MD Jobs Search Tips

Most doctors don't find their jobs in the newspaper - the medical profession operates with a high level of confidentiality and inclusivity. People you know in the professional world can often make or break your career, and the finer points of professional etiquette can be essential to your MD job search.

Network among colleagues. Networking is vitally important for the job-seeking physician. You never know when a contact you made at a surgical conference six years ago might need another surgeon for the team, or when a friend from your residency might take over the department you want to join. If you're not good at remembering names, make an effort to become better. Remembering someone's name over a long period of time is essential to networking.

Be careful with the rumor mill. Medical communities are like small towns, where everybody knows everybody else's business. If you're looking for a job, go about it discreetly and tactfully. Don't start trashing your current employer or coworkers as you look for greener pastures. And if you would rather your current employer not know about your job search, make an effort to join a confidential recruitment program in which the names of job-seekers are kept confidential until the later hiring stages.

Be prepared for the phone interview. Given the hectic schedules of doctors and medical institutions, arranging a face-to-face interview may not be possible until the final hiring stages. You should be ready to interview over the phone at a moment's notice, perhaps on a conference call with a group of administrators. And while a phone interview may seem less formal, you should take it very seriously. It may help to prepare for the phone interview just as you would for the in-person interview - studies have shown that your attire dramatically affects how you perform, regardless of where you are. You may also want to practice with a friend or family member beforehand, to iron out your phone interviewing style.