First Things First

Now’s the time to think about why you are looking for a new job and what type of position would be best for you. Consider your experiences either in your current practice or in training, and what factors you have found either enjoyable or intolerable. If you are unhappy in your present position, identify the reasons for your discontent to hopefully avoid ending up in a similar position in the future.

Evaluate if you would prefer being in a private practice or academic medicine. If private practice, is a small or large practice setting for you? What about single specialty versus multi-specialty practice? Recognize that your definition of the ideal practice opportunity may change over time. By focusing on opportunities most suited to your background or personal preferences, you will be able to streamline the job searching process.

Getting Ready

Start by dusting off your resume or c.v. Make sure it accurately reflects your background and accomplishments. Your c.v. should be up-to-date. Eliminate unnecessary items such as your social security number and marital and family information. Also make sure that you do not list the individuals who have been gracious enough to offer to serve as your professional reverences on your c.v. Instead, state under the References section that references will be provided upon request.

Prepare a short cover letter to accompany your resume. Your cover letter should briefly identify how you located the practice, your background, and that you would like to speak with the practice about the opportunity at their earliest convenience.

Based upon your self-assessment, pursue those job opportunities most suited to your personal situation. Network your contacts, search the Internet for job postings, pore over your professional journals for job postings or contact the practice directly through direct mail. Keep a copy of what you mail to each practice, along with a copy of the job listing.

Recruiters are also a good resource for job hunting, but keep in mind that the recruiter is working for the practice, and not you. Verify up front with a recruiter that you will not be expected to pay anything should you accept a position listed with the recruiter. Before handing your resume over to the recruiter, confirm that the recruiter will only release your resume to a potential practice upon your consent. This is especially important if you are looking to leave a practice, and your practice does not know you are looking for a new position. Imagine the embarrassment if your practice’s competitor receives your resume from a recruiter.

The more resources you can draw upon when looking for a job, the more likely you will yield greater job prospects and a job well suited for you. Don’t sit back and expect that the perfect job will come to you. Most of all, don’t rely on only one job searching resource, whether it is using a recruiter or networking.

Interviewing

Physicians are fortunate in that the interviewing process frequently starts with a phone interview. Just because the first contact seems informal in its approach, don’t underestimate the importance of the phone interview. If you appear distracted or unprepared for the phone interview, you may not be asked to visit the practice for the in-person interview. Schedule your phone interview for a time when you can focus on the interviewer. Prepare in advance a list of questions you wish to ask the interviewer.

After the phone interview, make sure to follow up with a thank you note. If you are interested in pursuing the job opportunity, reaffirm your interest and ask to come out to the practice to meet the physicians in person. If you have ruled the job opportunity completely out based on the phone interview, still send a thank you note thanking the interviewer for their time, but telling them that you have decided to pursue another opportunity at this time.

Preparation Is Key

The in-person interview can be a harrowing experience. Many physicians are not experienced in interviewing, whether as interviewers or interviewees. Extra preparation on your part will make the interviewing process go much smoother.

Research in advance the practice and its physicians. Search online for local news. Most newspapers are searchable via the web and can provide you with extra insight into your potential new community. Review also the potential practice and hospital websites, as well as the websites of the practice and hospital’s competitors.

Anticipate in advance the questions you will likely be asked. If you are already in practice, you will most certainly be asked why you are interested in leaving your current practice. Carefully respond to this question. Regardless of the circumstances leading up to your decision to seek alternate employment, responding negatively or bad-mouthing your former partners or practice will reflect poorly on you.

If your interview commences with the infamous "So, tell me about yourself" question, redirect the interviewer’s question and ask if they would like to know more about your training. Other common questions include asking you what you are looking for in a practice opportunity, where you see yourself in five years, what are your strengths and weaknesses. Think about these questions in advance and how you can answer these questions truthfully while projecting yourself in the best manner possible.

It is just as important that you develop a list of questions you want to ask during the interview. Of course you will ask about call coverage, whether it is equal and how it is rotated, but don’t forget to ask meatier questions such as why is the practice looking to recruit a new physician? Has a physician ever left the practice? How long is the waiting time for a new patient appointment? What qualities does the practice seek in a new physician? Where do the patients of the practice live? How will the practice help you become busy? How will patients be allocated within the practice? All of these questions will help you determine if this practice opportunity is a right match for you.

Avoid at all costs interviewing mistakes. If you are committed to coming to the community for whatever reason, don’t convey this to the practice. Likewise, don’t tell the practice that you are not interviewing anywhere else. Both of these statements reduce your negotiating power with the practice.

Heed also those warning bells that sounded during your interview. If something stood out adversely to you such as a potential personality conflict between you and one of the physicians, consider pursuing other job opportunities that more clearly meet your ideal job criteria.

Last, but not least, if you are a practicing physician changing positions, make sure to read your current employment agreement carefully to see how much notice you are required to give to terminate your employment as well as what post-termination obligations are imposed on you. Follow the notice section in your agreement when resigning from your current position. Where possible, do so in such a manner as to not burn bridges. Remember, your former employer will be required to supply information about you in the future to other prospective employers and other credentialing and licensing bodies. Keep things as civil as possible.

If this is your first job, allow yourself as much time as possible to conduct an effective job search. Start your search at least one year in advance of the termination of your residency or fellowship. If you are already practicing, but looking to make a change, wait for the right position to make your move. Don’t jump at the first opportunity that presents itself just because you are unhappy in your present position. By conducting a thorough job search and preparing for your job interviews, you will likely receive multiple job offers. Compare the offers side by side and determine which opportunity is the best for you.