You are a physician and have finally made it to the point of getting a non-clinical job interview, including an offer on the table. Now what? Here are a few tips to help you with your decision process.
1. Research the financial situation of the company. Do they have new accounts? Are they expanding their staff? If the company is publically traded, this type of information may be readily available, but know what is happening within the division where you will be working.
2. Assess the culture of the company. Describing this is similar to discussing how to decide on a spouse. Did they have you at “hello,” or are you trying to make it work? Is there really a team atmosphere? Does everyone work until 9PM every night? Did you hit it off with your future colleagues and boss?
3. Identify the day-to-day tasks of the job. Do not rely only on a job description. You should request one, but you should also have a sense from speaking with other employees what a typical “day in the life” is like.
4. Be realistic about the value you will provide to the position. Are you suited for one limited aspect of the business (eg, one specific product account that matches your background), or can you provide value across multiple aspects of the company. The latter is best for future job security.
5. Map out the growth potential and career path within the company. Is there even room for growth? What types of positions are possible in the future, and what is a reasonable timeframe for reaching them?
6. Confirm a match with your personal circumstances. Is the money right? Is the geographical situation and/or commute okay? Will the job address what you are looking for in a career change, or are you concerned that you will fall into some of the same undesirable situations?
Congratulations on making it this far in the process. Hopefully these items above will fall into your favor and lead to a promising new job and/or career.
