Technical Difficulties During Your MSL Interview? Turn It Into An Advantage

By Patrina Pellett, PhD

"There is no need to have her move forward with a presentation. Would you please be able to cancel tomorrow?"

This is feedback that Tom Caravela received from a hiring manager after an interview with an MSL candidate went terribly wrong. So what happened? This candidate had some unfortunate technical difficulties that took her out of the running for this position.

Technical difficulties happen all the time and will likely happen to you as well. However, during an interview, it can be a blessing in disguise. It's a perfect opportunity to show your agility and make yourself stand out as a candidate. This article is going to prepare you for turning technical difficulties into an advantage during your next MSL interview.

Turn Technical Difficulties Into a Way to Make You Shine During a Job Interview? Say What?

As an MSL, you will be presenting all the time! In all different formats, including virtual formats. There is a 100% chance that you will run into technical difficulties with one of your KOLs on a video call.

The KOL can't open the virtual meeting tool, isn't logged in, won't know where to click, will have the camera pointing wrong direction, or just got a new computer and can't turn up the volume on the speaker. At some point, something will go wrong on a call with a KOL. That's ok because all that matters is HOW YOU HANDLE IT.

The same applies to MSL interviews. But there is an added bonus when it happens on an interview: it's a situation you will have to deal with as an MSL and now you get to actually demonstrate how you would handle it during your interview.

This is a huge advantage. Everyone says they know what to do when a video call goes off the rails, but that's the default answer. Of course, everyone says that!

When there are technical difficulties during the interview and you handle it really well, you demonstrate how great of an MSL you will be/are. You show the hiring team that when this happens with a KOL, you are agile and will have the situation under control.

Tips for Dealing With Technical Difficulties During an MSL Interview

1. Test everything ahead of time

Make sure you are logged in, the application is updated, and it's up and running on both your computer AND your phone. Have a backup (or two) in case your computer suddenly decides it needs an update right before the meeting. An MSL once told me that he had an extra backup computer ready for an important meeting with a KOL because he just got a new one and didn't trust it.  

Have all your devices fully charged. Consider having a backup headset. I mean the kind with wires.

2. Plan for the video meeting to not work

If you are stuck in the waiting room or Zoom/Teams absolutely refuses to work, what will you do? Naturally, you will have a contingency plan in place:

• Get the phone number and emails of all participants on the call (Ask the HR person/who is coordinating for contact info in case something goes wrong)
• After a few minutes of trying, start reaching out
• Let them know you are ready and waiting
• Provide alternate ways to connect ("Should I just call your cell?")

Conclusions

Technical difficulties may happen during your interview. Don't stress about it. All that matters is how you handle it. Also realize it's an opportunity to make yourself shine. Make a contingency plan using the tips above. If something goes wrong, you are ready to highlight to the hiring team how good you will be at handling this when it happens with a KOL.

Has something gone wrong during one of your interviews? Or did you handle a technical difficulty like a champ? Let us know on the MSL Mastery LinkedIn page.

Special Thanks To You!

Thank you for reading. I love hearing your stories and how something in these articles resonate with you. Please keep reaching out to me on LinkedIn 💛!

Hey Aspiring MSLs, Are You Not Getting Interviews?

Wish you could demonstrate your agility to handle technical difficulties during a call, but you don't have interviews? Check out the Aspire MSL program to start getting more interviews and learn how to interview like a champ!