Things that Physicians Need to Keep in Mind During their Job Search

Graduating from medical school was intense, but job-hunting requires a whole new level of thinking!

Your knowledge of anatomy is going to serve you well once you get the job. Getting your foot in the door, though, means you have to be aware of the intricacies of interviewing.

From knowing what kind of work is out there to wowing the interview, here is everything you need to keep in mind on your job search.

1. Decide What You Want in the?Job

Before you head out into job boards searching for openings, take some time to figure out what you actually want. There are multiple different business models in the medical field, all of which have different pros and cons.

The crucial aspect to start with is to decide how independent you want to be and how much risk you want to take on. The answer to those questions will narrow down your job search.

If your goal is to do your job and go home at the end of the day without dealing with the problems in the office, you might prefer contracted employment. You’ll have assigned hours every day and on-call hours. But you’ll also get benefits like insurance and paid vacation.

On-demand schedules aren’t for everyone. If you’d like a lot more autonomy and freedom with your schedule, look for positions for independent contractors. You can set your own schedule, but you also are considered a sort of business owner. That means you have to take care of things like taxes and payroll, and you don’t get paid if you don’t work.

2. Find the Job Search Boards in Your?Area

Most medical offices and hospital physician positions don’t offer their openings along the traditional classifieds route. But the job search boards will be different depending on where you live.

The majority of physicians find openings through referrals. That’s hard to do if you’re new to an area, though.

Look online at legitimate job boards for medical openings in your targeted field and location or checked social media sites like LinkedIn. An online presence is going to be important for your career, so creating a profile there is a good idea, anyway.

If you’re just graduating, you can also use the career advisors in your university to point you in the right direction.

3. Get Real With the Pay?Rates

Medical school was expensive, time-consuming, and complex. You deserve to be compensated accordingly because you earned it. But what you expect to be getting paid and what the going rate is for your specialty and the location you’re searching may be two different things.

Before you head into an interview and turn them down because they offer a lower salary than you’d like, get real with the pay rates. You can check sites like Indeed and Glassdoor to see the average pay scale for your position in your area.

If it’s not what you were hoping for, check the surrounding counties. Sometimes, the bump in salary and benefits is worth the extra drive or a move.

4. Brush Up On Your People?Skills

The bedside manner you’re used to when dealing with patients isn’t the same attitude you should take into an interview. While you are the expert in the exam room, you aren’t the authoritative figure in a job hunt.

Brushing up on your people skills may mean just reminding yourself to let the manager take control of the pace of the interviewer. Be polite, but allow them to guide the conversation.

Don’t over-answer questions or give a full background history. You have given them your C.V., so they can get more details from there. You just need to highlight your selling points and show the interviewer that you are personable, presentable, and knowledgeable.

5. Read the Fine Print Before You?Sign

You’re probably going to be expected to sign a contract to seal the deal before starting your new position. It’s a standard operating procedure, but it’s also where many physicians end up with problems later.

Before you sign anything, ask for a copy of the contract to take home and look over. Then, run it by your attorney to make sure there isn’t any fine print waiting to catch you off guard later.

Conclusion

Physicians have the peace of mind of knowing their services will always be in demand. Job hunting along the way until you find the perfect opening can be stressful, though.

Use these tips to help you narrow down exactly what you want in your next position. Making smart choices ahead of time means you’ll no longer land a job you aren’t happy with but are stuck in until your contract ends. You have the knowledge and expertise, now it’s time to find the perfect position to use your skills in!

Originally published at https://www.namasteui.com on August 8, 2020.