Los Angeles Job Market

[Geodont]

Hi All,

Recovering east coast academic looking to migrate west. Having a tough (slow) time breaking into the county and community settings in the LA geographic areas I like. Already licensed in CA.

Have the impression in LA I’m impeded by bureaucracy or some degree of laziness vs just not recruiting.

LA County: Doesn’t seem to post openings but goes through applications in order received until next year?

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[reca]

Also, I’ve grappled with this: Would you be inclined to pursue future opportunities at an institution where a chairperson or executive receives your CV and CC’s a med director to connect with you about open positions and/or to schedule interviews…and that person simply does not respond and won’t reply to follow-up Emails? Screams unprofessional or disorganized to me.

It takes maybe 30 seconds or less to type, “Sorry we have no openings” or “We are not currently interviewing.”

Who was the medical director? Initials TJ? I did moonlighting at Pacific Clinics as a resident and he was super responsive. And, at least when I left a year ago, they had a lot of openings.

 

[hallowmann]

Hi All,

Recovering east coast academic looking to migrate west. Having a tough (slow) time breaking into the county and community settings in the LA geographic areas I like. Already licensed in CA.

Have the impression in LA I’m impeded by bureaucracy or some degree of laziness vs just not recruiting.

Does Pacific Clinics have a good reputation for the Pasadena area? Any alternatives? Pacific: One of their admin higher ups CC’d their med director who simply doesn’t reply. Guessing they aren’t looking.
Central City Clinic: Received an Email inviting me to schedule interviews then ignored follow up to schedule.
LA County: Doesn’t seem to post openings but goes through applications in order received until next year?

You are 100% impeded by bureaucracy. I've been through this recently relocating to southern CA from far away, and its almost impossible to actually get a hold of anyone. I was not looking at LA County, but nearby counties.

I imagine you've already looked at Job Opportunities | WELCOME TO THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - They have a position called "PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST (NON-MEGAFLEX) (VARIOUS SPECIALTIES)", which is essentially a catch-all for all physician specialties including Psychiatry, and they are actively recruiting all of them basically. So you certainly can apply through that, but you might not hear from them for a year by the time it actually goes through the wasteland of HR assuming it doesn't get lost along the way.

In reality, you need to identify behavioral health directors/departmental recruiters/associate directors that are involved in hiring. The best way I have found to do this was through networking. Another option is joining the AACP mailing list (be warned, there will be MANY emails), but you can try to ask about contacts for joining community clinics in LA, and you will likely get a good response. There are also some direct clinics that you can contact. I have no familiarity with any of the clinics you listed, but you can try reaching out to all of them individually.

Good luck, it really is ridiculous, but once you start talking to the people that matter, the process is much smoother.

 

[Geodont]

Who was the medical director? Initials TJ? I did moonlighting at Pacific Clinics as a resident and he was super resp

 

[Geodont]

You are 100% impeded by bureaucracy. I've been through this recently relocating to southern CA from far away, and its almost impossible to actually get a hold of anyone. I was not looking at LA County, but nearby counties.

I imagine you've already looked at Job Opportunities | WELCOME TO THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - They have a position called "PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST (NON-MEGAFLEX) (VARIOUS SPECIALTIES)", which is essentially a catch-all for all physician specialties including Psychiatry, and they are actively recruiting all of them basically. So you certainly can apply through that, but you might not hear from them for a year by the time it actually goes through the wasteland of HR assuming it doesn't get lost along the way.

In reality, you need to identify behavioral health directors/departmental recruiters/associate directors that are involved in hiring. The best way I have found to do this was through networking. Another option is joining the AACP mailing list (be warned, there will be MANY emails), but you can try to ask about contacts for joining community clinics in LA, and you will likely get a good response. There are also some direct clinics that you can contact. I have no familiarity with any of the clinics you listed, but you can try reaching out to all of them individually.

Good luck, it really is ridiculous, but once you start talking to the people that matter, the process is much smoother.

I had heard this advice before…LA County has been the draggiest. One of the replies from social workers handling the applications made it seem like they submitted the file to a “lead psychiatrist” …but…that didn’t move things along any faster (ie “we’ll stay in touch over the NEXT YEAR”). I hope to have accepted a position way before then!

 

[reca]

That’s the one. I’m not suggesting medical directors have to respond to everyone who inquires, but I find this particular case a bit bizarre seeing as someone above him in “rank” CC’d him…after receiving my CV…basically saying, “Let me introduce you to TJ so he can discuss opportunities…” A week passed, no word. A follow up Email to TJ went out and the admin exec…Still no reply. I think it reflects poorly on a potential employer in the grand scheme of things to not take so much as 30 or less secs and close the loop or reply. Notably on the east coast I have no trouble getting quick follow up replies regardless of whether they have openings…and that’s in a more densely saturated market. LA is a different sort of saturation vs sunshine pace.

Huh, strange. I wonder if they've really filled up their spots then. He had reached out himself to our program coordinator asking about residents who wanted to moonlight. I responded to his email and got a response within hours. Things moved really quickly in general. Took about 3 weeks between getting my California license and starting at Pacific Clinics.

