u/Apart_While481

For context: I am your typical pharmD with a clinical background trying to break into med affairs/an MSL role with zero prior industry experience.

My question is: other than being genuine and authentic, what are your best tips to get a response from someone you are reaching out to on LinkedIn for an informational interview ?

How to make it worth their time ? As we know, people are super busy and tired, and the biggest asset you can ask someone nowadays is their time and attention. Let alone their advice/guidance.

I thought of how to make it worth their time by being specific in my approach and not asking for more than 15 minutes and being flexible with the channel of communication. Do you have any suggestions for what I can offer as a small value exchange?

I am definitely not going to be spamming anyone or asking for a job or sending over my CV right away or things like that. 

One more question: who do you target ? MSLs? Medical directors ? Both ? Who else ?

Thank you to everyone who responds 🙏🏻

As a fresh graduate from UAE university with a master’s degree but barely any experience, how low are my chances of securing an entry level job un the UK, knowing that I will need sponsorship. For context, I am targeting the pharmaceutical industry.

Asking to see if there is anyone who had a similar experience.

Hello

I will be visiting dubai for 4 days at the end of this month and will be staying at a hotel. During my stay I will need a certain item, except that the only website that sells that item doesn’t deliver to my current location outside the UAE and might take up to two weeks to get it delivered to the UAE so I can’t order it while I am there.

I am not sure if there are pick up locations in the UAE that I can put as the delivery adresse.

Any advice on how to handle this ?

I am a PharmD with a clinical experience trying to learn more about medical affairs. Just like everyone says, networking is the name of the game so I tried to reach out to people who I truly admire their journey and seem to have similar backgrounds/interests as mine or within a TA I have extensive experience in.

I know that there are tons of people out there who are like me, and to the people receiving our messages, I might just be one other random person following the trend. The only thing I can do is to be as genuine as possible and ask about their journey as I genuinely want to learn from any advice they might offer. I am not expecting anyone to fall in love with me over a text and offer me a job the next day. I am aware that building relationships takes time and authenticity.

But again I can’t help but think to myself “what’s in it for them if they agree to have a chat with me”, people are BUSY and I am struggling to figure out what I bring to them moreso than what they can bring to me.

I am trying to think of this as a practice of being an MSL.

For context, I don’t live in the US and it’s not culturally appropriate to invite someone for a coffee unless you know them on a personal level or if you have very clear business purposes. If you do that here you might come off as a creep lol. So, Linkedin is my best bet.

Hi everyone, I’m PharmD trying to break into Medical Affairs/MSL, and I’d really appreciate some perspective from people currently working as MSLs or hiring for MSL roles.

I’ve hired a career coach with 15+ years of experience in Medical Affairs to mentor me through the process. I recently came across an MSL position at J&J in Immunology that I was interested in. The job posting did not specify the specific product or indication/therapeutic area within the Immunology portfolio.

I showed my coach the CV I had tailored for the position. I had highlighted my relevant immunology experience, including exposure to IBD and rheumatoid arthritis and the pharmacotherapy used for these conditions.

She pointed out that J&J’s Immunology portfolio also includes dermatology/psoriasis, and I told her that I don’t have dermatology experience and that I wouldn’t apply if the position turned out to be primarily dermatology-focused.

She then told me that I shouldn’t “spray and pray” and that I need to do more research to determine what the role is actually going to cover before deciding whether to apply (she seemed pissed at me as she said that which made feel a bit sad because this is my first time going through this and I am trying my best not to be dsicouraged by all the hurdles). I understand her point, and I agree that I don’t want to randomly apply to every MSL position out there just for the sake of applying.

However, the job posting genuinely didn’t identify the product or indication, so I didn’t have enough information initially to determine whether I was actually a fit.

I subsequently reached out to a few people on Linkedin and was able to establish that the role is supporting Tremfya. Tremfya covers psoriasis/PsA but also has indications in IBD, which is where I have relevant experience.

Now I’m unsure how to approach this.

