Job hunt

[sandyworks]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice about job hunting as well. I still have a year or so until the job search becomes reality, but was wondering about two things.

1. My training program is great, but I don't want to stay in the immediate area (or state for that matter). Some of the faculty have contacts outside of this area, but the pickings are slim. How would you go about finding a job if it's outside of your word of mouth's sphere of influence?

2. Now with training almost over, I'd like to start a family and was thinking about taking some time off after fellowship to do so. Is there any way to do this without taking too much of a professional hit? I mean, most people do want to have a family at some point, but there just never seems to be a good time...it seemed like a good idea to avoid the leave while in training, but you don't want to screw your new group by taking family leave as soon as you arrive either...

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[DrBloodmoney]

Yeah, I'm pretty interested in any answers to question #1. It's pretty clear that most 'good' jobs are not advertised and if your sphere of influence is not in your geographic target you have to make some contacts. What's a good way to make that happen?

 

[yaah]

Most big academic programs have attendings with contacts all over the place. Either they trained there or they used to work with someone who now works there, etc. Of course, some faculty won't really do much in order to help you but you'd be surprised at how others will. You just have to ask around. Some people also make contacts and meet people at national meetings.

As far as #2 that is an awkward situation - I would suspect some places wouldn't care and others would. The trick is to find the group that doesn't care without putting them off by seeming like you don't want to work. It is not something you want to surprise people with (like showing up on day one 7 months pregnant) but it's also kind of hard to bring it up (by the way, I'm hoping to get pregnant soon!). But there are some jobs that will let you start later - I know of people who took jobs after fellowship but didn't start actual work for several months.

 

[smallcat]

Question #1: Network, network, network. Ask your attendings, like yaah said. If you're a decent resident, you'd be surprised at the lengths to which some of them will go for you. Talk to people at meetings. Ask them if they know of opportunities.

Question #2: It's never a "good time", so don't wait for a magical break in the cosmos to allow you to start a family. I wouldn't bring it up with people you interview with; even if they're not supposed to hold it against you, some will. Besides, what if you're not able to get pregnant right away (I'm asuming you're a woman)? Awkward situation to have to try to explain to an employer. If you want to take a year off, I'd advise not applying until the end of that off-year and doing some locums or at least keeping up CME during that time. In my (admittedly anecdotal) experience, a year or even two off isn't insurmountable. I took off almost three years after the end of residency. Having said that, I don't think taking maternity/family leave soon upon employment is necessarily a killer, either, depending on the flavor of the practice. We've had four maternity leaves in our practice of 25 over the last 5 years and we just roll with it. Two of those women have since made partner.

 

[Hector]

Looking for a job distant from your training location is more challenging, but networking is still the key. As is often repeated, good jobs are not advertised.

1. Identify all of the relevant pathology groups in the area you are targeting. Be familiar with their scope, the people, the health of the practice, and feedback about how they treat junior partners. Your faculty and alumni connections will help. Sitting on a consult service that gets business from them will also help. It's a huge advantage to being at a nationally recognized training center since the customer base is larger.

2. Gather information from faculty, alumni, friends from medical school, alumni from your medical school's pathology program, etc. Anybody who could shed light on the practice.

3. Make contact. When you are at a meeting, seek them out and introduce yourself politely. When you call about their consultation case, introduce yourself. Keep in touch with them. Ask them what it's like to work for their group and if they are happy. Make them feel like you are uniquely interested in them because of the people, the center, the work, the location, etc. Ask them for advice. Make them feel special. If the target group is in your home town, visit them on your breaks.

4. Reaffirm connections. If the target group has alumni from your program, speak with them and reaffirm the connections. Use any local connections you can get. The group should already know who you are and have heard good things about your from their sources before you apply for the job.

Regarding starting a family, this is a large potentially inflammatory topic. Perhaps referring to the family forum would be better. This is an indelicate topic that is a sore point for many groups.

In my local area, groups have searing memories of being burned by women who start a job and shortly thereafter get pregnant. The groups hired because they really needed the help. When the hire goes on disability, the remaining members struggle and feel betrayed. That is my local experience, but of course we all know it is against the law to discriminate or ask about family goals. But it will inevitably be a factor.

The most ideal scenario that has been pulled off by many of my friends and colleagues: Get pregnant during last year of training. Interview and lock in job early in pregnancy. The job start date is negotiated in advance to allow for 3-6 months break after training ends. Deliver baby right after training ends. Cope with baby as best as you can, resettle the family, get into a good daycare or get a stable nanny. Start work in good standing. Make the group feel like it was worth waiting for you. Have another baby 2-3 years later. In this scenario, babies are never mentioned. A break is negotiated into the contract. Expectations do not get broken.

Good luck.