 

[hallowmann]

I had heard this advice before…LA County has been the draggiest. One of the replies from social workers handling the applications made it seem like they submitted the file to a “lead psychiatrist” …but…that didn’t move things along any faster (ie “we’ll stay in touch over the NEXT YEAR”). I hope to have accepted a position way before then!

I feel you. I literally talked to the director and HR head for hiring of one county multiple times. Every time, "absolutely we want to talk with you more." A month goes by. Send a follow-up, then "yes we are working on this, you'd be a great asset, we should stay in touch". Another month goes by, another follow-up, another brief reply, "oh yeah, what position were you looking at again" - oh just the one that I sent 6 mos ago and all the details of which are literally in this same email thread. In the end I took it as a sign that they are either not interested or so disorganized that it didn't seem like it would be good anyway. Compare that to another place where I literally talked to 4 psychiatrists in leadership with a month's span, then had an offer in an even shorter time, then met with the med director in person.

There are plenty of jobs that actually are responsive once you talk to the right person, but you'd really think some of these community jobs would be more responsive and actually try to keep people that want to work in community psych. You contact places out here and they're dying just to talk to any doctor willing to work at a CMHC. I don't get it. Maybe its easier when you are physically there.

 

[comp1]

I'm not saying the bureaucracy will be less, but if you're seriously okay with county work...consider the VA!

 

[Geodont]

I'm not saying the bureaucracy will be less, but if you're seriously okay with county work...consider the VA!

Ironically, at this point the VA might be my only option in LA which is non-profit and within a reasonable commute of Monrovia, Pasadena, or Altadena (at least their downtown clinic). Reasonable is 30-40 minutes drive without getting on a freeway (to me). Last I checked though, the VA “filled a bunch of spots” and were only hiring for intensive SMI population management downtown. The VA population is generally not my most preferred.

So far, this is the LA job search experience:

CDCR prison telepsych hub = “just hired a bunch of people” and “can put you on a waitlist or reach out if we do a second round of interviews.” Was shocked to hear this as I assumed they’re always looking!

Pacific Clinics = 1099 pay despite being non profit. Won’t fit the bill for loan my forgiveness program.

LA County = “We may reach out within a year.” Apparently related to a several year hiring freeze. This probably explains why the VA and other places are filling up faster than I anticipated.

Beside the VA, all that’s left within reasonable distance is Twin Towers which is also county, likely slow, and probably exposes one to more jailbird litigation tendencies than CDCR (plus no cell phones on the job).

Anyone know an effective LA recruiter?

🙁

 

[littlefred]

Ironically, at this point the VA might be my only option in LA which is non-profit and within a reasonable commute of Monrovia, Pasadena, or Altadena (at least their downtown clinic). Reasonable is 30-40 minutes drive without getting on a freeway (to me). Last I checked though, the VA “filled a bunch of spots” and were only hiring for SMI population management downtown. The VA population is generally not my preferred.

So far, this is the LA job search experience:

CDCR prison telepsych hub = “just hired a bunch of people” and “can put you on a waitlist or reach out if we do a second round of interviews.” Was shocked to hear this as I assumed they’re always looking!

Pacific Clinics = 1099 pay despite being non profit. Won’t fit the bill for loan my forgiveness program.

LA County = “We may reach out within a year.” Apparently related to a several year hiring freeze. This probably explains why the VA and other places are filling up faster than I anticipated.

Beside the VA, all that’s left within reasonable distance is Twin Towers which is also county, likely slow, and probably exposes one to more jailbird litigation tendencies than CDCR (plus no cell phones on the job).

Anyone know an effective LA recruiter?

🙁

I got an ad the other day of a physician owned practice paying 300 per hour, think it was 1099.
Shoot me a DM if interested.

 

[1edyfirel]

So LA is a weird market to break into, you're not wrong. I worked there for a few years, now headed to the Bay and ppl are much more responsive. (I trained on east coast, so I am also mystified by some of the stuff you mention.) And it's wild to me that county isn't hiring considering the need right now--I applied pre-COVID and they were super-responsive. They also had an amazing student loan forgiveness plan at the time (50k/year up to 250k total) that they got rid after covid.

Another place to look might by UCLA's BHA (behavioral health associates)--psychiatrists are embedded in PCP clinics, and there are UCLA clinics t/out the entirety of LA County. It would meet loan forgiveness criteria. Behavioral Health Associates (BHA): Patient Support, Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Group Psychotherapy - UCLA

Look at the UCLA physician job site--they post openings there. It comes with all the collaborative care annoyances though, but also great UCLA benefits.

Another place to look is Ventura County (depending on where you're living of course).

 

[solitarius]

Why would anybody want to move to the cesspool that California is becoming? I digress.

Any good gig already has a pipeline. I imagine state and local government work is desirable because of benefits, stable income, and the government lifestyle. The public employee unions are a force out there.

 

[Merovinge]

Why would anybody want to move to the cesspool that California is becoming? I digress.

