Pharmaceutical Interview Questions

All serious aspirants to the pharmaceutical industry must be familiar with this list of pharmaceutical interview questions. As with any other job interview, the questions revolve around facts and figures about yourself, your career, the organization you applied for and the industry you applied for with a greater degree of job specific queries. Since competition is high in this area, you are better off leaving nothing to chance. According to experts the interview process could be anything from one week to a month and may even be a six-step interview process.
If you have been a pharmaceutical company sales representative before, prepare yourself on previous experiences by qualifying and quantifying them and how they benefited your previous company then. Get your resume ready to sell yourself. This part is the key part and lasts about 90 seconds and is termed by some as a 90 second commercial that sells you to the interviewer. Make the best possible sales pitch for yourself. Your commercial introduces you, states your objective, your previous job and your achievements, products handled, clients and territories handled, achievements, the reason for the move, your education background and a brief about other jobs handled during your career. Needless to add, in order to answer pharmaceutical interview questions, you must know the company you have applied to well. Check out its website, annual report and other news items and news releases. Know its products, competitors products, strategies and if possible your views on how to improve sales for these companies. Some sample pharmaceutical interview questions that you may encounter in a job interview are listed. How do you perceive a pharmaceutical representatives typical workday?

As a sales representative you know very well that your job is to sell to the physicians. Whatever it takes you have to increase the sales figures. To do that you must make a favorable impression on the doctors, especially the ones that count. Discuss how you plan for each doctor differently based on their work schedules and preferences, likes and dislikes. What is the most challenging aspect of a pharmaceutical representative? As a pharmaceutical representative your biggest challenge is pretty much in influencing the physicians among many others representatives who are doing the same thing. Tell the interviewer on how you find your way to sell yourself to physicians creatively and to make it count in numbers. If given a territory and a list of physicians to call on, how would you go about it? Nothing beats sound field knowledge to make a strategy. Know your territory first. Know your customers and their sales potential. Analyze the data and figure out where your biggest potential is in terms of the 80:20 principle (80% of your business comes from 20%

of the people). After the A list is covered, then make your own B list and C list within a time frame that fits with the organizations sales closing How would you like your ideal sales manager to be - to get the best out of you? Some pharmaceutical interview questions like this one are tricky. But you would certainly like a helpful sort who equips you with all the tools and knowledge, tips and other forms of support. You need one who can assess your potential and set you realistic goals based on a well-analyzed sales plan. One who actually sees you in action and tells you how to get the best strategy in place. One who can drive you, who supports and believes in you, who is open, honest and who can use his knowledge and yours to bring about a synergistic result. One who can add value to both your personal and career goals. How do you think you would get a Physician to switch to your drug? The biggest challenge comes with a physician who is happy with his current drug. In such a case, your first step is to make your presence felt by setting small goals and making small in roads. As you gain more knowledge about the drugs and the physicians prescribing behavior you would use your product knowledge and other tools to make the physician view your drug favorably. Then your next step is to get the physician to prescribe to one patient type, and you have a foot in the door. Follow up with the doctor to see the results on the patient type and then you can push for other patient types.

Current Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Can you tell me a little about yourself? What made you apply for this position? How many years of experience do you have in _____? What are the top duties you perform in your current position? Why are you considering leaving your current position? What do you know about this company/position? what is the most important thing you're looking for in a company/job? What is the most significant accomplishment you have made in your career? How well do you handle stress? What is your greatest weakness/strength? How would you rate your communication skills? What do you see yourself in five years? When would you be available? What's your salary expectation? Do you have any questions?

cover letter examples for newspaper advertisement: May 20th, 2004 John Davidson Department of Human Resource ABC Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 123 Washington St Albany, NY 12206

Dear Mr. Davidson: I am writing in response to your ad in today's Albany Times Union for a scientist in your drug discovery department. As requested, I enclose a copy of my resume as well as a list of my publications for your consideration. I would bring to this position: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 4 years of progressive experience in pharmaceutical industry. Extensive experience in synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry and combinatorial chemistry. In-depth knowledge of SAR, QSAR, and pharmacophore modeling. In-depth knowledge of analytical instruments including LC, IC, TLC, HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR. excellent communication, computer and written skills.

