Looking for a job. Not hearing back from HR.

[heyjack70]

I'm going to finish training in June 2014, and I've applied to 4-5 employed positions, mostly outpatient adult jobs in large health care, or hospital, systems. I have been having minimal return contact from HR. In fact, only one clinic has gotten back to me.

At one clinic, I initially called the HR position on their website the was designated as the psychiatric recruiter, left a voice message inquiring about advertised psych jobs. Didn't hear back. Three weeks later, I emailed a copy of my CV and got a return email about 4 days later and we have been talking about the position. So that has been some progress. The other locations have not contacted me despite both emails and phone calls (leaving voice mail) to HR. Has anyone else run into this? I don't have any problems on my CV. As a physician applying, it seems unprofessional for them to not even send an acknowledgement, even if just to say they're not interested or the position has filled (which it hasn't based on internet advertisements). The HR person I've talked with commented on July 2014 being a long ways out and that they would prefer to fill with someone ASAP; but all the advice I've received is to start looking for a job now, and to ideally have something nailed down by Jan/Feb.

Any advice on this process?

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[TexasPhysician]

Psychiatry and HR are similar in that both are usually understaffed. Add in the fact that HR employees generally have a very laid back attitude. Some would say lazy about some of them. Not all. Also you are right in that most companies want someone to start in about 6 months. Most companies/hospitals require 1-3 months to get credentialed. Add in time to debate contract language and you often have a 3-4 month process. Every month that goes by the company realizes that you are looking elsewhere and may take a different job. Unless it is an institution with multiple openings and historically a difficult time filling, someone 8 months out is a little far away with low chances of taking the job you are inquiring about and that the job still exists 4 months away from starting the credentialing process.

Still it wouldn't hurt for you to start looking at openings to discover your market value in the region. I would continue to call HR daily during working hours to get your answers. Rarely in my limited experience do they actually get back to you in a reasonable time frame. After starting at 1 job, I later found out the HR person waited 1 month to look at the results of my background check to move me to the next step in credentialing. For a whole month it sat in her to-do pile for no obvious reason to me. Expect to badger a lot of people to get anything done quickly at a medical institution.

 

[Shikima]

Having been through a million interviews and such, don't sweat it. I recognize you may want to be in a particular location - but you don't know what will happen in the future. Talk with the other hospitals in a radius of where you'd like to live. Develop relationships with them all. HR people are just the first step for any discussion. You'll develop relationships with division heads, chief's of staff and VPs within organizations as they're the ones to get your credentialling pushed through and for you to start working.

The point to all of this is, it's like dating and will take time to find the right arrangement to engage in a relationship. It takes time as described by the OP.

Pretty frustrating process and recognize that you'll likely leave your first job after 1-2 years.

 

[animas]

Pretty frustrating process and recognize that you'll likely leave your first job after 1-2 years.

why would you leave your first job after a couple of years?

 

[notdeadyet]

why would you leave your first job after a couple of years?

The job you're likely to get out of residency is one that by definition is suitable for anyone even fresh out of residency. You'll likely outgrow it.

 

[whopper]

Heyjack, what geographic location are you in? Most psychiatric institutions are heavily understaffed and are willing to take in anyone.

Don't let that statement make you think you're somehow worse. I've seen hospital HR departments be la-dee-da when it comes to hiring new psychiatrists when in fact the department is salivating for them. I've seen some cases where the HR dept pretty much blew off a psychiatrist looking for a job and when the department head finds out he's fuming cause HR has nothing to lose by not getting the guy. (Typical bureaucracy--the guy that has to do the work has nothing to gain by not doing his job).

Only advice I can give you is find a way to let the department, not the HR department know you're interested, but don't be too eager or intrusive cause this may tick off the department.

Many institutions, as mentioned above, want the new attending to have at least a year's post residency experience. Fellowship could count .

 

[IANKRISBANAWA]

This is mostly happens. I think if you tried to pass more than 2 CVS may be great. But If you pass more than 5, and none of them reply to you for how many days or weeks, I think you should try to move on. And send another CV to other hospitals or whatever you may like. Waiting to your previous won't do any good to you. You maybe just wasting your time waiting for them. There are other opportunities out there. Try your luck to those

 

[IANKRISBANAWA]

But if you wanting to wait for your previous, it is your choice. If you still waiting their reply, you maky also wait. Are you willing to wait? What if it took so long before they respond to you? Would you glad to hear it? It is only you who can answer your questions. Good luck to you buddy.

 

[heyjack70]

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[F0nzie]

January-March is when you are more likely to hear back from HR. But yea I have contacted various county hospitals and never hear back from HR eventhough they're dying for psychiatrists...