The end of the year traditionally sees an onslaught of “Best of” and “Top Ten” lists, ranging from Top Ten Albums of the Year to the timely “40 Unforgivable Plot Holes in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.'” Personally, my top moments of the year have not involved Taylor Swift’s latest earworm, but have rather been focused on the job hunt. After nearly 10 years of medical school and psychiatric training, come June 2016, I will be graduating from Child and Adolescent (CAP) Psychiatry fellowship and entering the workforce. Over the last year, I have garnered endless advice and guidance on how to approach the daunting job search. In an effort to consolidate my knowledge, and celebrate the end of 2015, I have compiled my own “Best of” list on how to transition from trainee to full-fledged physician. This list, while not exhaustive, is gathered from my own personal experience with the job search, and I hope it can serve as a stepping-stone for landing the job you have worked hard to earn. Top Five Steps for Landing Your Dream Job Step 1: Decide what you want This is the most decevingly simple part of the job search but, in reality, figuring out what you want in a career requires the most work upfront. First, you will need to do plenty of self-reflection and soul searching. I started planning for my first job in the middle of my first year of CAP Fellowship. As a PGY-3, I began receiving e-mails and letters from recruiters offering me job opportunities around the country, so the looming job hunt was always on my mind. I considered where I would want to live and proximity to my family, as well as what I would be happy doing. Second, I had a significant amount of medical school debt and felt the burden of having to pay it off quickly. I deliberated joining the National Health Service Corps, which provides loan forgiveness and scholarships. I researched clinics offering loan forgiveness. I signed up for Income-Based Repayment with the hope of paying off my loans after 10 years of employment with a non-profit organization. Each thought led to another about my future and what I ultimately wanted out of my career. When you begin this process for yourself, I suggest starting with a list of your ideal job in terms of location, salary, research opportunities, available staff, and practice setting. Additional areas to consider would be: inpatient vs. outpatient setting; loan forgiveness; academic vs. community setting; permanent position or short-term work (i.e. locum tenens); using a recruiter; employment opportunities for your significant other. It is unlikely you will land your dream job without negotiating and compromising on some aspects of your list, but you should be aware of where your talents and interests would best be served. Step 2: Update your CV Are you still using your college resume format? If so, you will probably want to update both the content and the format to reflect your transition from eager, idealistic, and well-rounded high school student to highly qualified physician seeking meaningful employment. When I started the job search, I quickly realized my CV, which had barely been updated from when I applied to medical school, did not accurately portray the specialized training I had acquired in adult and child residency, my teaching experience, or my varied research. In order to get a sense of how a professional CV is formatted, I reached out to several colleagues and spent time researching CV layouts before I decided on one that fit my particular interests. Ask your colleagues to share their CV with you in order to get a sense of how to structure yours. Your hospital human resource person can also be very helpful, as they can provide you with your university’s preferred format. Contrary to what you have been taught, you do not have to use only one CV for all your job applications. You may want to have several CVs and tailor each to various positions. For example, if you are considering an academic job, you should make sure to highlight your past research, presentations and publications; a clinical position may be more concerned with your specific training experience or teaching roles. Most importantly, proofread! Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family members outside of the medical profession to look over your CV and take their suggestions seriously. Spelling and grammatical errors, while not indicative of your skills as a physician, appear unprofessional and can unnecessarily hinder your chances of landing a competitive position. Step 3: Talk to people Networking is key to connecting with people and learning about employment opportunities. During the job search, you should make it known that you will be graduating soon and are looking to enter the workforce. Your network, beyond any mailings or advertised positions, is your most important asset in learning about job openings. Often, positions that will soon be vacant are not nationally advertised until internal candidates have had an opportunity to apply. This may be true of your home institution, but you may also hear about these positions from your circle of colleagues. When I began my job hunt, I contacted a group working within New York City’s hospitals about job openings. I told them which locations and settings I might be interested in, and they immediately sent my resume to several area hospitals. At the AACAP conference this past fall, I made sure to browse the Exhibition Hall where several companies, including Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, were eager to discuss opportunities. I was able to schedule an interview with Kaiser soon after the conference. It can also be immensely helpful to meet with your residency or fellowship program director, as they have access to people around the country and often receive emails about job postings. Early in my search, I met with the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at my institution, and