Preparing for the match

[alotofyarn]

For those of you continuing careers post-match, I was just curious what kind of strategies there were for making the best of situations. I'm in a position where I can probably get a job anywhere we end up, but I'm likely to be without any kind of negotiation power. We moved for my husband's med school, and my employers mostly knew that I was going to take whatever they offered, so I couldn't negotiate at all. I've tried to avoid this with the upcoming match and networking early, but for the most part I haven't actually applied for jobs, since I don't know for sure where we'll be going. We factor in job potentials for me when applying for and ranking residency programs, and I visited a few of the top locations to meet with some potential employers. We're also lucky that we have an early match with urology, but it's still tricky. Anybody else in this position?

[SoonerTexan]

We aren't til next year, but if we don't stay in DFW in going to ask for telecommuting. If they say no, so be it, and I'll either look for another job or stay home with kids and pursue photography and maybe watch other kids. It helps that I wouldn't be devastated if my career ended next year. It was never going to be a life long thing, just a livelihood

[oceanchild]

I was sure that my policy career was dead as soon as we left Washington (which we were definitely doing), so I decided to go to grad school and become a teacher. So I applied to some programs where I thought we might end up. We got our first choice, I got into a program, and I lasted about 3 weeks. Totally knew it was not for me and started from scratch. I can't even begin to tell you how well it worked out - I love my job a lot. But I basically had nothing to go off of in this area, and I am on my second job since moving here. I got really lucky. (I was also able to telework to my old job temporarily while we got settled, which helped with the money.) I was pretty flexible when it came to offers, but I did ask for some things and got them. I'm sure you know this, but I'm amazed by how few people (women in particular) actually ask for the pay and benefits they want. Speak up!

Good luck! I think you'll have plenty of time with the early match.

[MarissaNicole]

The legal field is horrible, I only had work part time for the first two years of residency. It sounds like you are in good shape as far as having connections and options and most importantly you are open minded. The worst part of match is the lack of control or ability to plan!

Wife to PGY3

[alotofyarn]

We aren't til next year, but if we don't stay in DFW in going to ask for telecommuting. If they say no, so be it, and I'll either look for another job or stay home with kids and pursue photography and maybe watch other kids. It helps that I wouldn't be devastated if my career ended next year. It was never going to be a life long thing, just a livelihood

I've been told that if we stay in Texas, I can work remotely. I'm an assistant professor, on path to move into a tenure track position, but I'll be OK if I don't go that route because we'r moving around for his career and we want to have kids. I don't think I'll enjoy working remotely, but at least it's nice to have it as an option.

[alotofyarn]

I was sure that my policy career was dead as soon as we left Washington (which we were definitely doing), so I decided to go to grad school and become a teacher. So I applied to some programs where I thought we might end up. We got our first choice, I got into a program, and I lasted about 3 weeks. Totally knew it was not for me and started from scratch. I can't even begin to tell you how well it worked out - I love my job a lot. But I basically had nothing to go off of in this area, and I am on my second job since moving here. I got really lucky. (I was also able to telework to my old job temporarily while we got settled, which helped with the money.) I was pretty flexible when it came to offers, but I did ask for some things and got them. I'm sure you know this, but I'm amazed by how few people (women in particular) actually ask for the pay and benefits they want. Speak up!

Good luck! I think you'll have plenty of time with the early match.

Thanks! I asked for a higher rate when I was a postdoc and did get that, but I was highly unsuccessful when I asked for more in my faculty position. A lot of that was due to the budget and atmosphere at the time - I was lucky to have a job at all, because they had recently laid off several faculty. I tried to negotiate as much as I could, asking for guarantees for promotion, other money, etc. when the request for an increased salary got turned down, but the person I had to negotiate with wouldn't budge at all. It's worked out fine, and despite the less than ideal pay, this job has been really great for my long term career, and I don't think you can put a price on that.

