I'm new to this thing :(

[crossbone2007]

Hey everyone, 

I'm soon to be new grad and have been to two interviews so far and have two to go this week. Now in both of those interviews, not once they bring up the salaries, except the first one just mentioned that their salaries are very competitive and moved one. The second one talked about what the job entailed, asked me a few questions about myself, my interest and ask if I have questions. Both interviews were in teaching hospital, one is trauma (No OR time but there is possibility of doing procedure) and the other is IM. 

 

The trauma one, after the interview I sent them an email expressing my interest in the position and that I'm waiting to hear further from them. I did receive  an email and a call back though stating I'm highly on their list but haven't gave me an offer since they are waiting for the person I'll be replacing to resign. That was a month ago. 

 

The IM position is in a great teaching hospital and the physicians who interviewed me seem very niece and willing to teach. My only concern is that they don't seems to fully utilize their PAs to their full potential since they have a lot of residents. The PA  acts more like an extender to the attending. They expect the PA to round, presents, execute orders, and write progress note from what I understand. Furthermore, every patient the PA sees, the attending have to see them as well for billing purposes. The residents pretty much do consults, admissions and discharges. They only have one PA who has been with them for a very long time. I talked to her and she seems to be quite independent. Over all it looks like a good setting for a new grad. However, after the interview, I sent them an email, thanking them and expressing my interest in the position, me thinking they would send me an offer stating salary, PTO, CME, vacation, etc, however, they replied saying they want me to join them in the team and asked me to send references. 

My question are: What do I do? Do I send them my references or do I ask about salary and benefits to make sure its a position that I would take? I'm lost here.

 

I have two interviews coming up.

Should I ask about salaries first or let them bring it up and ask them to elaborate more. I know the negotiation begin once salary is brought onto the table, but I don't want to look greedy here. As a new grad I'm more concern about the learning environment than the salaries. But I have to pay bills, loans, etc. 

 

What are your suggestions fellow PAs?

[MT2PA]

Personally I don't think either of these situations is weird.  They likely won't bring up salaries unless they actually want to hire you - hence the delay.  

 

Having an interview does not equate to a pending offer.  Just because you reply expressing interest doesn't mean they necessarily felt the same or that that's the only hiring hoop to jump through.  If you provide your references you aren't committing to the job (and you technically don't have an offer, either).

 

If after they check your references they want to hire you, they will extend and offer and that is when you can consider negotiating.

 

Negotiating doesn't happen until an offer has been extended.  You don't walk in for the first interview asking how much they pay and try to negotiate before either party even has a chance to vet the other.

[crossbone2007]

Personally I don't think either of these situations is weird.  They likely won't bring up salaries unless they actually want to hire you - hence the delay.  

 

Having an interview does not equate to a pending offer.  Just because you reply expressing interest doesn't mean they necessarily felt the same or that that's the only hiring hoop to jump through.  If you provide your references you aren't committing to the job (and you technically don't have an offer, either).

 

If after they check your references they want to hire you, they will extend and offer and that is when you can consider negotiating.

 

Negotiating doesn't happen until an offer has been extended.  You don't walk in for the first interview asking how much they pay and try to negotiate before either party even has a chance to vet the other.

 

Thank you for your answer, that is why I come here to ask questions to make sure i'm doing this thing right. 

So If I understand you correctly, even if they explicitly say that your are their top choice, that does not mean anything?

when should you expect an offer in general? Otherwise, I'll keep looking. 

I don't want my references to get tired of sending letters if every interview asks for my references before I even know if i'm taking the job. 

 

Thanks MT2PA, your advice is appreciated.  

[greenmood]

Saying you are their "top choice" is not an offer. You said in a previous post that they "want you to join the team" and that they asked for references. Give them the references. A real offer isn't going to happen until they've vetted you. If your references are really going to be fatigued by sending letters a handful of times, they don't understand the job hunt process. I couldn't even apply for my job until I had attached references. They wouldn't extend an interview offer without checking first.

[ventana]

NEVER bring up salary in the first interview

 

Is the 2-3 interview or at job offer that it should come up

 

As a new grad either of those positions would be fine

[crossbone2007]

Saying you are their "top choice" is not an offer. You said in a previous post that they "want you to join the team" and that they asked for references. Give them the references. A real offer isn't going to happen until they've vetted you. If your references are really going to be fatigued by sending letters a handful of times, they don't understand the job hunt process. I couldn't even apply for my job until I had attached references. They wouldn't extend an interview offer without checking first.

This is my first round of interviews, I wasn't sure how the process goes. Thanks for the clarification.

 

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[crossbone2007]

NEVER bring up salary in the first interview

 

Is the 2-3 interview or at job offer that it should come up

 

As a new grad either of those positions would be fine

I agree that both are perfect for new grads. Thanks for chiming in.

 

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[south]

Every place is different how they do things. In the interviews I have gotten, the offer details came through at the end of the interview with specific numbers and everything.  Then they were like we will let you know when we decide to make an offer or no, then we will check your references.  I don't know if that's a function of where I live or what, but it's not the norm.  

 

Overall this requires patience and flexibility and neither comes remotely easy.  For instance, I'm not allowing myself to "take my foot off the gas" (continue to apply/field calls) until I get a sign a real, actual, binding offer.  That is exquisitely painful.  

 

So I feel ya.  Keep your options open; that's a common mistake, people have a natural tendency to jump at the first offer and then a better one comes through.

[coloradopa]

Working in an academic medial center I'll also point out its unlikely that their will be much negotiation on salary. Usually there is a fixed salary based on years of experience and duties. We have four tiers and all the new grads start at the same salary. This may be why they aren't discussing salary.

[crossbone2007]

South-- I thought they would do the same as you mentioned but I've been to 4 interviews and none of them talk about the offer details at the end of the interviews. So now I guess that's the way it works. I keep applying to other places but now I slow down a bit to prepare for the PANCE.

 

coloradopa--Good to know. I'll keep that in mind when negotiating.

 

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[jh92]

I'm a new grad as well and in the several interviews I have had, salary has not been a talking point (thankfully). Most physicians want to get to know you and see that you would be a good fit for their team. In many cases, the practice admin or hiring manager is in charge of supplying the candidate with the offer and outlining benefits, PTO, etc.

 

Don't put things on hold while waiting for a "potential" offer! - what I have learned is that when they give you a timeline..."I will get back to you in two days." ...it's often not the case - you have to remember that they are running a practice, their sole job is not to make sure they get you in to the practice as a PA - so do your best not to be frustrated when it takes them several days to a week longer than said to get back with you. 

 

When I was still finishing school, I had a verbal job offer come through that I was really stoked about - loved the supervising physician and his staff and I was going to be learning A TON. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to negotiate a competitive contract with the practice admin and had to turn the position down.

 

What it taught me is that you can't put the job search on hold just because you have a potential verbal offer... until you sign on the dotted line, your job search should continue because anything can happen and you want to have options. Keep going! I had an interview yesterday that went really well and at the end the physician said "I think you would be a great fit for the team and I am going to forward your info on to our hiring manager to get the process going. I expect that you will still interview with other places in the meantime and I encourage that. You need to find what is going to be the best fit for you." - So, advocate for yourself. Don't be afraid to express serious interest in a job but also keep looking until you have signed a contract. Hopefully I can take my own advice ;) Best of luck!

 

A final thought - if you're several weeks out from the PANCE, set the job search aside - focus on getting your PA-C and you will see even more opportunities come through and more calls coming through for interviews.