Today, we’re revisiting an old blog post that remains relevant every March.
March Madness in the Physician Job Market
The summer is coming quickly and you may think all the best opportunities are already spoken for, but, as the calendar turns to March you can count on two things within the Physician Job Search world:
1) Major upsets, and the work time wasted analyzing them, in the NCAA’s version of March Madness, and 2) a bevy of previously unavailable opportunities opening to Medical Providers that can begin this calendar year.
Since I have no horse in the NCAA race, I will leave the tourney review to the talking heads on ESPN.
However, having been through many Spring Recruiting Seasons, I do have some insight into the reasons behind the sudden availability of many new opportunities and why I refer to it as March Madness.
For job-seekers that intend to make a move in the summer, which is a very high percentage of all physicians that will move within the calendar year, March and April are likely the biggest decision making months of the year. Summers see the most movement of physicians for a couple of reasons; 1) Graduating Residents and Fellows are starting their careers and 2) Providers with children are seeking to complete their moves in time for their kids to be enrolled in their new school system.
Graduating Residents and Fellows are a highly sought after group of providers, with many options to consider. With that being the case, many will choose to entertain several interviews that meet their desired search parameters. Along the way, they may verbally commit themselves to more than one opportunity. On their journey to secure an opportunity that is seemingly custom made to meet their desires, they may negotiate with several different opportunities at once. When it comes down to making a decision, it is easy to do the math and see there will be several employers still looking to secure providers for slots they had counted on as being filled. Many of these employers with the sudden available opportunities are often times in highly desirable major metros and/or college towns.
Graduating Physicians are not the only candidates who may leave a potential employer twisting in the wind. Practicing physicians (those typically seeking their second or greater, post-training job) tend to be more cautious in making a commitment to a new organization and in many cases, when a current employer makes an enticing counter-offer in a last-ditch attempt to hold onto a known asset, they chose to remain in place (something the Wall Street Journal says you should never do). A change in family needs may also force a practicing physician to remain in their current position, once again leaving an employer holding the bag. Almost all of these physicians will eventually reopen their searches because the original factors that drove their search remain unresolved, but in the meantime their decision opens up another set of previously unadvertised, nationwide opportunities.
If you are prepared to conduct a thorough search and then act decisively when an appropriate position arises, NOW is a great time to be starting a job search; especially if your goal is to be working in a new location between now and year’s end. The old expression, “He who hesitates is lost” is very apropos at this time of year and soon the best positions will be taken, not necessarily by the most qualified for a job, but by those candidates who aggressively pursue the opportunities their search uncovers.
Call now to speak with one of our Physician Placement Specialists. 800-880-2028
The post March Madness in the Physician Job Market appeared first on Curare Job Seeker Blog.
Source: Physicians Recruiting Blog