Be a STAR during the interview

Almost every interview you will encounter in the Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Sales process will involve a variation on the STAR format. STAR is short for:

• S - Situation or
  
• T - Task
• A - Action you took
• R - Results

Interviewers will request that you answer all questions in this format. Don't stress about it, just be yourself and tell your story. An example of a common question is "Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer. What was the situation, how did you handle it and what was the outcome?" Be ready with five or six good stories that you can bring up to share with your interviewer. Another common question is "Tell me about a time when you did not agree with your business partner. What was the situation, how did you handle it and what was the outcome?"

Medical Device sales interviews are usually not very technical. It is mostly a behavioral interview and hiring managers are looking for the "right" personality. So it is important to come across as being very personable. Have a great smile and be able to talk about a variety of subjects such as your hobbies. For instance, I love restoring vintage European sports cars and I make sure that I bring it up in every interview I have been it. I do it for a couple of reasons, first because many of my interviews are male and many guys have an unhealthy obsession with the automobile. So the chances are high that he and I will share this common interest and be able to share some great stores. Secondly, it shows that I have other interests and able to quickly develop relationships.

More on the interview process tomorrow.