Shadowing
Have you received a job offer but you just aren't sure you
are ready to accept? Maybe you feel a little rushed, maybe you didn't get all
your questions answered. This happens more often than you think.
I always tell job seekers that getting a job offer is a bit
like receiving a marriage proposal. It's very flattering to know that you are
wanted. But sometimes we can find ourselves so overwhelmed by the notion that
someone truly desires us that we forget to consider whether the feeling is mutual.
And like a marriage, committing to a new job is big step and
shouldn't be left to one's emotions, because once done, it's not easy to undo.
It's one of life's ironies (or jokes) that getting out of a bad relationship
can be much more complicated than entering into one. I am asked by clinicians
more often than you might imagine for advice about how they can end their
employment. (We will leave that topic for another blog!)
So for those of you looking to begin a new job and to avoid
a messy divorce I recommend you consider a longer engagement. Before you think
I have completely gone off the rails let me explain.
Ask for a "shadow" day. This has become more and more common
in recent years. Requesting to spend a shift or two with one of their current
providers, "shadowing" is a good way for both parties to get to know each other
better.
As a clinician, you will get a clearer idea of not only the
job duties and patient flow but also the personality of the practice. Remember,
an interview lasts usually no more than an hour and it's relatively easy for everyone
to be on their best behavior. It's a little harder to hide dysfunction for an
entire day. If there is an undercurrent of tension or disorganization you are
going to pick up on it.
So what's in it for the employer? A good fit, that's what employers
get out of the shadow. Employers are just as eager to find an employee who fits
in with their practice culture as you are to find a practice that fits you. A
happy employee is a long term employee. As
I have said many times before, clinicians rarely leave jobs where they are
happy even if they can make better money elsewhere. Great pay and benefits
aren't enough for happiness. Now that I think about it, that is the case for
many marriages as well.