How early is too early to contact future employers?

[deleted720339]

Looking for some collective wisdom from SDN.

I'm a PGY3 at a 4 year program and there is one place I really want to work after residency. It is unfortunately in a highly desirable town with only one small private community group/hospital. I do have significant ties to the area (born/raised/med school all on the West coast) but I'm at an East coast residency program. I have a contact at this shop (who I've spoken to and loves it there) but I haven't reached out to the medical director yet who does hiring. My contact is encouraging me to email the director despite being 22 months from graduation.

My question(s): how early is too early to reach out to the #1 place you want to work? Is there potentially any downside to sending something that says "I'm really interested in your shop, just wanted to put myself on your radar" (or is it WAY WAY WAY too early?).

Basically, I'm willing to go all in at some point but want to know when to pull the trigger.

Thanks folks.

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[bizdr]

You very much should reach out now. It's not like other jobs, where you may have to worry about seeming desperate - everyone knows you won't have any trouble getting a great job somewhere. But if this is a small place, they likely have a limited budget, and have to think carefully about hiring decisions. Also, I am sure most places are going to prefer someone who really wants to be there. Just keep it casual right now, because 22 months is still a while away.

 

[namethatsmell]

If your contact is a doc in the group and is telling you to express your interest now then go for it.

The trade off to making your interest known early on is that you'll likely diminish your negotiating power than if you made it known closer a potential start date. Though if it really is a hard group to break into, you may have minimal negotiating power anyway.

Much can change in your life in ~2 years, don't stress on this.

 

[miacomet]

I work in a similar situation to the one you described. DEFINITELY email, and see if you can do a rotation there. We hire people before they graduate, and interest definitely makes a difference. And Name is correct- if it's desirable, you can't negotiate.

 

[deleted547339]

Email now and drop your friends name. Make sure your friend gives the medical director a heads up that the email is coming. The next time you can feasibly be the in the area, see if you can get a cup of coffee with him. You’re early, but not too early. And if it’s that desirable, you may need to be this early.

All that being said, two years is a long time and your interests may change. Also, they may say “man, we’d love to hire you, but what we really need is a doc who can QI our ultrasound/help with admin/ems medical director/whatever” - and if you want it bad enough you could tailor your elective time or do a fellowship (this is assuming you legit have to be there).

 

[hundreddaysoff]

I say go for it. Signed my contract 2y before I finished residency w/ a big CMG. Lots of detractors of early signing on here but it worked out well for me. Loved the extra stipend in residency but even more, loved the guarantee of a good-paying job in a decent city. And you generally lock in your rate when you sign. This acts as a natural hedge in case rates nationally keep declining while you are in residency.

 

[Restart13]

I say go for it. Signed my contract 2y before I finished residency w/ a big CMG. Lots of detractors of early signing on here but it worked out well for me. Loved the extra stipend in residency but even more, loved the guarantee of a good-paying job in a decent city. And you generally lock in your rate when you sign. This acts as a natural hedge in case rates nationally keep declining while you are in residency.

Did you sign in an up and coming urban area (high paying Midwest?) or a highly desirable coastal city?

 

[hundreddaysoff]

Did you sign in an up and coming urban area (high paying Midwest?) or a highly desirable coastal city?

Up and coming city in West TX. My guess is it'd be much harder to get a good contract in a desirable coastal city as a resident, except maybe the SE?

 

[deleted109597]

Up and coming city in West TX. My guess is it'd be much harder to get a good contract in a desirable coastal city as a resident, except maybe the SE?

Up and coming in West Texas? Uh, Midland/Odessa, Amarillo, or Lubbock I guess.
There's no knock to looking early at desirable locations, just be willing to change your mind. We will be in demand for quite awhile in a number of places, I wouldn't sweat it.