Getting my dream job

[marcarste]

I am a senior resident, and I have posted before about my dream job location dilemma. But now my dilemma is even bigger. I have gone to visit my dream location in the last few months, and had an interview at the ED there. However, they actually aren't planning to hire for next year so they only interviewed me because I was there already. But now I'm even more conflicted because not only do I love the location, but the JOB is perfect for me. It sounds like a pretty much ideal situation, according to the things I have read here on SDN. They said they liked me and thought I would be a good fit there (eventually, when they need to hire.)

I offered to work all nights. But it's still a no go. I know that most people would say "Just find a job somewhere else until they do need to hire, and then move there at that point." But I have a wife and 3 kids, and they are so tired of being up-rooted. If possible, I want to be settled for a long time when we move next.

I heard about a job opening 30 miles away from my dream hospital. I found out about it through a recruiting website, however. I have been trying to steer clear of recruiters, for reasons that I have read on SDN, but I'm wondering if I should just go for it and contact them because of my unique circumstances. I could work at that location temporarily until a job becomes available where I really want to be (which they said will most likely be in the next 2 years.... just not quite yet.)

I hear all the time that it is important to hold out for a good job. I don't want to settle. I want to go somewhere that I will be happy and work at a place that will treat me well. I think it says a lot that they aren't hiring, because everyone who works there is very happy there.

I'm also considering the possibility of looking into locum tenen jobs, and moving to my dream location and doing locums work until the job if available. What does doing that entail?

I would love any advice that could be offered! I have multiple job offers in other locations, but I'm not ready to sign on with any of them.

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[Arcan57]

To summarize:

You have a ideal location you want to practice in. You flew in to visit and talked the director at one of the shops into giving you an interview. They said they weren't hiring and had no immediate plans for hiring. You left without a job offer or a firm commitment that the next person the group hires would be you.

DO NOT BASE YOUR FUTURE PLANS ON WORKING AT THAT ED!

If you (and your family) really want to be in that area and are willing to deal with long commutes or you being gone for a week at a time for locums then ok. If you're going to pick up a crap job with a moderately long commute (and make no mistake if they're using recruiters either the location or the job itself sucks) to be in your dream location, that's fine. If you have a job offer in a place you like almost as much that's going to be a good job, strongly consider taking it. While I can understand feeling like you shouldn't settle, the job you want doesn't currently exist for you and working a succession of crap jobs while other people get hired for your DREAM job on the offchance you get hired has a lower QALY than having a stable good job and the ability to be involved in your kids lives.