By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

The Aspire MSL program is Tom Caravela and Sarah Snyder's secret sauce to helping folks land their first MSL position. Included with the online component of the program are weekly office and bimonthly group coaching calls. I recently started attending these sessions and had 2 major observations.

1. Impressive value: I am super impressed by how valuable they are. Aspiring MSLs get to ask their burning questions to expert MSL recruiters. Tom and Sarah have placed 1000s of MSLs and have seen it all.
2. Understanding Interview Nuances: A lot of the time in these sessions is spent on interviewing related questions. I have noticed that a huge barrier for aspiring MSLs is understanding what will and will not make them look like a newbie in their interviews. This is where aspiring MSLs mess up in their interviews and what makes them look inexperienced to hiring managers.

Where Aspiring MSLs Mess Up In Their Interviews

What separates someone with experience from someone without experience are the questions they ask during the interview and how they respond to quetsions. Aspiring MSLs often don't understand industry basics and the nuances of the MSL role. Then they ask a question during the interview that reveals a lack of industry knowledge. Or they respond to a question in a way that shows they don't know what they are talking about. This causes a red flag to pop up in the interviewer's mind.

The Fine Line of Asking Questions During Interviews

Knowing what to ask and what not to ask during an interview is challenging, especially for people that have never been an MSL before. A common mistake is asking questions that reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of the MSL role. Doing this will make it look like you haven't done your homework. Avoid questions that could easily be answered with a Google search. An example would be asking what a KOL is during an interview. You do this and the hiring manager is not going to be impressed.

On the flip side, there are absolutely questions an aspiring MSL should be asking during an interview that will illustrate that they really get the MSL role. But without actually being an MSL before, how can an aspiring MSL know what those questions are? Tricky tricky!

How Expert Help Can Make a Difference

This is what impressed me so much about the Aspire MSL Program weekly calls. Aspiring MSLs get access to experts who help them learn these nuances and crush their interviews. Folks in the program share interview questions that they received, which is incredibly valuable. On top of that they get personalized feedback on how to handle questions.

Crushing MSL interviews is way more than just during Google research and individual prep, it requires expert guidance and advice. MSL roles are crazy competitive! Everyone is starting from a different level of understanding and needs help to learn the nuances. This increases the chances of landing one of those coveted positions!

Conclusions: How Aspiring MSL Mess Up Their Interviews

Asking the right questions in an interview not only shows that you are well-prepared but also highlights your understanding of the MSL role. Conversely, how you respond to questions can raise red flags for interviewers and highlight a lack of experience. But all is not lost! Getting help from experts in the industry, like Tom and Sarah, can be what gets you across the finish line and land your dream MSL job.

Nail Your MSL Interviews

Don’t let your inexperience come through in your MSL interviews. Enroll in the Aspire MSL program and take advantage of our weekly office hours to get the expert guidance you need. Sign up now and start your journey towards becoming an MSL!