How to create a positive recruiting experience for Medical Sales Representatives

The recruitment process can be hard for people on both sides of the interview table. For Medical Sales Representatives, it’s the chance to progress in their career and secure a job in a very competitive Pharmaceutical industry. For a company looking to hire, the recruitment process is an opportunity to hire somebody who will help them build new relationships with clients and get their- potentially life-saving- drug onto the market.

With the average cost of making a new hire in the UK costing up to £50,000 for the first year of employment, it’s important you actually hire the right person. That starts with creating a positive recruiting experience for your interviewees. Not only will improve your reputation as an employer in the market, but it means that candidates will be more likely to accept your job offer when it finally comes along. 

Here’s how to do it right.

Plan in advance

The first thing you need to do is be clear about who exactly it is that you’re looking to hire, and how you’re going to conduct the interview process. Before you start looking, make sure that your role’s responsibilities, performance metrics and even their job perks are clearly defined beforehand. What area will they be operating in? What kind of product will they be dealing with, and what kind of clients- for instance, GPs or nurses- will they be interacting with? 

You should also consider your own recruitment process. What, precisely, are you aiming to find out about your candidates? 81% of people interviewed in a recent survey said that they make more reliable and less risky decisions as a result of Psychometric Testing. Indeed, it’s a good way of analysing the personality and behaviour of your candidate, so do you have any tests in place? The more about your recruitment process you can plan in advance, the smoother an experience you- and your candidates- will have.

Do your research

When it comes to the interview process, candidates are always encouraged to research the company they’ll be applying to. However, the opposite also applies: do some research on your candidate before they enter the interview room. Review their CV, and look at samples of their work or their previous Medical Sales experience before they enter, so you can plan some questions in advance. It’s the best way to make use of your interview time, and means that you’ll be able to quiz them in-depth about their suitability for the role, rather than fact-checking for the first ten or so minutes.

Be enthusiastic

Whenever you talk with your job applicant- especially in the interview room- make sure that you come across as engaged and enthusiastic. For you, the hiring process might be another duty on top of a heavy workload, but for a candidate it’s an important chance for them to prove themselves. Give them all of your attention, and don’t cut the interview short, even if you think they’re a bad fit for the role. After all, 83% of candidates say that a negative interview experience can change their mind about a role or company they once liked, and given that Medical Sales is a comparatively small industry, you don’t want to build a bad reputation for doing just that. 

Give them space

Sometimes, an interview that’s peppered with too many questions can actually hinder you from finding out more about your interviewee. People working in Medical Sales should be able to speak for a living, so let them show you just why they’re a good fit for the role: ask some questions, or give them a few prompts, then sit back and let them talk. You can always pull them back on track if you need to, but unless the conversation dries up, give your candidates the space to express themselves without jumping in with questions at every turn. 

Follow up

The importance of the follow-up email is becoming increasingly recognised by HR professionals around the country, and for good reason. It shows that you remember the candidate and consider them important enough to devote ten minutes of your day to send them an email. Even if it’s just a quick message thanking them for their time, and saying that you’ll get in touch with them later, it will help your applicant feel valued, and form a positive opinion of you that might well pay off when it comes to accepting the job offer.

Hire the right person for the job with IQVIA CSMS

We take pride in connecting the best and brightest in the Medical Sales industry to jobs where they can make a real difference. Start your journey with us today: browse all Medical Sales Rep jobs, or find out more about what we do.