The 5th largest economy in the world that virtually every internationally famous individual chooses to have a house at, running huge budget surpluses is very hurt by your comment. Have you even spent any time in California recently? I'm not sure how anyone goes to San Diego, LA, or the Bay area for vacation and comes away with "cesspool".

 

[calvnandhobbs68]

The 5th largest economy in the world that virtually every internationally famous individual chooses to have a house at, running huge budget surpluses is very hurt by your comment. Have you even spent any time in California recently? I'm not sure how anyone goes to San Diego, LA, or the Bay area for vacation and comes away with "cesspool".

Idk I think I'll stick with paying way less taxes while also not worrying about my house burning down in a wildfire, having to conserve water because of drought conditions every year and breathing in the "unhealthiest air in the country".

‘Vicious cycle’ fuels Southern California air pollution, the worst in the U.S.

New study analyzes the interlocking roles of emissions, warmer temperature and drought.

www.ocregister.com

 

[Merovinge]

Idk I think I'll stick with paying way less taxes while also not worrying about my house burning down in a wildfire, having to conserve water because of drought conditions every year and breathing in the "unhealthiest air in the country".

‘Vicious cycle’ fuels Southern California air pollution, the worst in the U.S.

New study analyzes the interlocking roles of emissions, warmer temperature and drought.

www.ocregister.com

There's clearly pro's and con's to any place one chooses to live. To qualify Cali as a "cesspool" is, objectively, a joke however unless you are a right-wing news source (then it's propaganda). Cali is the hub of innovation and culture of not only the US but the world. It has amazing weather, natural beauty, great schools, etc. There are certainly a lot of cons as well, I live nowhere near Cali, but all the friends and family I have that live there feel the pros outweigh the cons significantly.

 

[SeniorWrangler]

My sympathies — I live in Seattle which was apparently burned to the ground by Antifa in 2020.

 

[WisNeuro]

There's clearly pro's and con's to any place one chooses to live. To qualify Cali as a "cesspool" is, objectively, a joke however unless you are a right-wing news source (then it's propaganda). Cali is the hub of innovation and culture of not only the US but the world. It has amazing weather, natural beauty, great schools, etc. There are certainly a lot of cons as well, I live nowhere near Cali, but all the friends and family I have that live there feel the pros outweigh the cons significantly.

I imagine most of the hate is indicative of preferred news content. We've got a couple walking Newsmax chyrons here. I'm personally not a fan of SoCal, mostly because I don't like sitting in endless traffic and I don't like the vibe. However, if I were to move back to the West Coast, I'd definitely consider Northern Cali closer to the coast. But, we enjoy where we live now. If I had to pick any former residence as a cesspool, it'd definitely be TX. Worst weather, worst infrastructure, and worst people out of any of the places I've lived.

 

[cr7pt]

I hope it's ok to take advantage of this topic to ask another LA Job Market related question... how is it in regards to opportunities if you did fellowship at a top program on the east coast? Currently prepping my app for the upcoming CAP fellowship match and wondering how much harder it'll be if I somehow head back to my alma mater for fellowship even though the ultimate goal would be to settle in SoCal vs just going with a SoCal program

 

[Merovinge]

I hope it's ok to take advantage of this topic to ask another LA Job Market related question... how is it in regards to opportunities if you did fellowship at a top program on the east coast? Currently prepping my app for the upcoming CAP fellowship match and wondering how much harder it'll be if I somehow head back to my alma mater for fellowship even though the ultimate goal would be to settle in SoCal vs just going with a SoCal program

It will be much easier if you have ties to the area through fellowship, if you know that's the plan I would emphasize those locations and talk about it during interviews. In CAP it is definitely doable to get a job without local ties but it will be tougher and you will likely need to take a less desirable job until you've been in the area for a few years.

 

[cr7pt]

It will be much easier if you have ties to the area through fellowship, if you know that's the plan I would emphasize those locations and talk about it during interviews. In CAP it is definitely doable to get a job without local ties but it will be tougher and you will likely need to take a less desirable job until you've been in the area for a few years.

Thank you for the insight, assumption was that brand name had more pull but after looking at the alumni from some fellowships I started to realize at least half stayed in that area, so I'll definitely have to take that into consideration.

 

[Merovinge]

Thank you for the insight, assumption was that brand name had more pull but after looking at the alumni from some fellowships I started to realize at least half stayed in that area, so I'll definitely have to take that into consideration.

Name brand has some pull but local connections absolutely have more. That said, if you have a superior program out East, you will absolutely be able to find work in CAP and this is your only chance at training (I looked into jobs in So Cal around a year ago and definitely had options, didn't move there based on partner's job).

 

[cr7pt]

Name brand has some pull but local connections absolutely have more. That said, if you have a superior program out East, you will absolutely be able to find work in CAP and this is your only chance at training (I looked into jobs in So Cal around a year ago and definitely had options, didn't move there based on partner's job).

I completely agree, especially on the training portion. I think there's only one program in LA that is as good as the one in NE, so we'll see where the pieces fall come interview season.