Hire Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives
Pharmaceutical sales representatives are relationship-builders who establish strong business relationships with doctors and healthcare professionals in clinics hospitals to sell their products.
In hiring a pharmaceutical sales representative, hiring managers look for sales-savvy, confident, and motivated individuals with strong people skills. Hiring managers initially conduct an intake interview with the company and find out about the medical drugs that the pharmaceutical sales representative will be selling. Is the company looking for experienced candidates? Are candidates from other work backgrounds welcome to apply? What regions will the pharmaceutical sales representative cover? These are important topics to cover, along with other job specifics, in the job description. The goal of an accurate and complete job description is to encourage qualified and suitable candidates to apply.
Aside from listing responsibilities and qualifications, this is your chance to introduce your company to job seekers. What were your sales achievements last year? What is the goal this year? Are there benefits and incentives specifically for pharmaceutical sales representatives? Let the candidates know through your job description so that they can picture themselves working at your company.
There are many online groups for pharmaceutical sales representatives that promote job opportunities in different locations. Posting in these groups aside from online hiring platforms will boost your candidate selection. Also, ask for referrals from employees. This is a reliable way to source leads.
Responsibilities of a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
To be able to promote and drive sales, pharmaceutical sales representatives must have the confidence to sell their products. They should study everything they can about the products and what they do. What diseases do they help mitigate? Are there any side effects? What are the contraindications, if any? Pharmaceutical sales representatives also work with the company’s sales and marketing team to learn different marketing strategies, branding strategies, and presentation skills.
Before going to visit with doctors, pharmaceutical sales representatives create promotional materials, pamphlets, brochures, and digital presentations to use during sales calls. They ensure that these promotional materials contain accurate, verified information and are approved for use by the company.
Pharmaceutical sales representatives identify doctors for whom their products would be a good fit and establish positive relationships with them. They promote their medical drugs to doctors, inform them about the use, benefits, effects, dosage, contraindications, and possible side effects in the hopes of driving sales. They also present results of related clinical trials to further inform doctors about the product benefits.
Additionally, pharmaceutical sales representatives document and report sales progress against sales targets. They evaluate their sales performance, analyze the market, and the sales performance of competitors to further improve their marketing strategies. Lastly, pharmaceutical sales representatives stay updated with product data, industry trends, and medical innovations by attending conferences and training sessions.
Skills and Qualifications of a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
A bachelor’s degree is required to apply for a pharmaceutical sales representative role. Related fields of study like business, marketing, or pharmacology will help candidates stand out. Applicants must be excellent communicators, confident in their presentation skills, and great negotiators. They must also be organized, good with time management, and proficient in MS Office applications.
