Any advice on interviewing for the first real job?

[Mrs.Doctor305]

To use a recruiter, or not to use a recruiter? How soon do you start actively searching for jobs? I mean, we do have 11 months of fellowship left, I just don't want to wait to the last minute and rush into anything. Any advice?!

[SuzySunshine]

First question - private practice or academic?

[Mrs.Doctor305]

Academic

[SuzySunshine]

Start now!!! and hopefully he's spent his residency making connections. If you really want to be in a geographic area ask his fellowship mentors and residency mentors to start making contacts for him. Academic jobs take a LONG time to get started, approved, funded, etc. There will always be those that pop up because someone moves on but if that doesn't happen then a position has to be created. Is there a website for bariatric jobs or a professional association?

My DH wanted an academic job in NSG a year ago and we both thought the ground work had been laid, we both thought he had the contacts he needed but in the end there just weren't any skull base NSG jobs last year in academics and the ones that were existent were already filled, usually with residents or fellows from their own training programs. We also made the mistake of putting stake in the rumor that one skull base guy was going to take a job elsewhere and it would cause a domino effect and open several jobs, that also didn't happen.

We had not planned to use a recruiter but there is one recruiter in NSG that gets very good reviews and they found him a job that he loves. There are several things about it that aren't ideal, mainly its PP, but he's happy and we're slowly getting acclimated. Also our hunt was DEAD until Thanksgiving and then bam we had a job, contract, etc. by Christmas. Others on here will tell you that whole process took 6-8 months so you never know but start NOW!

[Mrs.Doctor305]

Oh wow!! Thank you SO SO SO much!!

[moonlight]

Good luck!!! Please keep us posted!

[diggitydot]

Whether to use a recruiter or not seems to be specialty specific. Very few in my dude's field use them.

[migirl]

Obviously every field is different, but DH (academic urology) started the process about 15 months before he finished training and had offers in hand about 8 months before starting on faculty. So, yes, I'd start now!

[migirl]

Oh, and we did not use a recruiter, It doesn't seem very common in DH's field.

[ides]

We weren't looking for an academic job but sort of fell into it. That said we started looking in Sept. Look through trade magazines as they often list jobs, including academic ones in the back. We didn't use a recruiter either. We cold called/emailed, and replied to ads. We also gave his resume to industry reps in the locations we were interested in.

[Curegirl]

Can't provide any tips here but wanted to wish you luck!

[samssugarmomma]

We went the private route ....... so my only advice is to BE PATIENT! SuzySunshine is right - academic jobs seem to take forever!

Just 'cause I'm nosy - Are you looking to more anywhere specific or hoping to stay where you are?

[weeniegeniewife]

Oh, and we did not use a recruiter, It doesn't seem very common in DH's field.

Agreed. DH is a peds uro and he found his own job a year before fellowship ended.

[houseelf]

mis/bariatric seems to be in demand. While I agree with what has been said you probably are in a better position than other subspecialties, although the academic slant lends itself to a few more challenges.

[Deebs]

Don't forget that he is interviewing them as much as they are interviewing him. It needs to be a good fit on both sides! Good luck!