Tools and resources for first post-residency job

[Night float]

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Firstly I apologize if this is in the wrong area. I saw some similar posts but none seemed to have much information. I just entered my fourth and final year of my residency and am trying to find useful tools, websites, or books that may assist in the job search. The states I would like to apply are foreign to me so I have very little idea of the practices in the area, openings, salaries, etc. Anything you have used/are using that may be beneficial to another resident would be appreciated.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

Firstly I apologize if this is in the wrong area. I saw some similar posts but none seemed to have much information. I just entered my fourth and final year of my residency and am trying to find useful tools, websites, or books that may assist in the job search. The states I would like to apply are foreign to me so I have very little idea of the practices in the area, openings, salaries, etc. Anything you have used/are using that may be beneficial to another resident would be appreciated.

It would help to know what residency you are doing and what job you're wanting to be able to give any advice...

 

[Night float]

It would help to know what residency you are doing and what job you're wanting to be able to give any advice...

My apologies, I'm finishing my OBGYN residency. Will be looking for generalist positions.

 

[gutonc]

My apologies, I'm finishing my OBGYN residency. Will be looking for generalist positions.

So...what do your faculty mentors say when you ask them? What kinds of jobs have prior residents gone on to? When you contacted them to ask this question, what did they say?

Here's how you do it in general though:
1. Find a geographic location where you want to work.
2. Google "Geographic Location Where I Want To Work OB/GYN"
3. Cold call/email/mail every single group director...if you can't figure out who that is, pick the one who looks the oldest based on their picture on the website.
4. Profit!

 

[itscomplicated]

I didn't want to make a new thread but this was the closest appropriate one - I wanted to ask for opinions about interview follow-up for first post-residency jobs. This may seem like common sense but apparently I'm lacking in that lately.

The specific question: Could it be appropriate to contact the medical director for an employer to ask for interview feedback (if and when you don't get the job)?
Backstory: I recently had an interview for a job that I really want, and I thought it went well overall. The medical director is a "friend of the program" (my residency). Although I hadn't met him personally before, we had a phone interview prior to the official one and he gave me a fair amount of helpful background to prepare for the main interview. The thing is - I know (both from him and my contacts at the employer - as I did multiple rotations during my residency there and several of my clinical references are from there) that their hiring process is long and drawn out. And, although they are hiring more "junior" positions, he actually also is leaving and is interviewing for his replacement.

Obviously, I want to stay on their radar so they know I'm still interested. But, the longer that I'm waiting, the more paranoid I'm getting about certain answers I gave. I did send out a "thank you" and a "please let me know if there are any other questions, clarifications, or additional information you need to make your decision" note to everyone I interviewed with. But, he (the medical director) was really the only physician. And since he gave me pointers beforehand, I think he'd give me some honest feedback about the interview. I don't want to annoy him or look like an insecure idiot (at least while they are still making their decisions). But, do you think it would hurt schedule a follow-up call with him for this feedback? If so, should I wait until I know their decision?

 

[Law2Doc]

It's not typical to ask for interview feedback from employers who say they are not interested.

 

[itscomplicated]

It's not typical to ask for interview feedback from employers who say they are not interested.

Fair enough. When you say it like that (which is accurate), it sounds like a no-brainer. I think my common sense takes a vacation once in awhile.

Just to clarify my original thinking (because I was accused of trolling the last time I asked something this goofy) - I was thinking of the current medical director as somewhat "neutral" because he's an academic, remotely affiliated with my residency program, and leaving the position, whereas the rest of the committee that I interviewed with were largely non-medical administrators (and this is a non-academic position). So, I was thinking of this as more of a "doctor-to-doctor" advice thing, since he coached me a bit before the interview. But, in retrospect, I've never called up any of the places that didn't hire me and ask for pointers, so I guess this situation wouldn't be any different.

 

[shoal]

youll probably get the job. chillax. give it some time. good luck

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

 

[gracie369]

And since he gave me pointers beforehand, I think he'd give me some honest feedback about the interview. I don't want to annoy him or look like an insecure idiot (at least while they are still making their decisions). But, do you think it would hurt schedule a follow-up call with him for this feedback?

Feedback? As in your interview technique and answer responses? Don't you think you should have released the training wheels by now? You don't want to make an insecure, beta male impression if they are thinking about hiring you. If they don't want to hire you then it's their loss. Move on to the next interview. But, no don't schedule a follow up before you hear from them.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

They definitely don't want to deal with betas or arrogant pricks either.
With the job I ended up accepting (and I was entertaining other offers, and probably strung along several groups in the process, oops - I did that because I knew I wouldn't ever end up there in the future and I honestly was interested until this gem of a group close to where I am fell into my lap), I was offered the spot within a matter of 24hrs unofficially and 72hrs officially and I accepted it at that time. The reason I was offered the job was because the office manager was impressed with my demeanor, my answers, my CV, but most importantly that I wasn't one of those needy or demanding newbies that she commonly sees in those seeking jobs straight out of residency. Plus, I wasn't one of those arrogant pricks either. I definitely did not request feedback with any of my interviews. My initial interview I thought went really well, but then I found out through the grapevine they were looking for a female provider but they of course didn't mention that to me. Those same folks wanted me to interview at one of their other practices and I simply said "No, thanks" in my email reply and moved on to my next set of interviews. I have my own sense of pride and I didn't want to work with such a group. I actually felt interviewed out at one point and told 2 groups that things came up and would not be able to interview and thanked them for the opportunity.

You'll do fine, just keep interviewing. You'll get a sense of how much you're wanted and it's a damn good feeling. Don't let the first interview and lack of a job offer put you down.

 

[Crayola227]

when you consider how litigious everything is these days, I wouldn't be surprised if HR said the official word is "we considered you carefully but hired the person most qualified for the job" to any of these sorts of inquiries

take @Doctor4Life1769 for example, in his case it would actually have been illegal discrimination to mention why they looked him over for one spot

it would be nice to have that sort of closure / feedback in life, we all want to know what's what when it comes down to it

if you're turned down, I don't think it would be terrible to ask this person that coached you if there was anything you could improve based on you not getting the job

I agree doing so before a decision is made would be a VERY bad idea

 

[itscomplicated]

For follow-up, I contacted HR as it was getting to be 1 month post-interview. They basically said nothing useful. But, the MD who was leaving responded to my email telling me the status of their hiring (for his position, and a public announcement followed later that week). But, without asking him for the feedback, he offered to meet with me to discuss career options. As I said, he's a "friend" of the program, so it's not like I was going to be hitting up a random, uninvested individual.