Applying for Jobs while waiting for the match

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I'm just curious if anyone has experience or advice on when to start applying for jobs while waiting to here whether you match or not. Especially with how competitive things are now, I don't want to miss out on a good career opportunity and not match with a program. Can you just mention your intentions to apply for the match in a cover letter? Or should I just wait until the Match results?

Applying for jobs while waiting for Match results is a good idea; if this year is anything like last year, there will be a lot of unhappy people on Match Day. However, I wouldn't mention residencies at all in your cover letter. The time to discuss that is if you're asked a direct question about it in the interview.

I just interviewed (on Tuesday) for a hospital pharmacist position at a hospital that is very familiar with me. I volunteered with them in pre-pharm, did an IPPE with them 2 years ago and just completed an APPE with them. The pharmacy supervisor and pharmacy manager both asked me to apply. I have a good feeling a job offer is coming. They said I should know by next Friday. They did not ask me in the interview if I was applying for a residency. If they had asked, I would have told the truth. My new plan is to ask when they need a response to a job offer by (they mentioned in the interview they would give me time to decide). If they give me a date before the match, then I would mention the residency and the match date and ask if I could wait until then to respond. If the date they give me is after the match, I will tell them that I am very interested in the position and will get back to them by the date they give me.

I am not sure if this is the best plan, but it is what I am doing.

Originally Posted by NDPharmer

I just interviewed (on Tuesday) for a hospital pharmacist position at a hospital that is very familiar with me. I volunteered with them in pre-pharm, did an IPPE with them 2 years ago and just completed an APPE with them. The pharmacy supervisor and pharmacy manager both asked me to apply. I have a good feeling a job offer is coming. They said I should know by next Friday. They did not ask me in the interview if I was applying for a residency. If they had asked, I would have told the truth. My new plan is to ask when they need a response to a job offer by (they mentioned in the interview they would give me time to decide). If they give me a date before the match, then I would mention the residency and the match date and ask if I could wait until then to respond. If the date they give me is after the match, I will tell them that I am very interested in the position and will get back to them by the date they give me.

I am not sure if this is the best plan, but it is what I am doing.

if I were you I would take the sure thing. Remember, you are not guaranteed a job after residency and you can always go back and do a residency after working.

Originally Posted by tungsten87

if I were you I would take the sure thing. Remember, you are not guaranteed a job after residency and you can always go back and do a residency after working.

Agreed. In this economy, it is very foolish to turn down a sure thing in favor of a maybe!

It sounds like you like this hospital a lot and they like you. Practice there for 3 years and then pass BCPS. That's equivalent to a residency in many employers' eyes.

It depends on your career goals. If you want to do a residency, then do it. If you are on the fence, then weigh your options.

While you can apply to residency and to jobs, mentioning either or to the person interviewing you can have negative effects. For example, you apply to residency, but also to retail. If you told retail about your residency application, they would just look over you or maybe make offers to other people first.