In a dilemma regarding JOB vs. INTERVIEWS

[newdude]

So here’s the story (I think I posted this on SDN before but I guess it’s changed now):
I graduated last may and this is my off year.

I was planning to get a job and work until medical school starts but finding a job has been difficult. I started searching for a job in august (because I was planning on retaking the MCAT but decided not to take it) and now I finally found a job, at the end of November. I had been sitting at home with no interviews (no job) until now and now I have to go to few of interviews (and I am suppose to start training for job now). Obviously, I have to postpone it because I have to go to interviews.
Now it’s almost December and so I am assuming I probably have two or three months to work because I was planning to go out of country for vacation before I dedicate all of my time and summers to medicine. Then, I was planning to go to whatever school I get into (hopefully, crossing fingers, and knocking on wood) two or three months before schools starts to do research or participate in some kind of a familiarization program. Since I graduated I figure I can do this and don’t need to take a “break” like most traditional matriculants.
My parents don’t care and they say just stay at home and do nothing (don’t take the job) as long as you need to. They are very cool about it. But when I go to interviews and they ask what I am doing I don’t want to say nothing because that will look bad and will hurt my chances of getting into medical school. Now if I go to the job I will probably need to take days off for 3 to 5 more occasions, which will not be good. Obviously if I need to take days off (because of interviews) and the manager says NO, then of course I quit, but what’s the point of starting a job if I’m going to quit in two to three months.

So what should I do:
A) Start the job and whatever happens, happens.
B) Explain to the interviewer that there’s no point in getting a job now.
C) Explain to the interviewer I’m hoping to come to medical school couple of months early and so decided not to take a job for two months.
D) Or is there another option that I am not aware of, if so PLEASE TELL ME.

Thank you so much for your time and input.

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[Apparition]

Do you have any vacation, sick, personal days at this job? You could ask to use them in advance if they are normally accrued. You could also tell your employer in advance that you need to take off certain days for some other reason (wedding in another state?). They often don't mind if you take them unpaid. If you don't need the money and just need something to say for interviews, you could also volunteer or write a book, or travel, or something. You could learn another language. As long as you show them that you're not just bumming around, I think you're fine.

 

[kkbmd2b]

So here’s the story (I think I posted this on SDN before but I guess it’s changed now):
I graduated last may and this is my off year.

I was planning to get a job and work until medical school starts but finding a job has been difficult. I started searching for a job in august (because I was planning on retaking the MCAT but decided not to take it) and now I finally found a job, at the end of November. I had been sitting at home with no interviews (no job) until now and now I have to go to few of interviews (and I am suppose to start training for job now). Obviously, I have to postpone it because I have to go to interviews.
Now it’s almost December and so I am assuming I probably have two or three months to work because I was planning to go out of country for vacation before I dedicate all of my time and summers to medicine. Then, I was planning to go to whatever school I get into (hopefully, crossing fingers, and knocking on wood) two or three months before schools starts to do research or participate in some kind of a familiarization program. Since I graduated I figure I can do this and don’t need to take a “break” like most traditional matriculants.
My parents don’t care and they say just stay at home and do nothing (don’t take the job) as long as you need to. They are very cool about it. But when I go to interviews and they ask what I am doing I don’t want to say nothing because that will look bad and will hurt my chances of getting into medical school. Now if I go to the job I will probably need to take days off for 3 to 5 more occasions, which will not be good. Obviously if I need to take days off (because of interviews) and the manager says NO, then of course I quit, but what’s the point of starting a job if I’m going to quit in two to three months.

So what should I do:
A) Start the job and whatever happens, happens.
B) Explain to the interviewer that there’s no point in getting a job now.
C) Explain to the interviewer I’m hoping to come to medical school couple of months early and so decided not to take a job for two months.
D) Or is there another option that I am not aware of, if so PLEASE TELL ME.

Thank you so much for your time and input.

Have you told the employer that you're applying to medical school? If so, be straight up and explain the situation. The worst that can happen is that they'll revoke the job offer and since you say you don't need to work, that doesn't sound like a big deal.

Although you don't have to work, you might want to do so--you'll learn from experiences that you can't get anywhere else, even if it's only for a few months.

On the other hand, if you decide not to work, you could always spend your time volunteering. I doubt any medical school would look down on that.

I think the bottom line is that you need to make the most of your time, however you feel that would be best accomplished. Good luck!

 

[riceman04]

Do you have any vacation, sick, personal days at this job? You could ask to use them in advance if they are normally accrued. You could also tell your employer in advance that you need to take off certain days for some other reason (wedding in another state?). They often don't mind if you take them unpaid. If you don't need the money and just need something to say for interviews, you could also volunteer or write a book, or travel, or something. You could learn another language. As long as you show them that you're not just bumming around, I think you're fine.

Normally you have to earn vacation/personal days and it is hard to get away with using sick days for something else.

 

[mdforlife]

I don't think you should start the job where you will stay for a couple of months and will have to miss many days for interviews. You can bs during interviews that you're going abroad to volunteer from let's say feb-may or something like that (since you're planning to go abroad anyway).
+ so what that you won't work. After undergrad and before med school everyone desrves to do what they want to do. This is your last year when you can do what you please with yourself.

 

[ahumdinger]

Have you considered a job that is flexible yet formidable to interviewers? For example, teaching for Kaplan/TPR, tutoring elementary or secondary students, etc. You could also find some volunteering activities.