I'm especially interested in moving to back to Albany since I grew there. With family and friends there, I already feel part of the community. Please let me know if you need any more information. I'll call your office next Tuesday morning to see if you have any question about my candidacy. I would appreciate an opportunity to interview for this position. Sincerely, Job Seeker 252-6668383

Free Cover Letters - Referral Type

Here's some free cover letters that can be used in a referral situation: May 20th, 2004 Tom Anderson Olympic Corporation 399 Riverside St Little Rock, AR 79831

Dear Mr. Tom: George Bush suggested that I send you a copy of my resume for your reference. He said he spoke with you last Friday and you indicated that you might have an immediate opening for a data manager with experience in financial services. The enclosed resume summarizes my five years of experience as a data manager. My qualifications include extensive experience in database statistics, analysis and data management; strong knowledge of SAS, SPSS, Excel, Access and Query Analyzer; excellent reports and publication preparation skills, and detail knowledge of web log analyzers. I would appreciate being considered for the data manager position. I'll call you next Tuesday to answer any questions you may have about my application. Sincerely, Job Seeker 252-6668383

Free Cover Letter Samples - Broadcast Type

Here are some free cover letter samples if you want to broadcast your resume: May 20th, 2004 Tom Anderson Olympic Corporation 399 Riverside St Little Rock, AR 79831

Dear Mr. Tom: I'm looking for some advice and help from friends I know and trust. ABC Technology, my former employer was sold last month and merged with another company. As a result, my job was eliminated and I'm looking for a new job that's both challenging and long-lasting. The enclosed resume summarizes my five years of experience as a data manager. My qualifications include extensive experience in database statistics, analysis and data management; strong knowledge of SAS, SPSS, Excel, Access and Query Analyzer; excellent reports and publication preparation skills, and detail knowledge of web log analyzers. I would like to continue to be a data manager in telecommunication industry and would appreciate your thoughts and ideas. Please contact me at 252-6668383, thank you for you help. Sincerely, Job Seeker 252-6668383

Sample Cover Letter - Cold Call Type

Here's a sample cover letter for cold call use: May 20th, 2004 Julian Kennedy Power Inc. 1500 Capital St Reston, VA 22098

Dear Dr. Kennedy: I expect to receive my master's degree in environmental engineering in May 2005, and am writing to explore the possibility of obtaining an environment engineer position with your organization. I enclose my resume for your reference. During the past two years, I have taken many courses in environment engineering. My thesis has focused on the environmental risk assessment of process plants. During the past two summers, I also interned with Dupont Company and was involved in the risk analysis and hazard assessment project. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how my education and experience can benefit your organization. I'll call you Wednesday morning to see if you have any question concerning my application. Sincerely, Job Seeker 252-6668383

Salary Negotiation
Salary negotiation is the most neglected part in job hunting process. Most job seekers usually adopt the "take it or reject it" attitude. However, if you understand the art of negotiation, you can really make thousands of money in minutes. Below are just some basic negotiation tips. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Don't be afraid of negotiation, you can't get it unless you ask for it. Do your home work and understand your market value before you go to your first interview. Do not talk about your salary expectation until the employer is ready to make you an offer. It would be in your advantage if you ask the employer what's the budget range for the position. If the employer insist on asking your salary expectation before interview, give them a wide range with the low end no less than your current salary or a little bit higher. Don't negotiate unless you're really interested in the company and would consider a reasonable offer if they give you one. Don't make your decision too quickly. Whenever you get an offer, ask for some time to consider the whole package. Say specifically what you want in the negotiation, be it higher base salary or more generous bonus package. If you only say you need some more time to consider the offer, the employer doesn't know what you really want. Consider the whole package instead of only the base salary. You should also consider your benefit package like: health insurance, vocation days and sick days, retirement savings plans, bonus plans, stock option, tuition reimbursement plans, etc. Always thank the employer for the offer and state your interest in the position. Never lie about your salary history, that might be the ground of termination if the employer find it out after they hire you. After you and the employer agree on an offer, always ask for the offer in writing. You should sign two copies and save one copy for yourself. If you have another offer under consideration, mention that in your salary negotiation. But don't lie if you don't have one. If the employer is firm on the offer, ask if you can get reviewed in 3 or 6 months instead of one year.

