Many biotech sales candidates are outstanding salespeople with a passion for the engaging, fast-moving biotech field. General questions like “Tell us about yourself” or “When have you failed?” don’t always dig into the strengths and passions that drew these professionals to the field in the first place.
Here are five questions to add to a biotech sales professional interview to “dig deep” with your sales candidates:
What projects, research or results fascinate you the most in biotech? Why?
This question allows you to gauge two essential qualities in biotech sales candidates: Their knowledge of biotech, and their enthusiasm for the industry. Watch for candidates who not only provide clear, thoughtful answers, but who “light up” when doing so. If they can “sell” you on an innovation you’re unfamiliar with, even better.
Tell me about a time you embraced a new system, process, technology or idea at work, even when it diverged greatly from how you were used to doing things.
Biotech is a constantly changing field, and so is sales. Top candidates will be nimble and forward-thinking, embracing innovative ideas and tools even when they require the professional to “reinvent” part of how they do the job.
What are the “top three” things that matter most to you in a job?
Culture fit in a sales team is essential. Every sales professional you hire should not only align with your current team’s approach, but elevate it. Questions like this one can help you determine whether the candidate values the same features in a job that the current team values, or if they’re looking for a totally different work culture.
Tell me about a time you volunteered to learn more at your job, even though you didn’t have to.
The best biotech sales professionals not only learn what they need to know to stay on top of their company’s latest developments – they go out of their way to learn things that aren’t required as part of the job. For instance, a candidate who decided to dive into related pharmaceutical research or take some biology classes to understand the mechanisms behind certain products is a “volunteer learner” whose curiosity and drive can enhance your team.
What does the perfect sales process look like to you?
This question helps you dive further into the candidate’s culture and values as well as their day-to-day work approach. If the candidate can describe a “perfect process” example they’ve already closed, even better: The candidate not only has a vision but has field-tested it as well.
At SMR Group Ltd, we specialize in connecting our clients in the biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device industries with some of the best available sales and marketing talent. To learn more about how we can help make your hiring process easier, contact us today.
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