[alotofyarn]

The legal field is horrible, I only had work part time for the first two years of residency. It sounds like you are in good shape as far as having connections and options and most importantly you are open minded. The worst part of match is the lack of control or ability to plan!

Wife to PGY3

Less than a month until match though, then I can start planning like crazy!

[oceanchild]

Thanks! I asked for a higher rate when I was a postdoc and did get that, but I was highly unsuccessful when I asked for more in my faculty position. A lot of that was due to the budget and atmosphere at the time - I was lucky to have a job at all, because they had recently laid off several faculty. I tried to negotiate as much as I could, asking for guarantees for promotion, other money, etc. when the request for an increased salary got turned down, but the person I had to negotiate with wouldn't budge at all. It's worked out fine, and despite the less than ideal pay, this job has been really great for my long term career, and I don't think you can put a price on that.

I have heard that academia is awful about stuff like that. (Actually, from what I've heard of academia, I'm impressed you have a job at all, haha. But maybe my friends in PhD programs are all just whiny.)

[MrsK]

The legal field is horrible, I only had work part time for the first two years of residency. It sounds like you are in good shape as far as having connections and options and most importantly you are open minded. The worst part of match is the lack of control or ability to plan!

Wife to PGY3

This. Absolutely. Keep your options open and be prepared for changes. I thought I had it covered when my employer agreed to a telecommuting plan and we matched in a state that allowed admission to the Bar on motion. I never anticipated that it would take 10 months to obtain admission on motion or that my employer would go out of business. My best advise is to be flexible, live modestly, and if it is at all possible try to accumulate some savings for potental rainy days.

[scrub-jay]

I'm in the thick of it. I'm a planner who can't really plan until mid-March. We shall see, all I can do is hope for the best. I am not even close to zen about the process.

[MrsK]

I also want to add that my career factored very heavily when we made our rank list for the Match. (First ranking cities where my firm had offices, then states where I could waive into the Bar, and so on.) In retrospect, we really weighed my career too heavily. Yes, I enjoyed my work, we were relying on my income, and we'd become accustomed to the lifestyle my career afforded for us but at the end of the day, it was just a job. One of many factors that should be considered when creating a rank list. When I think back to some of the hysterical fits I had during the Match and the plans we made on the basis of my career, it seems foolish now.

[GrayMatterWife]

The legal field is horrible. . .

Yep. This. But even so, my career trajectory was basically zero factor on our match list. Neurosurgery is just too difficult a match to risk throwing in non-neurosurgery considerations. I was lucky--it was eight years ago and the legal market was a lot better. I had a great job as an associate at a Big Firm in Dallas. I just refused to move for residency until I either had a good new job or collected a big year-end bonus that I was due. The first happened first, so I moved in September after DH moved for residency that prior June. But I was prepared to stay behind for an extra 6 or 7 months.

[MrsK]

I should clarify, I was having hysterical fits about my career v. the Match because I had just been offered partnership after 9 years of working myself to death at BigLaw and my dh suggested I could find work as a receptionist in a law firm if we matched in an undesirable location. At the time, his suggestion was very offensive to me. Even in light of that, however, knowing what I know now, I think I put a disproportinate emphasis on my career.

[ladymoreta]

I worked in IT, so it was fairly easy to find *something* in our Match city, although I didn't start looking until we moved. I took a big pay cut, though, because I just needed any job at all. Then they had layoffs, and I got a different job that paid about half of that (but it was just temporary because I was going to become a SAHM soon). Ah well, it all worked out, and it will for you, too. I know how hard it is to not stress over Match, so I won't try to tell you not to. We're here for you, however it works out!

[alotofyarn]

I have heard that academia is awful about stuff like that. (Actually, from what I've heard of academia, I'm impressed you have a job at all, haha. But maybe my friends in PhD programs are all just whiny.)

I'm in a really small, unique field in academia, so I think that helps. I am very grateful that I have a job at all though!