Yet another job question

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

BubblesD

New Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi,

I am a resident that just started their third year of residency and am in a position to start looking for a job. I have read the previous post on websites to look at for jobs however it was noted that word of mouth is the best way to find jobs. I hate to ask this but how does one put the word out that they would like to come to that area?

For instance, I am looking for a non-surgical job (although I am surgically trained) that will allow me to do more than just clip and chip. I have a list of states that I would be happy with but none more important than the other. How does one go about getting the word out in each of these sates? Is cold calling doctors and asking about opportunities or if they know anyone in the area that may be looking good? To me that sounds a bit odd. Is there a forum for each state where I can post my basic credentials and desires?

I have talked to my attending on what I would like and where I would be happy going and he is helping me but is there anything else I can do besides look at the websites?

Thank you in advance for any assistance tat you may be able to provide.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Hi,

I am a resident that just started their third year of residency and am in a position to start looking for a job. I have read the previous post on websites to look at for jobs however it was noted that word of mouth is the best way to find jobs. I hate to ask this but how does one put the word out that they would like to come to that area?

For instance, I am looking for a non-surgical job (although I am surgically trained) that will allow me to do more than just clip and chip. I have a list of states that I would be happy with but none more important than the other. How does one go about getting the word out in each of these sates? Is cold calling doctors and asking about opportunities or if they know anyone in the area that may be looking good? To me that sounds a bit odd. Is there a forum for each state where I can post my basic credentials and desires?

I have talked to my attending on what I would like and where I would be happy going and he is helping me but is there anything else I can do besides look at the websites?

Thank you in advance for any assistance tat you may be able to provide.

The Wookie says:

Go to the Quadrant Conference of the locales you wish to join a Kiosk in, and talk to the Masters there.
 
Hi,

I am a resident that just started their third year of residency and am in a position to start looking for a job. I have read the previous post on websites to look at for jobs however it was noted that word of mouth is the best way to find jobs. I hate to ask this but how does one put the word out that they would like to come to that area?

For instance, I am looking for a non-surgical job (although I am surgically trained) that will allow me to do more than just clip and chip. I have a list of states that I would be happy with but none more important than the other. How does one go about getting the word out in each of these sates? Is cold calling doctors and asking about opportunities or if they know anyone in the area that may be looking good? To me that sounds a bit odd. Is there a forum for each state where I can post my basic credentials and desires?

I have talked to my attending on what I would like and where I would be happy going and he is helping me but is there anything else I can do besides look at the websites?

Thank you in advance for any assistance tat you may be able to provide.
What I did was send out my CV and cover letter to basically every podiatry, ortho, and hospital group in the areas I was looking at. I then followed up with a phone call a week or so later. That is how I found my job. I've had friends find success with "head hunters" but they need to understand that you're a DPM and what you're looking for. Last...and definitely least (in my opinion) are the podiatry magazines (APMA listing, etc). I'm sure that some have had success that way but at least when I was looking, there were a lot of very poor offers. Amongst residents, these leads are often considered less reputable but anything can happen. HOWEVER, they also have listings for practices for sale. Depending on what you're looking for, there may be some possibilities there as well.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
If I cold call after sending in my resume isn't that seen as odd / awkward? I just don't want to do something that is a faux pas. Also, I like the conference idea I didn't think about that but potentially I can bring CVs with me to the ACFAS conference in March and meet doctors in my desired area and hand out resumes.
 
What I did was send out my CV and cover letter to basically every podiatry, ortho, and hospital group in the areas I was looking at. I then followed up with a phone call a week or so later. That is how I found my job. I've had friends find success with "head hunters" but they need to understand that you're a DPM and what you're looking for. Last...and definitely least (in my opinion) are the podiatry magazines (APMA listing, etc). I'm sure that some have had success that way but at least when I was looking, there were a lot of very poor offers. Amongst residents, these leads are often considered less reputable but anything can happen. HOWEVER, they also have listings for practices for sale. Depending on what you're looking for, there may be some possibilities there as well.

The Wookie says,

This is very good advice, however unless I'm actively looking for a Young Jedi to help, all of these end up in the Galactic Waste Disposal Unit. ALL of them. I find many of my colleagues tell me the same. That being said, it certainly can not hurt your chances.

Be mindful of those who find you. There are Sith Masters EVERYWHERE.
 
If I cold call after sending in my resume isn't that seen as odd / awkward? I just don't want to do something that is a faux pas. Also, I like the conference idea I didn't think about that but potentially I can bring CVs with me to the ACFAS conference in March and meet doctors in my desired area and hand out resumes.
No because you shouldn't ask to talk with the Doctor. You should call and ask to speak with the office manager or person in charge of hiring. Generally the office manager won't be able to talk right then so the staff will take a message. If they are looking, you will hear back. If they aren't you probably won't (like Wookie said). I should mention that I sent my CV via email and not "snail mail". I heard back from a podiatry group and ortho group. I interviewed with both and ended up signing with the podiatry group. I did hear back and speak with a couple other opportunities that didn't pan out.
 
