Career and Life Planning Guidebook for Medical Residents

4. Promptness ofDecision – Dilly-dallying does not inspire popularity or confidence in your interest in a position. In this fast-moving world, those who do not move quickly cannot keep up with the parade. Successful people reach decisions definitely and quickly, however, they can become annoyed and are inconvenienced by others who do not. In general, employers interviewmultiple candidates and candidates interview with multiple employers. Just because you receive an offer doesn’t mean the offer is evergreen. Whether you are presented with a verbal offer, letter of intent, offer letter, sample employment agreement, or executable agreement, the job is NOT secured until there is a fully-executed employment agreement between the employer and physician. This will no doubt create some anxiety whether or not to accept the position. The only remedy is to start the process early, discover your true north, identify the type of position and community you want to practice in, and once you find it, grab it with both hands. As you read through our guidebook, remember to use the tools described in Chapter 8 on Job Searching Chapter to help you find your direction. The most powerful negotiation strategy is: Desired Terms + Compromise or Negotiation of Terms = Signed Agreement by Date 5. Courtesy – The cheapest and most profitable quality in the world is courtesy. It is free, save for the moments it takes to express it. Unfortunately, today it is also scarce, thus more valued when displayed. A candidate who shows appreciation to the in- house physician recruiter by saying, “I’m excited about the opportunity and appreciate you planning my onsite interview, facilitating a community tour, and making my family and I feel welcome.” will go much farther than a candidate who says, “I wish you hadn’t ordered pecans on my salad”. 6. Faith in Infinite Intelligence – Faith in Infinite Intelligence inspires faith in others. Confidence begets confidence. Those who have faith in Infinite Intelligence, faith in themselves, and faith in others inspire others to have faith in them. The mechanism which opens the gate of faith and confidence is desire or motive. There is no other way to open the gate. It is opened by degrees, which are dependent on the intensity of those same motives and desires. Only a burning desire will open the gate to its fullest. Aburning desire is accompanied bydeep emotional feeling. Sheerly, logical motives do not open the gate as widely as those which spring from the heart. Your burning desire to be part of the organization will help nullify your future employer’s financial concerns of potential turnover cost, which can reach $1 million per physician when all recruitment, start-up, and lost revenue costs are factored in (3). 7. A Keen Sense of Justice (Fairness) – Unless you deal justly with others, you cannot cultivate an attractive personality or succeed in your definite major purpose. A keen sense of justice is not merely a tool for gaining material rewards. It enhances every human relationship. It discourages avarice and selfishness and gives you a much better understanding of your rights, privileges, and responsibilities. With it, every aspect of an attractive personality grows stronger. Your goal is to negotiate the best compensation and benefits package possible without jeopardizing the opportunity, and the employer’s goal is to pay fairly to avoid losing a candidate. Successful negotiation creates a win-win outcome for both parties. Candidates who only try to “win” the negotiation set up a win-lose situation. Even if you “win” a higher SECTION III: T MINUS ONE YEAR CAREER AND LIFE PLANNING GUIDEBOOK FOR MEDICAL RESIDENTS 290