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How To Find Market Rate Job Salaries

You need to find out the market rate of job salaries before you enter salary negotiation with the employer. Obviously, you don't want to be under paid, but you also risk your offer if you propose a salary which is much higher than your market value. The employer might just offer the position to the next candidate. There are many ways to find out the salary range in your industry. For example, you can call your friends, college classmates, colleagues, recruiters or career advisors to find out this information. Or else, you can use the following online resources to conduct your salary research. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. www.salary.com: Search for salaries by career area and location. www.salaryexpert.com: Search for salaries by career area and location. America's Career Info Net: Search for salaries by career area and location. JobStar Central: More than 300 in-depth profession-specific salary surveys. (Recommended!) Wall Street Journal Salary Info: Salary information by industry. Occupational Outlook Handbook: From Bureau of Labor Statistics. Generic salary information for 250 occupations. International Salary Calculator: From homestore.com, compare salaries in different locations. Wageweb: Offers salary information on more than 150 positions. Wageaccess: Offers comprehensive salary information on more than 500 positions. UC Davis: Salary Surveys by profession. (Recommended!)

Career Planning
Instead of resume writing, the first step in your job search is career planning. For example, you may need to know if you want to find a job in academic, industry, or even start your own company. You also need to have a long term vision in your mind to guide yourself. Government statistics show that average American has more than 10 jobs in his lifetime; and ten years from now, half the working population will be in jobs that have not yet been invented. Without a clear vision in your mind, you may easily get lost in job market. After all, even if you get your perfect job, how long can you keep it? Your career planning can all boil down to your self-analysis. You can ask yourself some questions like "What kind of person am I", " What kind of person do I like best to work with", "What kind of knowledge and skills do I have" and "What's the most important things for me in a job?" etc. Be honest to yourself and take some time to reflect on it. You may not really know what's your perfect job until you first do some self-exploration like this. Then you can brainstorm some job titles that sound interesting to you. For example, if you're a recent electronic engineering graduate, you can pursue job positions in the following fields: electronic engineer, technical support, sales representative, consultant, etc. Compare your options and decide which career path interests you the most. People tend to select careers they think they already know: law students become lawyers, engineering

students become engineers. But what if after several years, they find that they don't like their jobs at all? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are about 22,000 occupations in American society. If you can think outside the box and develop a broader vision of your career possibilities, you'll find a career that you enjoy doing and also do well, a career which is based on your interest, aptitudes and personality. Many job hunters ignore this step and go directly to the resume writing step. The problem here is two-fold. First, since they're unprepared, they may fail a job interview when they are asked questions like "Why do you want this job", "Where do you see yourself in five years"? And second, even they find a job by luck, they may have a harsh transaction time when they have to find another job. Let me put it this way, careful career planning allow you to have more control over your career and life, without career planning, you allow life to control you.

Top Ten Interview Questions

It is necessary to prepare yourself with answers to the top ten interview questions before you attend any job interview. Needless to say, these top ten interview questions revolve around your personal facts, your expectations, your past job profiles, your analysis on why you want this job etc and assess your clarity of thought, confidence, ambition, professionalism, beliefs and values. Since the secret to leaving a positive, confident impression with the interviewers is nothing but sheer preparedness, get organized, prepare well and yes, rehearse. Believe me, you will surprise yourself with the results when you leave little to chance. Before we actually get down to the top ten interview questions let us familiarize ourselves with the information we have. Most of your personal information is available with you so organize your personal folder - the advertisement for the job, your resume, reference letters, recommendation letters, awards and achievements and other supporting material that you may need. Read them carefully. Next let us search for some information on the company. Look up websites or even better, the Annual Report. Do a Google search on stock prices, company news and industry trends. When you have enough information, read it carefully, analyse it, make notes, take the top ten questions given below and practice your answers to these top ten interview questions in front of a mirror or with a friend. Here is a list of the top ten interview questions. 1. Tell us about yourself and what you have done so far in your career? Briefly describe your education, career path, jobs and position held and any relevant highlights and achievements. Substantiate the content in your resume (instead of repeating what it says) such as giving examples of leadership situations, being part of winning teams or doing some original work. 2. What do you know about our organization and the industry? This should be easy if you have done your homework. You must be familiar by now about the companys main business areas, products, research activities, geographical presence, turnover, profit etc. Reel off the information you have gathered about the industry from the internet, industry journals, reports etc to validate your statements. If you are aware of the latest developments state it to substantiate the fact that you are indeed abreast of industry trends and that you are a valuable asset to the company.

