Full Time Job during Application Cycle?

[Jimsy]

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I recently got an offer for a full time position at my undergrad from which I recently graduated. I'm applying to 30+ schools this cycle and I'm wondering if it's a good idea to take the full time job for the year. Would there be too many time conflicts with secondaries/interviews with a full time job? Has anyone here done this?

 

[Pandaeac]

I recently got an offer for a full time position at my undergrad from which I recently graduated. I'm applying to 30+ schools this cycle and I'm wondering if it's a good idea to take the full time job for the year. Would there be too many time conflicts with secondaries/interviews with a full time job? Has anyone here done this?

I plan to work full time and am applying to 29 schools and know several other people who successfully applied while working full time. My personal preference is to be totally open with my employer about my plans though, so they are aware that I will be taking days off here and there for interviews. Some people might disagree with this approach though, so take all opinions into account. Congrats on the job offer!

 

[Bruits]

I recently got an offer for a full time position at my undergrad from which I recently graduated. I'm applying to 30+ schools this cycle and I'm wondering if it's a good idea to take the full time job for the year. Would there be too many time conflicts with secondaries/interviews with a full time job? Has anyone here done this?

Pretty sure most people work or do full-time volunteering during the app cycle.

 

[milkphlegm]

I will be working full time during the application year. My current employer is really flexible and I kind of make my own hours in a lab, so that makes it really easy. I know many others that have worked full time while applying as well.

 

[A7X]

You're fine. Just manage your time well.

 

[yehhhboiii]

full time positions are great
just make sure that you can get days off for your interviews

 

[survivordo]

As long as they are flexible then go for it. Seems like an academic institution SHOULD be flexible but the last thing you want to do is be having to miss/reschedule interviews because of some intermediary job!

Survivor DO

 

[Jimsy]

I'll just try to pre-write as many secondaries as I can for now and I'll be sure to let the employers know about my situation. I appreciate the feedback guys 🙂 Thanks!

 

[SN12357]

I'll just try to pre-write as many secondaries as I can for now and I'll be sure to let the employers know about my situation. I appreciate the feedback guys 🙂 Thanks!

Yeah, you can do it (many people do, I'm doing it now) but you MUST be upfront with your employer at all points. Especially if you're working in a health care field, don't think of it as something you're just passing through. You can make valuable connections that will last for a long time as long as you're a good employee. Good luck!

 

[Jimsy]

If this job doesn't work out I'll apply for a position as an ER scribe, but it won't be a full time position though.

 

[circulus vitios]

I'm working full time while applying. I fully expect to get fired once interviews start. There's no way they're going to be okay with me taking off time for every interview, even more so if it's a cross-country interview where I have to stay in hotels for a day or two.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Make sure you're keeping up with volunteering as well. You need to make time for both.

 

[circulus vitios]

Make sure you're keeping up with volunteering as well. You need to make time for both.

Or take advantage of AMCAS's new stance of including future activities. On paper, I "plan" on resuming volunteering during my gap year. Of course during interview season, I'll casually mention that it didn't pan out because of my work schedule.

 

[MissCapsaicin]

I recently got an offer for a full time position at my undergrad from which I recently graduated. I'm applying to 30+ schools this cycle and I'm wondering if it's a good idea to take the full time job for the year. Would there be too many time conflicts with secondaries/interviews with a full time job? Has anyone here done this?

Is it just me or is that a LOT of schools? I think travelling for interviews would be the biggest difficulty. I'm doing my masters working full-time in the lab + all my ECs and juggling the interviews (cross fingers) are what will probably be toughest.

 

[yehhhboiii]

well if you're applying to 30 schools, chances are you won't get interview invites from all of them. if you do get a lot, you can pick and choose the ones you like the best

 

[Planes2Doc]

Or take advantage of AMCAS's new stance of including future activities. On paper, I "plan" on resuming volunteering during my gap year. Of course during interview season, I'll casually mention that it didn't pan out because of my work schedule.

