heidger, Sales Representative of the Year, Mentor Corporation
“Tom Ruff provides unique, creative insight and the necessary tools to help you land a rewarding career in
pharmaceutical sales. I know firsthand – Tom helped me secure my first job in the industry.”
-- Jeni Waters, Personalized Healthcare Territory Manager with Concierge Medical Care Group
“For anyone who wants into this field, this book is an absolute requirement.”
-- Amazon.com top 10 Reviewer, Kurt Messick
“Enthusiastically recommended for anyone pursuing a career in the field.”
-- Midwest Book Review
11.

Do You Have What It Takes To “Deal” Drugs?

Transcription

Similar documents

FXB Industrial Brochure

Bluefish and Hasenpfeffer Insights into Career Development

Untitled

pdf -

DANI 29063 RECRA USA Flyer_6.indd

Call 1-888-4PPA-NOW

What are Biotechnology Products?

Contact - Mediserv

generation Rx tribal marketing