3. Why have you applied for this job? Be clear about the value the job adds to your career and the value that you bring to the job as well. It obviously has mutual benefits, economically, personally and socially, that affect both you and the company in the short and long term. 4. Why should we select you? Be prepared for this question because this answer will sell your story. Know lucidly, what you bring to the organization such as personal qualities, knowledge and skills that will add value to the company. If you can qualify these with quantifiable records you have achieved in previous jobs or assignments, it adds credibility. 5. What are your career goals and where do you see yourself five years from now? Spare some thought for this because your prospective employer is interested in knowing how clear you are at this moment about what you want to achieve. 6. Why did you leave your last job? Focus on the positives such as your career path and how you needed to further your career and long term interests. Do not get stuck in how bad the organization was etc. 7. What are your strengths and weaknesses? A good question, answers to which you must certainly know job interview or otherwise. A candid conversation with a friend helps in listing the same because an outsider can be more objective. Focus on your strengths. Acknowledge weaknesses and restrict them to professional traits. State how how you counter them. Better still, convert it into a strength. For eg. The positive side of taking time to work on a proposal could be that you are meticulous and produce quality results. 8. What is your salary expectation? Research is important so you dont quote too high or too less. Be in the range or even better, quote a range and leave it tactfully open for negotiations. There is no one way, but prepare for all circumstances with tactful answers, leaving this answer out open for negotiation later. 9. How do you handle a situation such as a conflict or management situation? Your real life experiences are your greatest teachers and it helps to draw lessons from similar experiences. Apply your real life situation to the one cited in the example and address the problem using your experience, creativity, instinct and sensitivity and in all circumstances keeping the organizations long term goals in view.

Self Employment
Today, more people than ever are considering self employmentto build their financial freedom. According to a study bySBA(Small Business Administration), 12.2

millionAmericans -- about 10 percent of the nation's work force -- wereself-employed in 2003. Itis expected to be the greatest area of employment growth in futureyears. So why do people want to start their own business? There aremany good reasons and here are just some of the reasons people give forgoing into business for themselves: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Downsizing of large corporations. Independence and flexibility. There is no need to worryabout laid-off and you are free to take time off and spend time withyour family. Freedom and job satisfaction. Self-employment allows you todo the job in your own way and be responsible for your own success (andfailures!). Challenges. Running a business provides endless challengeand opportunities for learning. More money. In the best selling book <<Themillionaire next door>>, the authors claim thattwo thirds of millionaires who are working are self-employed.

However, these good reasons of starting a business are oftenmixed with unrealistic expectations and we have all heard the bad newsabout business failure. According to the SBA, one in three new businessfail within six months; three of four start-ups shut down within fiveyears; and nine out of ten companies operating today will ceaseoperation eventually. So why do businesses fail? In his book SmallBusiness Management, Michael Ames gives the following reasonsfor small business failure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Lack of experience. Insufficient capital (money). Poor location. Poor inventory management. Over-investment in fixed assets. Poor credit arrangements. Personal use of business funds. Unexpected growth.

Some other reasons might also include: 1. 2. 3. 4. Owner's personality not suited to run a business. Poor choice of business opportunity. Failure to seek professional advice. Low sales.

These reasons aren't meant to scare you, knowing some of thesepitfalls before you start your business can help you avoid them.

