The Australian Pharmaceutical industry is an enormous contributor to the national economy, with market turnover set to reach $25.2 billion by 2020, up from $22.85 billion in 2016. Part and parcel of this growth is a business’s sales force;, spanning GP Representatives, Account Managers and Medical Device Sales Teams through to Product Specialists and Hospital Sales Representatives, just to name a few. With such a burgeoning sector, I have met a legion of sales people vying for coveted roles across the Medical, Science and Technical sectors. It would be safe to assume that these candidates wouldn’t need any help selling themselves to potential employers, right? It’s surprising, but no. I have noticed many medical candidates, either new or experienced, undersell themselves at both the job application and interview stages. It can be a daunting task heralding your best skills and achievements, so here are a few ways that can help set you apart from the competition.
How to Present Yourself Without Pretension
What is the leading factor suppressing our candidates? The answer is modesty and excess humility. Showcase your successes and flaunt your ability but try to do it without the pomp and pageantry. Many salespeople don’t know how to walk the fine line between arrogance and confidence. Let facts pave the way for a good sell and you will avoid sounding bombastic. Take ownership of your role in a project, the impact it had on the outcome if it was a team project, the outcome in general, and whether or not it was a success. If not, what did you learn?
I advise many of our sales candidates to do their research and know their facts and figures. View the interaction as a typical sales call and ask yourself: Would you buy what you’re telling a recruiter or potential employer if it wasn’t fortified with the relevant facts and figures? Recruiters and clients will want to break through the veneer and will ask probing questions. Arm yourself with knowledge of the business and try to anticipate as many scenarios as possible so you can tackle the ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions. Gain a deep understanding of the company and its products along with pertinent data, sales cycles, and market trends. Press releases, blogs, a company website, LinkedIn, and industry-specific magazines provide a treasure trove of information here. Research who the main competitors are and incorporate this knowledge into how you would sell their products.
Wax lyrical and be proud of your achievements. Don’t shy away from your successes and good outcomes. There is nothing wrong with highlighting your individual performance, even as a Senior Manager. It can be tempting to just talk about the accomplishments of the team, but instead articulate what your personal involvement was, especially if there were outstanding results! Shed light on your network of contacts which is a blueprint of your ability to build rapport and long-term relationships. A rolodex of KOLs or decision makers that you can take to your new role is often seen as an oasis of opportunities.
Another way to avoid the bayonet of underselling is to offer specific examples of your achievements using the STAR method. Again, preparation is the key. Some areas to consider when using STAR include sales cycles and adoption ladders; territory planning; objection handling; qualifying clients; how to close a sale; your negotiation and presentation abilities; medical knowledge and more.
How to Nail Your Interview
“Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” Recruiters live by this mantra and I discuss it with our job seekers relentlessly. As mentioned earlier, take time to research a company, its products as well as its culture. Think of how your previous tenures, skills and achievements align with the job description and be ready to relay them. What are your USPs? If you simply can’t leave modesty at the door, ask either your past or present colleagues what they think some of your accomplishments have been and move forward from there.
Be clear with the interviewer about the reasons why you are interested in the role and what makes you the right fit for their company. Is it your product knowledge, industry contacts, drive to succeed or wanting to make a difference in patient’s lives? Be mindful of your language and utilise a consultative style. Remember also to ask insightful questions too, this indicates your interest for the position and shows that you were actively listening from the outset.
Not every project will reach vertiginous heights of success. Stand out from other candidates by being ready to discuss the “not-so-successful” campaigns and focus on the silver lining in them. If you didn’t reach your targets for the quarter, what other outcomes were gained instead? Perhaps you managed to break into a new market or managed to build new relationships? Resilience and positivity go hand in hand with sales and employers will seek to understand how you may turn the tables on a negative result.
How to Write a Great Sales CV
Essentially your CV is your elevator pitch to get into an “INTERVIEW” pile. It is the mouthpiece of your personal brand, illustrating your array of experience, knowledge, and skills. This is no time to be bashful or muted so:
- Keep the aesthetic look of your career tool simple, free from unusual fonts, photographs, or long paragraphs – utilise bullet points and succinct explanations;
- Be honest and show your sales successes by quantifying your wins and keep it results-oriented. Show the numbers! For example, Increased total sales for the year by 15% whilst gaining an increase of 11% market share on territory vs. the competition;
- Utilise strong action verbs and ensure you are speaking in the past tense;
- As previously mentioned, emphasise the facts, projects, both teamwork and individual, and mitigate your list of soft skills such as time management, being a strategic thinker, your work ethic, being a team player, etc;
- Wear your awards and achievements like a badge of honour and let them shine on your CV, i.e. Top Sales Person of the quarter;
- Share your product and disease state knowledge;
- Highlight your communication/relationship-building skills as well as aptitude in closing a sale; and
- Include relevant personal information such as full name, address, telephone numbers, and email address.
Final Thoughts
The Science, Medical and Technical sectors of Australia are mammoth recruiters of adept salespeople. In fact, having some sort of sales tenure offers a myriad of skills, even for those in other departments such as marketing. Assuming that salespeople find it easy to grandstand such skills and experience when talking with a recruiter or potential employee couldn’t be further from the reality that many are uncomfortable selling themselves and often a sales interview feels like being in the trenches under fire! Battling modesty is the greatest challenge but it needn’t be this way. Invest some time into researching the company, be factual and specific and let your achievements shine through. You can then colour the conversation with your own career story and sell yourself into the job of your dreams.
