Job Search Live Ask Me Anything

[Humdinger]

Starting a job search for after residency or fellowship but not sure where to start? Whether you'll start next year or in a few years, come with questions to SDN's Live Job Search Ask Me Anything with PracticeLink.

@PracticeLink Editor and @THager will be answering questions on how to find a job, the steps of the search process, what should your CV look like, what recruiters are looking for, and more. This Live AMA will last for 1 hour on Wednesday, November 15th at 8pm EST.

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[Humdinger]

Question from Social Media:
I’m starting to look for a job. What should my first steps be?

 

[Pes anserine]

Starting a job search for after residency or fellowship but not sure where to start? Whether you'll start next year or in a few years, come with questions to SDN's Live Job Search Ask Me Anything with PracticeLink.

@PracticeLink Editor will be answering questions on how to find a job, the steps of the search process, what should your CV look like, what recruiters are looking for, and more. This Live AMA will last for 1 hour on Wednesday, November 15th at 8pm EST.

---- Can't make it at 8pm? You can begin asking questions now. Want to ask anonymously? PM @Humdinger with questions that can be added during the session. ----

What is the best time frame for starting to job search in your last year of residency? I talked to a recruiter recently who told me I was "late" in my game and most residents have their jobs by October/Nov.

 

[rokshana]

What is the best time frame for starting to job search in your last year of residency? I talked to a recruiter recently who told me I was "late" in my game and most residents have their jobs by October/Nov.

sounds like a crappy recruiter.

 

[Pes anserine]

sounds like a crappy recruiter.

I think he was trying to sell his job hard. I didn't say anything (none of my classmates have jobs either) and I think we are a moderately competent and driven bunch.

 

[Humdinger]

Private Messaged Question:
How does working with a recruiter work? Do I send my resume and they find me jobs?

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

Question from Social Media:
I’m starting to look for a job. What should my first steps be?

Hi there! The very first step is to talk to your spouse/significant other to make sure your expectations for the next few years are aligned. Do you agree on the areas where you'd consider living? Any family you want to be close to? ...And how close do you want to be? Have that conversation 12 to 24 months before you expect to start your first practice. Next, write your CV and establish references. Doing the hard work of aligning your expectations and getting your documents in order BEFORE starting to apply for jobs will save you time and stress in the process.

 

[THager]

Private Messaged Question:
How does working with a recruiter work? Do I send my resume and they find me jobs?
When working with a recruiter you will need to know the difference between an in-house and search firm type of recruiter. An in-house recruiter works for the healthcare organization or the hospital and lives in the community and understands all of the internal needs of the organization. A search firm or agency recruiter is hired as a third party by some organizations to help with recruitment. They get paid high fees to find physicians and are not usually in the community but pass along your CV based on the needs of the organization. So, both recruiters will want a copy of your CV. Both will want to work with you to understand your needs, your family needs, etc. In-house recruiters work to hire physicians who want to stay with the organization, whereas the search firm recruiter just wants to place physicians and collect their fees.

 

[Humdinger]

Social media question:
What are some red flags I should look out for from employers?

 

[THager]

Social media question:
What are some red flags I should look out for from employers?

There are a few things to look for for when you are interviewing. Those can include things like:
1. Communication with you is unprofessional or disrespectful
2. The people there seem unhappy
3. The company has a bad reputation - you can research them
4. Your interviewers cannot define what success in the roll will look like

 

[Humdinger]

Private Messaged Question:
I want to be in a specific rural area but don’t see any job listings in my specialty. Should I just call groups in the area and let them know I’m interested or is that overstepping?

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

What is the best time frame for starting to job search in your last year of residency? I talked to a recruiter recently who told me I was "late" in my game and most residents have their jobs by October/Nov.

Residents should start the job search 12 to 24 months before finishing training. This gives ample time to have the conversations necessary with your spouse, to widen or narrow your parameters based on your initial conversations, and to pivot your path accordingly. Ideally, residents will have a job lined up by December or January of their last year of training to give plenty of time for the contract to be signed and the necessary licensing and credentialing processes to be completed.

 

[Humdinger]

Social Media Question:
How early is too early to start looking?

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

Private Messaged Question:
I want to be in a specific rural area but don’t see any job listings in my specialty. Should I just call groups in the area and let them know I’m interested or is that overstepping?

Go for it! In-house recruiters (recruiters who are employed by the organization for which they're hiring, as opposed to working for a third-party agency) welcome those kinds of calls, especially when they're recruiting for rural areas.

In that call, make sure you communicate why you're interested in the area. If they aren't recruiting your specialty, ask one more important question: "Can you recommend another organization in the area that might be?"

 

[Humdinger]

Private Messaged Question:
Once I have an offer. How long can I wait before telling the employer yes or no? What if I am waiting on multiple offers from multiple places?

 

[Pes anserine]

Residents should start the job search 12 to 24 months before finishing training. This gives ample time to have the conversations necessary with your spouse, to widen or narrow your parameters based on your initial conversations, and to pivot your path accordingly. Ideally, residents will have a job lined up by December or January of their last year of training to give plenty of time for the contract to be signed and the necessary licensing and credentialing processes to be completed.