Resignation Tips
Resignation can be an intimidating task for many people. Maybe you found a better paid job, maybe you want to change your career, or maybe you want to pursue a higher education. However, your boss always thinks that you enjoy your job here and you are going to stay here forever. You might feel guilty to resign or you might just be afraid that your boss will get angry. So how are your going to handle the situation? Here are some tips for you: 1. Before your resignation, carefully think about your reasons and make sure it's a right move. Ask yourself why do you have to resign, have you tried all avenues to advance your career with your current employer, and can you be better off in your new job. Talk to your family and close friends and see what they have to say. There is no need to feel guilty if you decide to resign. It happens all the times, as often as companies have to lay off their employees. Once you make up your mind, stick to it. Your employer may make a counteroffer to you when you submit your resignation letter, but don't get excited and jump at the chance to take this advantage. First of all, once you submit your resignation letter, your loyalty to the company is in question. If your employer has any financial problem later on, you might be the first target to be laid off. Second, the counteroffer might just be a temporary way to keep you until business slows down or a replacement is found. Third, numerous studies have shown that the basic reasons for wanting to change jobs in the first place will nearly always resurface. Changes made as the result of a counteroffer rarely last beyond the short-term. Four, the National Employment Association claims that over 75% of employees that accept counteroffers are no longer with that company six months later, either through voluntarily leaving or dismissal. Study your company's resignation policies before you submit your resignation letter. You may need to give a minimum of two weeks notice, but some companies consider the date you resign letter as the last day of your employment, and you may not be able to access your computer once your submit the resignation letter. If that's the case, be prepared and remove and copy all your personal files in your computer before you resign. Think about what you're going to say before you meet with your boss and submit your resignation letter. Your boss may get surprised, upset, or even angry, but no matter what, you need to stay cool and keep your composure. Thank your boss for his help during the past years but make it clear that you're leaving. Your employer may probe your real reason by asking some "constructive critics" from you. You may feel tempting to point out a few things, however, it's never a good idea. Nothing is wrong with your former employer. Your only reason to resign is that you have been presented a career opportunity that you just can't pass by. Tell the same story to your colleagues, rumor travels faster than you can image. No resignation is a true farewell. You never know when your career will cross paths with your former employer again, and your future employers may check references from your former employers back to 10 years ago, so don't burn bridges behind you. Work hard until your last day. Finish what you're suppose to do if time permits. Write a letter to your boss and coworkers after you settle down with your new job. Give them your new phone number and email address, you may want to keep in touch with them from time to time If you're leaving in bad circumstances and want to sue your employer (sexual harassment, for example), you may need to consult a lawyer before you say or do anything. Collect evidences quietly and keep your mouth shut.

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How To Write A Resignation Letter

So how to write a resignation letter? This goodbye letter will be the last document in your personnel file, but if your future employer calls for reference, it may be the first document seen. You really want to make it works, below are just some tips for your consideration: 1. Write your resignation letter to maintain good relationship with your employer, never burn bridges behind you when you resign. You never know when your career will cross paths with your employer again, and you'll also need your boss and coworkers as references when you apply for new jobs. Tell your employer when you're leaving the company in the resignation letter. Usually, you need to give a minimum of two weeks notice. But check your employment letter for this information. You don't need to explain specifically why you're leaving. If you say you've found a more challenging job, that might imply that your current job is boring; and if you say you have health problem, that might imply that you're a risky employee for your future employer. Do thank your employer for giving you the opportunity to work at the company, show your regret in having to leave this company. Highlight the most important skills you learned in the company. Double check your spelling and grammar, make sure it's error-free. If you're resigning due to some bad circumstance and want to sue your employer, you'd better consult a lawyer before you submit your resignation letter.

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Sample Resignation Letters

Sample Resignation Letters 1 - Moving To Another Company October 5, 2004

John Lucas Director of Research & Development Sun Technology Inc. 24 Temple Street Boston, MA 02114 Dear Mr. John: The purpose of this letter is to inform you of my resignation from my current position as Software Engineer with Sun Technology, Inc. My last day of work will be Friday, October 29, 2004. I have accepted another position in San Francisco, California. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to you as my supervisor, as well as many friends and colleagues here at Sun Technology. It has been a great pleasure to work with you all, and I have also learned a great deal about Java programming. I am certain that the skills I have acquired here will be of great value to my

future career. I wish you and Sun Technology continued success in all your endeavors. And please let me know if I can be of assistance in any way to help with a smooth transition. Sincerely,

David Albert Software Engineer

Sample Resignation Letter 2 - Going Back To School June 29, 2004

John Lucas Director of Research & Development Sun Technology Inc. 24 Temple Street Boston, MA 02114 Dear Mr. John: As required by my contract of employment, I hereby give you one month's notice of my intention to leave my position as Software Engineer with Sun Technology, Inc. My last day of employment will be Friday, July 30, 2004. I have decided that it is time to move on and have accepted an offer to study MBA in Harvard Business School. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the opportunity to work for Sun Technology, Inc. I have learned a great deal about financial software and my experience will help me a lot with my MBA program and my future career. I wish you and Sun Technology continued success in all your endeavors. I will miss all my colleagues here and hope to be able to keep in touch with you over the next year. Sincerely,

David Albert Software Enginee