20 Crucial Steps to Take If You Get Laid Off as a Medical Science Liaison
Sarah Snyder
Medical Affairs Recruiter & MSL Trainer | PharmD | Former Medical Science Liaison
The Conference Call...
You just got off the company-call announcing your MSL team is being downsized, or worse yet, completely eliminated.
Maybe you were expecting it. Maybe it came out of nowhere. Your hands are shaking as you get off the phone. Now what?
It sounds so simple, but take a deep breath. It’s totally normal to be overwhelmed with emotion. Stepping outside to gather some fresh air is paramount right now.
You are going to want to gossip and commiserate with your co-workers and have a pity party. That’s ok. Do it if you need to, but keep it short- spend a day binging Netflix or just under the covers, and then get yourself up ready to go!
This is a super stressful time BUT you’ve got to move forward anyway and build confidence along the journey.
Here are 20 specific things to do if you get laid off from your MSL position.
1.????Adopt the mantra,
This didn’t happen TO me.
This happened FOR me.
It really does change everything if you change your mindset. You may even want to put this or another motivational quote as your cell phone wallpaper as a continuous cue to remain positive.
2.????Remind yourself that getting laid off is a business-driven decision that has NOTHING to do with your performance.
Read it again. It’s not about YOU. It’s about them. It’s purely business.
3.????Explain to your family the high risk, high reward associated with drug development.
Memorize this stat-
Over 90% of drugs fail in clinical development- it takes 10-15 years to develop a drug (and an estimated 1-2 billion dollars).
Sometimes the hardest people to explain the layoff to are family and friends- having this stat in your mind helps prevent the rambling justification you might do instead.
4.????Do things you normally don’t have time for.
Go hiking. Organize your kitchen. Call your grandparents. Start a garden. Whatever that passion project you’ve always wanted to do but never had time for is, just do it!
5.????Stop thinking about what you could have done to prevent this from happening.
You made the best career decision you could have at the time. Look forward, not backward. It’s a perfect time to make a list of the things you LOVED about your current role to better help you define what’s coming next.
Now that your mindset is in the right place, it’s time to take action. When you get laid off, you may feel like things are out of your control.
You are right. You couldn’t control getting laid off. BUT taking action can make you feel back in the driver’s seat in control of your life.
6.????Change your LinkedIn to “Open to Work” and ensure you have accurate contact information listed.
This is an easy step to do when you aren’t quite ready to edit your About Section on LinkedIn or revamp your resume. We’ll get to that later.
7.????Reach out to previous colleagues and your network and let them know you are open to new opportunities.
People love helping others.
Don’t avoid asking for help! You would want to help them if they were in your shoes.
8.????Find out what date your benefits end.
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9.????Take time to figure out your 401k. Specifically-
10.?Ask your manager if he or she is willing to serve as a reference for you.
Whether in form of a written letter or as a personal reference you can provide upon request, just ask your leadership if they feel comfortable supporting you in your next steps with a positive recommendation.
11.?Figure out if your employer will pay you for unused PTO. In some states, this is required.
Often, the knee-jerk reaction after getting laid off is the desire to take a week of PTO. Think wisely about this if they are offering to pay your time off out.
12.?Evaluate what happens with any vested or unvested stock options.
This may be another topic to get advice from a financial advisor on. Gather up any passwords you need.
13.?Make sure to complete your expense reports promptly and ensure your company credit card is at a zero balance.
Expense reports are never fun, but in this case, being organized and timely will save you headaches later.
14.?Determine when your company car is going to be picked up.
15.?Get your contacts off your business phone.
Most likely, you have some colleagues you want to keep in touch with who are only on your business phone. Transfer them over (plus any photos and videos before you have to turn in your equipment).
16.?If you are receiving a severance package, have a trusted attorney review it.
Ask these questions early on to find clarify and focus.
17.?Find out if your company is offering any outplacement services.
In some cases, you may receive assistance with your resume or CV and specific job-hunting coaching. You may not think you need it, but if it’s provided, it can’t hurt to see what’s offered.
18.?Make a list of the accomplishments from your current role.
Really think about how you made an impact.
Not only will this list boost your confidence, it will also come in handy when you are updating your CV and LinkedIn profile.
19.?Take your CV and any personal documents off of your work laptop.
Do this sooner rather than later just in case they decide to close off you / your team from your accounts.
20.?Update your resume / CV and your LinkedIn profile!
This is HUGELY important. Take ample time on this step and it will pay off immensely.
Grab that list of accomplishments from #18 and get going. If you wish, you can use my CV / LinkedIn Profile Review Checklist to ensure you have all the correct information listed.