Seriously? 12-24 months? This seems a little excessive. some residencies are 3 years in length only! i know no one who has gotten a job 12-14months prior to finishing. umm ok.

 

[THager]

Private Messaged Question:
Once I have an offer. How long can I wait before telling the employer yes or no? What if I am waiting on multiple offers from multiple places?

Most job offers have an expiration date. Either the recruiter/employer will outright tell you over the phone or through email, or the offer letter will specify a deadline. If you are waiting on multiple offers, make sure you don't let the one you really want to be offered to someone else. Remember - organizations need to fill their positions and if they have multiple candidates, they may not be able to wait on you.

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

Social Media Question:
How early is too early to start looking?

Most residents start gathering information 12 to 24 months before finishing training, with the goal of accepting a practice opportunity by December/January of their last year.

But as long as you've identified the practice type, scope and geographic location of your target opportunities before reaching out to recruiters, it's never really too early to start your search.

Signing up for new-job alerts in your specialty will give you a sense of the market in the areas in which you're interested, which will help you better identify when a good match appears. And reaching out or responding to recruiters in your target geographic helps build a positive relationship early on, which can be especially important if you're interested in a high-demand location. One way to build these relationships and collect more information is to attend physician job fairs, and speak to recruiters in person!

 

[CaffeinatedSquirrel]

From social media: I know compensation, benefits, RVUs, and hours expected are important to take into account when choosing an employer but what else should I be looking at when making a decision?

 

[THager]

From social media: I know compensation, benefits, RVUs, and hours expected are important to take into account when choosing an employer but what else should I be looking at when making a decision?

One big thing to ask about is malpractice insurance. There are two basic policy forms offered by medical malpractice insurance companies, claims made and occurrence. Occurrence coverage is the most desirable form of coverage, but it is not available in all states. ... This endorsement allows an insured to continue to report claims after the policy is cancelled.

It is important to ask if malpractice is paid by the organization and do they provide tail coverage should you leave the company. Historically “Tail Coverage” is an extended reporting period endorsement, offered by a physician's current malpractice insurance carrier, which allows an insured physician the option to extend coverage after the cancellation or termination of a claims-made policy.

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

Seriously? 12-24 months? This seems a little excessive. some residencies are 3 years in length only! i know no one who has gotten a job 12-14months prior to finishing. umm ok.

That timeframe is recommended for the physician job search because of the time involved in fielding multiple opportunities. There are phone interviews, on-site interviews that may require time to travel to different regions, and then the state licensing and credentialing process. The time for licensing varies from state to state, but can be significant. Starting early gives you options—and the ability to change your plan if you need to. Aim for an accepted offer by December/January so you can begin practicing right out of the gate.

 

[Humdinger]

Social Media Question:
What should I expect in the interview process? Will I typically have a phone interview and then an in person interview?

 

[CaffeinatedSquirrel]

Emailed question:

Is there a benefit to working with a recruiter or should I just apply for jobs on my own?

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

Social Media Question:
What should I expect in the interview process? Will I typically have a phone interview and then an in person interview?

If things go well, you'll have both! Physician recruiters typically start with a phone interview to make sure that your needs and wants align with the opportunity for which they're recruiting. This is a good time to get to know the recruiter and, through good questions, to show that you've done some research on the organization. (Follow up with a thank-you email.) If that phone interview goes well, you may be invited to the organization for an in-person interview, known as a site visit. Usually, the employer will pay for your travel and lodging for your site visit. A site visit usually entails a dinner with your potential colleagues; an all-day interview at the organization; and possibly a community tour with a realtor.

 

[THager]

Emailed question:

Is there a benefit to working with a recruiter or should I just apply for jobs on my own?

Honestly, it depends on if the recruiter is an in-house (one who works for the organization where you search for jobs) or if the recruiter is a search firm/agency recruiter. If you choose to apply on your own, use reputable job boards like PracticeLink to search for jobs so you know the jobs are real. Also, reach out to your physician friends and ask them about where they are working and how they like working there. There is no better way to get a job than from knowing people who already work there and can let you know the culture of the organization.

 

[Humdinger]

Social Media Question:
What are the most important questions I can ask a potential employer?

 

[PracticeLink Editor]

Social Media Question:
What are the most important questions I can ask a potential employer?

* What are the main reasons you're recruiting another physician at this time?
* How large is the group, including physicians and staff?
* How does the call system work?
* How many hospitals would I be responsible for covering?
* If there was a reduction in medical staff, why?
* Would I have the opportunity to speak with anyone who has left the practice?
* What kind of turnover has the staff experienced?
* What's the salary range?
* Is there loan assistance available?
* How it the group regarded by the community?
* What community activities are available that would be of interest to me and my family?
* What's the overall economic stability and housing market like in the area?

 

[Humdinger]

Thank you so much to @PracticeLink Editor and @THager for their help! This Live AMA is now closed.