told her about my clinical interests, including autism spectrum and psychotic spectrum disorders. She immediately sent out emails to her colleagues working in these areas. As a result, I connected with a program specializing in research and further training on autism spectrum disorders and interviewed in the New York State Hospital System, where they treat children and adolescents with severe psychotic illness. Remember to use your contacts, as they will likely be eager to help you in your job hunt. Utilize recruiters, but do so with the knowledge that they have a vested interest in helping you find a job, and not necessarily your dream job. And always be respectful, as psychiatry is a tight-knit community and you never know who your colleagues will be in the future. Step 4: Apply Now that you have decided upon your non-negotiables, polished your CV, and networked about opportunities, you need to begin the application process. This may include sending out formal applications, drafting cover letters, and cld-calling clinics. Occasionally, the process is as simple as expressing your interest, and the interview an informal phone conversation. Remember, during this process every interaction is important, so never assume you are talking to someone “off the record.” Rather, always present your best self and be mindful that just as you are assessing a position for fit, they are assessing you as a potential colleague. In addition to your institutional contacts, Google.com and Indeed.com are great tools for broadly searching job positions. The NJEM Career Center, the American Psychiatric Association, and American Academy Child and Adolescent Psychiatry job portals are also great resources. Keep a list of all jobs that seem interesting and review their requirements carefully before applying. At the same time, be open-minded and proactive. While some positions state a minimum experience requirement to apply, if you are interested, speak directly with the job poster and ask if they would consider inviting you for an interview. Cast a wide net and don’t get discouraged. Be persistent if you don’t immediately hear back from a potential employer, but don’t pester. You may not score every interview, but psychiatrist are a commodity, and will have plenty of available opportunities. Step 5: Interview The interview can be one of the most daunting experiences of the job search, but it’s also a chance to impress potential employers. Additionally, it’s probably the skill you’re most familiar with, having likely interviewed at numerous programs for residency or fellowship. When first scheduling an interview, clarify whom you will be interviewing with, as some programs screen applicants before offering formal interviews. Some programs request a phone interview before an in-person interview, so you may have to speak with several people before you meet in person. Do your research, not only about the program, but also about your interviewers. Dress professionally. Arrive on time. And be prepared to re-visit clinics or hospitals, especially those you are particularly interested in. Some programs will offer an “informal” dinner invitation after an interview. Be mindful to remain professional and do not over-indulge if alcohol is served. And don’t forget to thank your interviewers for the opportunity to interview them. Kindness, both during the interview and afterwards, is always appreciated. You should use the interview to assess what the program has to offer and judge whether it fits the requirements in Step 1. My first interview was at a city hospital and was advertised as an outpatient position. I came to learn that the hospital was situated within a large hospital system and allowed for both outpatient and inpatient work. Particularly, the inpatient role positioned me with medical students and residents, an ideal arrangement, as I love teaching trainees. Broadly, the benefits were great and the salary competitive. Unfortunately, I would be working primarily with adults. While I was initially uncertain if I wanted to work exclusively with children, I realized during the interview that the position, while promising, would not make full use of my unique training and skills, and I ultimately decided not to pursue the job. After that interview, I targeted my search to positions allowing for both child and adult work. My second interview was with a different city hospital for a half-child/adolescent and half-adult psychiatry position. Unlike the first hospital, this one did not have a dedicated psychiatry residency and I would not be working with residents. On the other hand, I would have an opportunity to expand a growing child outpatient clinic. I left that interview more confused than ever about what I wanted. Nevertheless, I reminded myself that the job search was a process, and my next interview with a dedicated autism spectrum disorders team solidified I wanted to work with children, and helped narrow my search. As previously noted, although I had scheduled interviews with Kaiser in California, I ultimately cancelled them because they would not allow me dedicated time to work with children and adolescents. Interviews are challenging, but each serves as an opportunity to learn about yourself and your career interests. Although part of the job search involves asking others for advice, you are the only person who can decide what will be a good fit for your future. Remind yourself of your success thus far, but remain open-minded to opportunities outside of your requirements or comfort zone. No matter your decision, your first job is unlikely to be your last, but it will undoubtedly set you on an exciting career trajectory. I hope this ‘Top Five’ list provided you with some helpful insight, and I wish you the best of luck on your job-hunt journey! Nina Tioleco, MD Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Columbia and Cornell Universities
AAP Bulletin – December 2015, Page 5 of 7
