Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Interview Questions & Answers


Pharmaceutical Sales Representative is a sales professional specialized in selling pharmaceutical and medical products to Physicians, hospitals, drugstore chains etc. Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives do not sell such products directly to the public.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Pharmaceutical Sales Representative or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Pharmaceutical Sales Representative position, these Pharmaceutical Sales Representative interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Pharmaceutical Sales Representative interview questions.

  1. How would you retain our existing clients?
  2. How would you source major clients?
  3. How would you market a drug that you were dubious about?
  4. Which of the latest pharmaceutical innovations are you most impressed by?
  5. What are some of the most important qualities for a successful pharmaceutical sales representative?
  6. Provide an example of a time when you overcame a challenge while selling pharmaceuticals.
  7. If a doctor asked you a question about a drug that you didn’t know the answer to, what would you do?
  8. What would you do if you saw a competitor’s drug being used in one of your accounts?
  9. Describe your experience with using sales automation software.
  10. In this interview, what makes you stand out from other candidates for this position?
  11. There is a new treatment for a common condition that your company doesn’t currently offer. How would you bring this to your manager’s attention?
  12. What do you consider the most challenging aspect of a pharmaceutical sales job
  13. Give me an example of when you managed to get a physician to switch to your product.
  14. What traits do you possess that will make you a successful Pharmaceutical Sales Representative.
  15. What sales accomplishment are you most proud of?
  16. What would you do if you saw a doctor or colleague doing something unethical?
  17. Define a "proprietary product" and how it's used by a company.
  18. As a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative, describe your responsibilities briefly, starting from the time you’re assigned a new client.
  19. When do you stop pursuing a client? Why?
  20. This position requires visiting different clinics daily. How would you stay motivated while pitching products to multiple businesses?
  21. How often do you communicate with existing clients?
  22. Who do you think our clients are and what would you suggest to increase our market share?
  23. How do you reorganize your schedule if a potential customer cancels your appointment on a very short (or without any) notice?
  24. How would you sell one of our products to a potential customer who uses a competitor’s product?
  25. We are launching a new Pharmaceutical product. What information would you need to promote it?
  26. Have you had negative experiences dealing with clients? If so, what were they and how did you handle them?
  27. What’s your greatest professional success so far?
  28. Have you ever failed to reach a sales quota?a What happened and what did you learn from the experience?
  29. Do you prefer to work in a team or on your own? Why?

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Pharmaceutical Sales Representative interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  2. What is Your Greatest Strength?
  3. Tell Me About Yourself
  4. Why Do You Want This Job?
  5. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  6. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  7. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  9. Why Should We Hire You?
  10. What is Your Greatest Weakness?