What I did was send out my CV and cover letter to basically every podiatry, ortho, and hospital group in the areas I was looking at. I then followed up with a phone call a week or so later. That is how I found my job. I've had friends find success with "head hunters" but they need to understand that you're a DPM and what you're looking for. Last...and definitely least (in my opinion) are the podiatry magazines (APMA listing, etc). I'm sure that some have had success that way but at least when I was looking, there were a lot of very poor offers. Amongst residents, these leads are often considered less reputable but anything can happen. HOWEVER, they also have listings for practices for sale. Depending on what you're looking for, there may be some possibilities there as well.
This is the way to go... very good advice.

As for websites, some listings are:
www.podiatrycareers.org
http://www.apma.org/yourpractice/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1361&navItemNumber=3350
www.podiatryexchange.org
www.aofas.org

Those online posts are the jobs nearly everyone knows about, though. In the end, the best jobs are never usually advertised. I went even a little softer than jonwill did since I started very early: I just emailed (and then f/u called) practices in the areas I wanted to go, told them I was planning to practice in the area after residency, and I asked if I could shadow and check out the practice. As was mentioned, the office manager is your contact person (or the physician recruiter if you're contacting hospitals). She will dictate if/when you get into contact with the docs. Yes, there was the obvious undertone that I was in the hunt for a job when a DPM resident from out of state wants to shadow and says he's coming to the area, but I did also just want to check out as many practices in the area as possible when I made my trips. I got some great experiences and did a lot of day or half day shadowing in the office and some business lunches and dinners with the docs. I wrote thank you notes to all of them and stayed in touch with the office managers at the ones whose practice philosophies seemed to gel with mine, where I saw good opportunity. Some made offers, some just helped me learn about the area and told me they weren't hiring but may be in the future.

I also did a hospital employee job interview, and once I decided I was going to stay in Michigan, I talked informally with a couple DPM attendings who had successful groups, a local ortho doc, and a local vascular doc from my residency hospital about potentially working with their groups to expand their practice's offerings. The hospitals will usually finance most/all of your travel and expenses, and the DPM or MD private offices will sometimes offer you at least some funding to help offset costs. It gets expensive, but it's money very very very (add 10 more) well spent. Another good source of info is trusted young attendings and senior residents who already have a job... if they're smart, they created many good options, and some of those will still be available a year or more later... or the practice may even be ready to hire another.

My best advice would be to not even think about just going for an interview and then taking a job position if the $ is good and the interviewers seem nice, and the 5min office walk through looked ok. That is just like taking a residency slot with not so much as a day visit. You want to shadow the doc (preferrably most/all of the different partners) at any office you are seriously considering. That means seeing how they treat patients, meeting most of the staff, seeing how they document and how the EMR, office flow, etc works. Very critical if you value your job satisfaction and want insight into the goals and values of the guys you are going to be working for/with IMO. :thumbup:
 
Last edited:
This is the way to go... very good advice.

As for websites, some listings are:
www.podiatrycareers.org
http://www.apma.org/yourpractice/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1361&navItemNumber=3350
www.podiatryexchange.org
www.aofas.org

Those online posts are the jobs nearly everyone knows about, though. In the end, the best jobs are never usually advertised. I went even a little softer than jonwill did since I started very early: I just emailed (and then f/u called) practices in the areas I wanted to go, told them I was planning to practice in the area after residency, and I asked if I could shadow and check out the practice. As was mentioned, the office manager is your contact person (or the physician recruiter if you're contacting hospitals). She will dictate if/when you get into contact with the docs. Yes, there was the obvious undertone that I was in the hunt for a job when a DPM resident from out of state wants to shadow and says he's coming to the area, but I did also just want to check out as many practices in the area as possible when I made my trips. I got some great experiences and did a lot of day or half day shadowing in the office and some business lunches and dinners with the docs. I wrote thank you notes to all of them and stayed in touch with the office managers at the ones whose practice philosophies seemed to gel with mine, where I saw good opportunity. Some made offers, some just helped me learn about the area and told me they weren't hiring but may be in the future.

I also did a hospital employee job interview, and once I decided I was going to stay in Michigan, I talked informally with a couple DPM attendings who had successful groups, a local ortho doc, and a local vascular doc from my residency hospital about potentially working with their groups to expand their practice's offerings. The hospitals will usually finance most/all of your travel and expenses, and the DPM or MD private offices will sometimes offer you at least some funding to help offset costs. It gets expensive, but it's money very very very (add 10 more) well spent. Another good source of info is trusted young attendings and senior residents who already have a job... if they're smart, they created many good options, and some of those will still be available a year or more later... or the practice may even be ready to hire another.

My best advice would be to not even think about just going for an interview and then taking a job position if the $ is good and the interviewers seem nice, and the 5min office walk through looked ok. That is just like taking a residency slot with not so much as a day visit. You want to shadow the doc (preferrably most/all of the different partners) at any office you are seriously considering. That means seeing how they treat patients, meeting most of the staff, seeing how they document and how the EMR, office flow, etc works. Very critical if you value your job satisfaction and want insight into the goals and values of the guys you are going to be working for/with IMO. :thumbup:

I've said it before........you are wise beyond your years. Excellent post.
 
Top