How to get the job you want (2022-10-11)

There is a huge difference between getting a job, and getting the job you want. When it comes to your work and your career, you shouldn’t have to settle for second best. You spend most of your waking hours working, so it makes sense to ensure that you are in a role that will make you happy.

But of course this is easier said than done. Most people can send in their CV to apply for a job, but it takes a lot more to apply for – and get – the right one. In fact, it can take a lot more to even just figure out what the right role is to start with! Here are some tips on finding the perfect position:

Work out what you want

You can’t land the perfect job if you don’t even know what the perfect job for you is. So the very first step is to work this out. You already know that you want to be a doctor, you probably even know what area you’d like to specialise in, but there’s still more you need to work out. Such as which hospital or clinic would you like to work in, and which suburb or state would you prefer to live in? Or what colleagues would you like to work with and learn from, and how much money would you like to be earning?

Sometimes, the answers to these questions will only come with experience. For example, if you have no idea which part of Australia you’d like to be working in or what hospital you’d most enjoy, why not try locuming for a while to see if you can find the perfect fit.

Know your market

A doctor looking for work needs to have a solid understanding of the job market within their industry. Understanding the difference between public and private hospitals and what it means to be employed by either, understanding the limitations of your own credentials and where you are able to work as well and also knowing where the jobs are going at the moment. You should get to know the area you want to be living and working in, as well as the hospital you’d like to work for. The best way of doing this would be to locum for a while, so you can ‘try before you buy’ several job options.

Put your hand up

Training a new employee can be a bit of a strain on employers. Training takes time, which is money, so if the employer can hire a person who needs minimal training or guidance they will jump at the opportunity. If you’re locuming somewhere and decide that the hospital or position is the right one for you, then put your hand up to see if you can take the job on a permanent basis. The fact you’ve already been working in that position means you can hit the ground running and won’t have to do any training.

Locum – and make it count

You’ll have noticed that for all points above we have suggested locuming as a way of working out which job is right for you. Locuming really is a great opportunity for those who are unsure where they’d like to settle or which path their career should take.

Aside from the points above, locuming is also a great chance for you to get close with the people in charge of hiring. If you strike up a good rapport with the hiring manager, chances are they will think of you when a position becomes available.

If you are currently locuming in a position that isn’t right for you, talk to your managers or colleagues about what it is that you are looking for – your perfect job – and they will become an extra set of ears for you. If they hear of a great position opening up they can give you a heads up. It pays to have connections that are well-placed for hearing about job openings long before anyone else does. Which leads us to our next point …

Get representation

Whether you are trying to land the perfect locuming job or the perfect permanent position, it really pays to have a great agency on your side. Sign up with an agency like Best Practice Medical so that they can find the best job for you. Have a chat about your requirements and wishes so they will know what to keep a look out for.

An agency will know about so many more jobs that are available than you would be able to find out about by yourself, and they can do the hard work of trawling through them and discarding the ones that don’t match your requirements. By the time an agency sends something through to you, you can be guaranteed it is going to be right up your ally. 

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