MSL tips: End-of-year review - keeping a happy folder

Most researchers and pharmacist are not bragging about their achievements at all. They are humble and believe there is no need for it, right? That is how you have done it for the last 5-10 years.

Moving into pharma as an MSL you need to start keeping track of all your achievements and positive feedbacks from colleagues and KOLs.

Keeping a “happy” folder (some call it a brag folder, personally sounds too bragging to me) is essential for this process. Because at the end of the year to get your bonus and salary increase, you have to demonstrate what you have done and what impact you have made to the KOLs and the company. Going to your “happy” folder makes it a lot easier. 

What do you put in there?
Simple anything that was positive! From an email from a KOL, that mentions (s)he liked your presentation at the department; to a sales colleague who mentions that your explanation of the complex disease mechanism of action now makes completely sense after (s)he has spoken to you; from the survey done after a company led symposium on medical education. Anything actually.

How to capture verbal compliments?
Very simple, get them on "paper". If a colleague mentions something great about what you have done for them or in the field (i.e. via a KOL who had a positive comment about you), ask them:

"...would you mind putting that in a quick email, just a short few lines about what you heard/experienced, cc your manager and cc my manager on it?".

You have it on paper now and in your happy folder with a date stamp, your bosses see that you work well together across different departments (which they can share with their bosses to make their team look good), and you are bringing value to in/external stakeholders.

Give and thou will receive
And to receive more compliments, you should give out compliments. How easy is it to
send a quick email to your colleague saying:

"Dear Mary, I spoke to Dr Y and she mentioned your latest discussion on the ASCO data read out on the OPUS trial really made here aware that the company's drug is becoming the standard of care in this disease. Great job, she is an important and influential doctor."

Make sure to cc her boss and your boss on the email. 
At the end of the year these quotes will make it so much easier to write down what impact you have made as an MSL.

Do you want to become a master in soft skills? Then join our "MSL & Medical Advisor soft skills" training program.

Join our FREE MSL webinar to learn "How to become an MSL without having any pharma experience" and test yourself if you are suitable for the MSL career.