3 Reasons MSL Employers Make Offers Before Holidays

A Perfect Storm of new MSL Team Build-outs and MSL Team Expansions are Underway

Something we hear frequently during this time of the year is “well, I assume this company won’t make me an offer before the holidays anyway.” Many people have previously encountered the “holiday freeze”. The interview process seems to be moving along swiftly, only to be halted by holiday vacations that delay a final interview until after the new year. Maybe we can change your outlook for winter offers with or 3 reasons MSL employers make offers before holidays. 

1. Employers have a greater sense of urgency than you might think.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that there is a lot of hiring going on right now. As I look across the industry, there is a perfect storm of new MSL team build-outs and MSL team expansions going on. Believe me when I say that these hiring managers would love nothing more than to have these jobs filled before the holidays and to have that open headcount out of sight and out of mind as they enjoy their vacation time at the end of the year.

When interviewing slows down, it’s typically because of the availability of the multiple people you would need to meet with during your final in-person interview. You probably know from experience that there are generally several different people that you need to meet with face-to-face before an offer is rolled out. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes just one of those people being out to delay the whole group’s ability to schedule your interview. But if that is not the case, expect the team to try to meet you as soon as possible – before the holidays.

2. Holiday schedules provide more scheduling opportunities for interviews.

Every MSL’s schedule may not be the same, but many field medical affairs professionals know that December can be a slower month out in the field. Fewer appointments and a slower conference schedule can mean more open dates for hiring managers to fly to the home office to conduct interviews. What can seem like a dragged out interview process in November might turn into a lightning-speed interview process in December if the timing aligns right. So have your suits pressed and your presentations ready just in case!

3. Hiring managers may lose their total headcount if positions go unfilled by years end.

This isn’t always the case, but the dark underbelly of the staffing world can sometimes mean reallocating headcount to another team or department if a hiring manager doesn’t get their jobs filled by a certain time frame – and a convenient cutoff for this timeframe is oftentimes the end of the calendar year. This, of course, can lead to an accelerated interview process at the end of the year, just in time for you to get an offer before the holidays.

There are plenty of reasons why your dream employer may still reach out to you to schedule your interview over the next couple of weeks, followed quickly by an offer. Don’t let yourself get caught off-guard if your interviews pick up the pace over the next few weeks! Good luck!