Must be nice. There was no such option when I was applying. 🙁

 

[TheShaker]

So how did you guys handle taking time off work? I'm pretty sure I won't be able to... Are employers that flexible?

 

[jeghaber]

Make sure you're keeping up with volunteering as well. You need to make time for both.

So how did you guys handle taking time off work? I'm pretty sure I won't be able to... Are employers that flexible?

For both of the above, I think it depends on the job; I can only speak to research and my own experience, but in general, it seems that research jobs are more both more hours-heavy and more flexible. I'm working in research with 60-70 hour weeks and unpredictable hours that includes weekends, so holding a steady volunteer position would be rather difficult. On the other hand, I expect it will be easier to schedule interviews since the specific days/hours of my work are more flexible (i.e. I can take a weekend and make up for it with a few longer days), depending on the timeline of the project I'd be working on.

 

[Planes2Doc]

So how did you guys handle taking time off work? I'm pretty sure I won't be able to... Are employers that flexible?

If you're working an entry-level clinical job geared toward pre-meds, it's usually not an issue.

Lucky for me, even though I had a "real" job as a non-trad, I interviewed early on at my top choice. I told them at work that it was a family event, and kind of felt bad about it. It's definitely harder with regular employers.

 

[TheShaker]

The job I'm holding is shift based and they're really strict. 🙁

 

[circulus vitios]

The job I'm holding is shift based and they're really strict. 🙁

If you get fired, you get fired. There's no point in dwelling on it.

 

[KinesiologyNerd]

If this job doesn't work out I'll apply for a position as an ER scribe, but it won't be a full time position though.

I did 40hr/wk scribing while applying. Our scheduling was pretty flexible for interviews that I had enough (1+ months) warning. Otherwise, I just traded/dropped. Everyone else is or will be in your shoes, and they'll help you out.

 

[TheShaker]

If you get fired, you get fired. There's no point in dwelling on it.

Well I'm moving away for this job and my family's govt aid is affected by that so it kinda sucks if I get fired but I guess there isn't anything I can do to help the situation.

 

[squat]

You will have a decent amount of time between your interview invite and the day you actually interview. Many schools let you select a date. Those that don't usual give you 3-4 weeks of notice.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Sorry for the bump but i have a similar dilemma. I currently full time at an academic lab but recently interviewed for a bio tech job (i need a higher paying job). I really liked the interview and employees that i met but i did not disclose that i am applying for medical schools this cycle. I was waiting for them to ask me about my future plans but they never did and i forgot to bring it up. I guess i'm scared of bringing up the medical school thing at job interviews because they probably won't consider me if I'm not going to stay for a long time. Even though it's biotech, they said i could pretty much make up my own schedule as long as i get everything done, just like an academic lab, which works for medical school interviews. So if hired, should i tell them right off the bat?


Tl dr:should i tell a potential employer of my medical school plans

 

[avgn]

So if hired, should i tell them right off the bat?

Once your'e hired, you have the leverage. Yes, tell them when you get the offer. It's not good to keep these plans under wraps and surprise them when you need time off. Also most jobs have a "probationary period" of ~90 days where you're not allowed to take paid time off, so make sure you know what the policy is

 

[obscurity111]

delete

 

[Oh_Gee]

Once your'e hired, you have the leverage. Yes, tell them when you get the offer. It's not good to keep these plans under wraps and surprise them when you need time off. Also most jobs have a "probationary period" of ~90 days where you're not allowed to take paid time off, so make sure you know what the policy is

hmm didn't know about that and now i'm worried. well, who knows.maybe they won't even hire me 🙁

Do they absolutely want you to start right away? If you request a late July/early August start date, then you can basically be done with all your secondaries before you start work. And you're still able to work a full year before leaving for med school.

i just have 3 secondaries left so i'm not too worried but i would have to give my current work a 2 week notice of quitting. and if i do end up getting accepted to a school, i would at least a month beforehand to chill

 

[avgn]

hmm didn't know about that and now i'm worried. well, who knows.maybe they won't even hire me 🙁

Yeah I think your worries are a little premature. Wait for the job offer (it if comes, hopefully it does!) and then seek to hash out the details. It sounds like they'll be flexible, but always let the employer know up front so you don't have any surprised pop up when you get IIs

 

[Oh_Gee]

Yeah I think your worries are a little premature. Wait for the job offer (it if comes, hopefully it does!) and then seek to hash out the details. It sounds like they'll be flexible, but always let the employer know up front so you don't have any surprised pop up when you get IIs

just got another II today!