Would you consider this a legitimate targeted application for someone with my background, despite having no dermatology experience? would the lack of dermatology experience make this too much of a gap even if I have relevant IBD experience?

More broadly, how much therapeutic-area overlap do you think an entry-level MSL candidate realistically needs before applying? Is it reasonable to apply when you have strong experience in one indication within a broader portfolio but not another major indication?

And finally, from the perspective of experienced MSLs/hiring managers: what would make you view this as a thoughtful, targeted application rather than “spray and pray”?

I’m trying to be strategic about my applications rather than applying to everything, so I’d really appreciate honest advice.

Just as the title says, I was wondering if there are any MSLs working in the UAE here ? If so, I would be glad if you briefly share your experience so far. 🙏🏻

What’s a korean cream (or liquid) blush that has the same shade payout as kylie winter kiss ? I have very fair cool toned skin and everything pulls red/orange on me EXCEPT kylie winter kiss and it’s the perfect shade for me, not too reddish nor purplish, it’s just the perfect cool toned light pink for me.

The thing is I have extremely dry skin as well so a cream/liquid blush would make life a lot easier for me instead of being very careful with a powder blush. And overall I just love me a fresh glowy skin.

I tried multiple pink cool toned viral blushed like dior 001, huda beauty…. And somehow they still pull red/orange and I end up looking FLUSHED rather than blushed, OR they’re straight lilac like ube cream for instance.

I have looked up some korean options as well and they either look so pale with so much white content in them or very muted with nudy grayish undertone (I know it is trendy in korea but on me and my features it just makes me look dull or as if I got eyeshadow fallout on my cheeks)

I am moving from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and need advice on where to live.

My budget is around 4-4.5k a month.

I am looking for a quite (but not deserted) area with a good community near downtown. Mainly looking for an unfurnished studio with a modern clean finishing, nothing too fancy. It would be great if it is an area in which I could take walks once the weather gets nicer.

Initially I was interested in Azizi Rivera as it checked most the criteria I had until I did some research and found out about how crappy the building and the management is there.

I would welcome any advice and guidance you might offer.

I am moving from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and need advice on where to live.

My budget is around 4-4.5k a month.

I am looking for a quite (but not deserted) area with a good community near downtown. Mainly looking for an unfurnished studio with a modern clean finishing, nothing too fancy. It would be great if it is an area in which I could take walks once the weather gets nicer.

Initially I was interested in Azizi Rivera as it checked most the criteria I had until I did some research and found out about how crappy the building and the management is there.

I would welcome any advice and guidance you might offer.

Hi everyone,

I’m new to Dubai (currently living in Abu Dhabi) and I’m planning to rent my own studio apartment. My budget is around AED 40,000/year, I can push it to 43k max.

At the moment, I’m considering Azizi Riviera because it seems like a lively, well-connected, and relatively affordable area. If you have other recommendations within my budget, I’d really appreciate them.

I’ve been browsing websites like Bayut, and I have to admit I’m a little confused by some of the listings. They advertise things like “open kitchen,” “bright layout,” “stylish bathroom,” and “premium finishing” as if they’re major features, when they seem like the basics to me. 😅

I’d love some advice from people with experience renting in Dubai:
Is it realistic to look for a studio that is:
- Unfurnished
- Chiller-free
- Includes one free parking space
- Offers multiple cheques (monthly payments would be ideal)

Am I being unrealistic with these expectations for my budget?

I also have a few questions:

- Is it common to find unfurnished studios with bills included, or is that rare?

- If bills are not included, which ones should I expect to pay (DEWA, internet, gas, etc.), and roughly how much do they cost per month for a single person with normal usage?

- If I deal directly with a real estate company (not the landlord) and sign the contract myself (without using a broker), can I avoid paying the brokerage commission?

- What additional costs should I expect besides the annual rent (security deposit, Ejari, agency fees, etc.)?

Are there any common red flags or things I should pay close attention to when viewing apartments or signing a tenancy contract?

Any tips, recommendations, or lessons you’ve learned would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!