The eMatchPhysicians Blog

Top 5 Tips for Your Physician Job Search

Posted on: Monday, November 17, 2008

Whether you’re a graduating resident, fellow or practicing physician with years of experience, searching for a new physician job can be very daunting.   Despite the slowdown in the economy and the increase in layoffs and unemployment rate for most careers, the demand for jobs in healthcare continues to rise, so competition for physician jobs is at an all-time high in some areas. 

At eMatchPhysicians.com, we are committed to helping physicians find the perfect job opportunity. That’s why we’ve prepared some helpful tips to help you succeed in your physician job search process.     

1. Define your purpose.  What are you looking for in your next physician job?  Some questions to consider are: environment (rural, suburban or urban), practice set-up (group, partnership, employee, etc.), and compensation plan for physician employment. 
2. Preparation.   Stay current on news and trends in the healthcare industry because you want to be as prepared as possible when the right employer calls you.   Practice makes perfect.  Do your homework before interviewing.  Anticipate possible questions concerning physician practice opportunities and write answers for each.  Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.  This statement especially rings true in terms of the site visit. A number of things are involved in making a good first impression. Common sense will tell you that personal presentation is important, but there are other issues involved in presenting your fund of medical knowledge, your personal interests, and how you can make a contribution to the potential employer.  
3. Be Professional.   Exuding professionalism during your physician job search process does matter.   Now is the time to brush up on your phone etiquette skills. Few things are more frustrating for a department head trying to fill a position than a rude doctor. You can be professional while still being friendly to your prospective employer. After all, you want the department head to get the impression you’re glad they called.  Also, don’t forget to create a professionally named email account, if you haven’t already.   JohnLovesDogs@yahoo.com just won’t do.  A simple suggestion is to use your first and last name with an underscore.   Of course, dressing the part for any interviews is essential.  Stick with something traditional like a pants suit.  Power colors like red are best used as an accent; for example, a black shirt with a red tie.  Also, you want to have the general appearance of cleanliness (brushed hair, ironed cloths) given the profession.  The expression “dress for the job you want” applies perfectly here.
4. Keep a positive attitude.  Seek support from friends and family during this challenging time.  It may take months to land your ideal physician job opportunity, but keep your enthusiasm throughout the entire job search process.  If you’re among the few to get chosen for an interview with your ideal employer, bring a positive attitude without being too familiar. This is your opportunity to sell yourself. The difference between bragging and self confidence is enthusiasm.
5. Consider alternatives.  Expand your physician job search to include hospitals and medical centers outside the metropolitan areas.  Consider physician jobs in rural areas or smaller towns that may not have as many qualified candidates applying for the same position as you.  If you are open to a change of scenery or slower paced lifestyle, this may work in your favor.   Another way to get a leg up on your competition is to use alternative methods to find the right physician job opportunity.  Websites, such as eMatchPhysicians.com, offer physicians and hiring organizations with comprehensive matching technology to simplify the physician recruiting process.  Thousands of physician jobs exist nationwide and it is impossible to research every job and speak with every recruiter.  Expand your possibilities and let eMatchPhysians search physician jobs so you don’t have to.  You can spend your time viewing only the best physician jobs for you and your family.  This eliminates the hassle and frustration and allows you to focus on what  matters most - interviews and negotiations.  

If you follow the above tips, and mix in a dash of common sense, you should be able to dazzle potential employers and have a successful physician job search.  Good luck!

Tags: physician job search

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