Aspiring MSL Challenge: Day 16

Greetings, fellow professionals!

Over the past week, I have been diligently working on a series of assignments from the "Aspiring MSL Challenge" to enhance my professional skills and networking abilities. These assignments ranged from signing up for daily iPhone tips to creating a professional Twitter account, which has been an exciting and challenging journey towards personal and professional growth.

Through these assignments, I have engaged with a diverse range of resources and platforms, such as podcasts, social media channels, and virtual events, which have allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of my industry and the skills required for success. I am excited to share my reflections on what I have learned and how these experiences have impacted my professional development in this post.

Although I have completed over 20 assignments during days 9-16 of the challenge, I will not bore you with the details of each one individually. Instead, I will provide a brief overview of them. These simple tasks have collectively helped me to become a more well-rounded and competent professional. Overall, this experience has been incredibly rewarding, and I look forward to continuing my journey of self-improvement as an MSL.

LinkedIn/Twitter/Clubhouse/Zoom assignments

Over the course of the past week, I've been busy tackling a series of “Aspiring MSL challenge” assignments aimed at sharpening my skills and boosting my professional development. As an aspiring MSL, I know that it's important to stay on top of industry trends, connect with other professionals, and build a solid personal brand. These assignments were designed to help me do just that.

One of the first assignments was to find and join groups related to my industry and areas of interest. With this in mind, I scoured LinkedIn for relevant groups focused on gynecologic oncology and ovarian cancer, as these are my primary areas of interest. I found several active groups that catered to my interests and joined them immediately. It was an amazing experience to connect with like-minded individuals and have the opportunity to engage in discussions on topics that were close to my heart.

Another assignment was to set up a professional Twitter account and start using it to keep track on industry news and connect with other professionals. As a self-proclaimed Twitter novice, this assignment was a bit daunting at first. But I rolled up my sleeves, put in the effort, and started following relevant individuals and organizations, including the FDA, in order to stay up to date on industry news and connect with other professionals in my field.

During my completion of the Clubhouse assignments, I found various interesting rooms, such as MSL TALK Live, Life Science & Biotech, and Breast/ovarian cancer ORg, which provided a great opportunity to connect with other professionals and hear industry insights and updates. These rooms allowed me to actively participate in discussions related to my field, engage with other professionals, and expand my network. Overall, it was a rewarding experience to be part of these Clubhouse rooms, and I look forward to joining more in the future.

Lastly, I worked on improving my virtual communication skills by optimizing my Zoom setup. This included selecting a basic background image, perfecting my lighting, and updating my profile photo with a professional headshot. As someone who's been working from home for a while now, I understand the importance of having a clean and professional virtual setup. By completing this assignment, I'm now more confident in my ability to communicate effectively in virtual settings, whether it's for interviews, meetings, or presentations.

Book/podcasts assignments

In the past week, I took on a handful of book and podcast assignments as part of my professional development challenge. One podcast I listened to was "Negotiating through conflict" on the Healthcare Communication podcast. This episode taught me about five different conflict styles I can use when dealing with colleagues and patients. It was a great reminder that there are various approaches to resolving conflict, and being aware of different styles can lead to more effective communication.

As an aspiring MSL, I am always looking for tips and advice on how to ace interviews. That's why I tuned in to the MSL Talk podcast's recent episode, "13 Common Interview Mistakes Keeping You From Your Next Job." I found their advice about creating a strong first impression within the first 30-60 seconds particularly helpful. Bringing enthusiasm and excitement to an interview can go a long way in making a lasting impression on a potential employer.

To further my understanding of social listening, I also listened to a podcast episode on the Saturday Morning Hustle podcast. This episode focused on the importance of monitoring social media channels for brand or topic mentions. It was eye-opening to learn about the power of social listening and how it can benefit a company or individual.

Lastly, I listened to an audiobook called "Who Not How" about the importance of teamwork in achieving success. This book highlighted the idea that we should focus on finding the right people to work with rather than trying to do everything ourselves. As someone who values collaboration, this book gave me new insights into how to effectively work with others to achieve my goals. Additionally, I read a book titled "Active Listening Techniques" to further develop my communication and interpersonal skills. It provided practical tips on how to actively listen, understand, and respond to others.

Other assignments

To improve my virtual communication skills, I watched a YouTube video called "Virtual Presentation System (6 Steps To AMAZING Virtual Presentations)" and signed up for "The Complete Virtual Presentation Course" by Spencer Waldron on Skillshare. These resources have provided me with useful tips and techniques for presenting effectively in virtual settings, which is especially important given the current climate of remote work. While I have not yet started the course, I plan to do so soon after completing other courses I mentioned in the previous progress report.

Crafting a compelling elevator pitch is crucial for anyone looking to make a positive impression in a short amount of time. As an aspiring MSL, I worked on developing a concise and effective pitch to introduce myself and my skills to potential employers or colleagues. After refining my 90-second pitch, I distilled it down to a 15-second version that is both memorable and impactful. This exercise has helped me to better understand my strengths and how to communicate them in a clear and concise manner:

As a Board-Certified MSL with 12+ years of oncology expertise, I specialize in solid tumor and immuno-oncology. With strong relationships with KOLs and deep understanding of NCCN guidelines, I'm an expert in GYN at the MSL level.

Expressing gratitude and appreciation is important in any workplace, so I took the time to write a thoughtful and well-written thank-you note to a colleague who had been especially helpful or supportive. Since it was also International Women's Day (March 8th), I decided to purchase a single rose to go along with the note to show my appreciation for her hard work and dedication. While at it, I bought a single rose for all of my colleagues since I am the only male in the group, as a small token of appreciation and respect for the wonderful women I have the privilege of working with.

Effective email communication is essential in today's professional world, and I found articles and videos about email strategies helpful. I learned how to manage email overload and use templates to streamline my communication process. Finally, I signed up to receive daily iPhone tips, which has provided me with useful information and shortcuts to improve my productivity on a daily basis.

Last assignments for the second phase

As I approach the end of the second phase of the professional development challenge, I am excited to share my progress and the completion of the final three assignments. One of the tasks was to find a quote that reflects my definition of a team, and I chose one that deeply resonated with me:

"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." - Phil Jackson.

I found this quote to be powerful and true, as it emphasizes the importance of both individual contributions and the collective effort of a team. On that note, the final two assignments of the second phase involved surrounding myself with inspiring individuals and engaging on LinkedIn.

I have recognized the importance of building a network of peers and influential professionals in the pharmaceutical industry and starting today I am actively starting to engage on LinkedIn regularly. By doing so, I hope to create a virtual team that I am proud to be a part of, one that inspires and challenges me to reach new heights in my career. I am confident that this new?approach will help me grow both personally and professionally and I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

I won't be sharing any personal insights today; I'll save those for my final post in the "Aspiring MSL challenge" series.

-Antons