 

[breezy16]

Working FT and my higher ups do not know and I suspect they'd kick me right out if they knew.. Only job in the area that will pay me enough to cut even with traveling.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Working FT and my higher ups do not know and I suspect they'd kick me right out if they knew.. Only job in the area that will pay me enough to cut even with traveling.

what do you mean by "cut"?
and what're you gonna do when you get II's? use vacation time or sick days?
ahhhh i hate lying lol. it's so hard for me to do

 

[breezy16]

Cut-even implies making equal to what I am spending, net=0.
Our vacation and sick days are synonymous... (grr) I have saved up some time since I began so I have used the majority of my vacation for my upcoming IIs.
I'm not lying, just omitting information. Do you share all your plans with employers? Its a bit difference in the corporate world. Get the job done 110% and move on 🙂

 

[Oh_Gee]

Cut-even implies making equal to what I am spending, net=0.
Our vacation and sick days are synonymous... (grr) I have saved up some time since I began so I have used the majority of my vacation for my upcoming IIs.
I'm not lying, just omitting information. Do you share all your plans with employers? Its a bit difference in the corporate world. Get the job done 110% and move on 🙂

the only job i've ever had is my current job in an academic lab and they are pretty understanding of interviews since so many undergrads that come through are pre-med.
i've never had a corporate job so that's why i'm so worried lol

 

[Prairiepalmeri]

I'm working full time as a blackjack dealer at a local casino...I start craps class today. It was entertaining to type "dealer" onto my AMCAS.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

I am working a full time job now as well as a part time teaching job (means I have 13 hours work days sometimes). I am also working on a research project and trying to volunteer. I also had to find a place to move to near my new job at the same time. Maybe there is a reason I have secondaries that I received almost a month ago that I am still working on...

 

[NeuResurgens]

I'll likely be in this same boat next year. I think it's a good idea to work as it'll help reduce the hit you take from application costs, but just make sure your job will be flexible enough for you to go out of town and miss work a few times. Better to not get the job than find out it's inflexible and get fired over applying to medical school.

 

[vantheman]

I will be working as both a medical scribe part time and doing research full time. I applied to 40 schools. I think the key is to make sure your boss is okay with the fact you will have to be out of town for interviews

 

[ChrisMack390]

I'll be working full time, but I work closely with physicians at a cancer center so they will be at least relatively understanding.

 

[Oh_Gee]

Cut-even implies making equal to what I am spending, net=0.
Our vacation and sick days are synonymous... (grr) I have saved up some time since I began so I have used the majority of my vacation for my upcoming IIs.
I'm not lying, just omitting information. Do you share all your plans with employers? Its a bit difference in the corporate world. Get the job done 110% and move on 🙂

oh, i would call that "break even" but it all makes sense now

 

[breezy16]

oh, i would call that "break even" but it all makes sense now

Haha, yes that's what I meant. I mess those phrases up so badly.

 

[futuremdforme]

Working FT and my higher ups do not know and I suspect they'd kick me right out if they knew.. Only job in the area that will pay me enough to cut even with traveling.

No one at my work had any idea. I switched jobs in December last year, after doing most of my MCAT/applications/interviews at the first job. Two weeks ago, I ran into the CEO at a bar. He asked, "So what are you up to?" I told him, "I am moving to X in one week and starting medical school." He was flabbergasted!

For a research job or anything clinical, being able to be honest would be amazing, especially with applying to a lot of jobs. For non-trads in career jobs, that's just not possible though. I arranged all of my interviews for Mondays (where possible) and applied extremely strategically so it wasn't quite so bad as for some people... although every single interview involved applying across the country...