Possible new job - frustrated at process, feeling guilty at current job

[jb5158]

Hey everyone, going through a really weird job situation and could get some other PA's thoughts. I've talked this over to death with my husband and friends, but they're not in healthcare and don't really get it. 

Long story short, or as short as I can get it, is that back in June I started interviewing for an oncology job at our academic hospital. There were multiple open at that time (inpt vs outpt, subspecialty) I interviewed and/or shadowed a total of 15 people over the course of 1-2 months. They all went fabulously. I met the two docs that I would be working with and both seemed excited to work with me. In late August, the office manager told me that they planned on offering me the position but that the specific job hadn't been approved by HR yet, but they would get it approved, post the job for the 3 days legally required, and then contact me with a compensation package. We agreed I wouldn't put my 4 weeks notice in at my current job until I had a firm offer in hand. 

It is now October 18th. It has been almost 2 months since being told that I basically have the job, but literally no progress has been made. The manager has been nice enough to send me periodic emails just saying there's no update. They apparently had a meeting last Thursday and "things should go faster after that" but I haven't heard a single thing. I looked back and my specific job was first mentioned on July 27th....how on earth has it not been approved or even posted yet? In my last email to her I asked if I should be concerned about how long this was taking (trying to feel out if maybe the job is going to be eliminated instead of filled, or maybe they changed their mind on me) but she said nothing to worry about, it's just taking longer than expected. 

Is this normal? I feel like I can't be excited about getting the job because I don't actually have the job. How long do I wait around for this? I really want to work at this hospital, so I don't feel like I can really apply for other openings after telling them how interested I am in this one. I'm getting so frustrated. 

On top of this, I feel so guilty about leaving my current job. We are extremely understaffed, schedules are booking out, and this is with us hiring two locum neurologists. I know my clinic is screwed if I leave. Plus, my SP is no longer seeing general neuro patients, so another neurologist is getting added to my licence and letters are going out to our patients.........just in time for me to leave and make the letter completely invalid...I've considered letting them know as a courtesy, but what if I end up not getting the job? I know I need an actual offer in hand. 

The guilt and uncertainty are killing me. I know there's really nothing for me to do but continue to wait, but it's getting harder. I really love my coworkers and manager and feel like I'm lying to them.

I guess my questions are: 1. Is this a ridiculous amount of time to have to wait or is it normal? With my current job I was hired within a couple weeks. 2. Am I doing the right thing by not saying anything at my current job? I just feel horrible knowing they could be working on finding a replacement or at least not sending out letters yet or changing my SP but I know I need to protect myself as well. 

Sorry this ended up being a novel. Thanks everyone!

[Boatswain2PA]

1:  Yes, but not uncommon in huge organizations with hundreds of levels of bureaucracy.  For example- I once applied for a VA job, they called me back 9 months later asking if I could interview tomorrow!  

2.  You don't owe your employer any notice for things that might be...and this job is still only a possibility.  Once you get a formal job offer, then notify current boss and discuss how you leave.

Good luck!!

[mmiller3]

I agree with Boatswain2PA. You need to do what is best for you. If you don't have the formal job offer, then I would not say anything to your current employer. People can go from really nice to really crappy when they feel slighted.

As for whether or not it is common--I applied for a few positions right out of school, and the one I wanted was with a local ER. They basically told me I was hired, and then never called or responded to any of my calls or emails for weeks. I took my next choice position and had been working there for 2 months when the ER asked if I would be able to start next week. I mean...come on.

 

[sas5814]

Similar experience. Applied for a civil service job and was told I was hired. Total silence for almost 6 months and then BOOM! Send us all this paperwork so we can start onboarding you. If it was possible to laugh in an email I would have.

As for feeling guilty... welcome to the human race. However a job is a job and you owe them nothing but your best work while you are there.When it is time give your proper notice and serve it out with style. Then move on. That job will close behind you like a pebble in a lake and the world will continue to spin.

[mmiller3]

2 minutes ago, sas5814 said:

Similar experience. Applied for a civil service job and was told I was hired. Total silence for almost 6 months and then BOOM! Send us all this paperwork so we can start onboarding you. If it was possible to laugh in an email I would have.

As for feeling guilty... welcome to the human race. However a job is a job and you owe them nothing but your best work while you are there.When it is time give your proper notice and serve it out with style. Then move on. That job will close behind you like a pebble in a lake and the world will continue to spin.

This. If your current employer ever needed to downsize your position, they would. They might feel guilty, but they would still do it anyway. Do what's best for you. Keep business business.

[jb5158]

Thanks everyone. All pretty much what I thought. The funny thing is that in mid-August, before finding out that they "plan on offering me the position," they had me submit tons of paperwork to HR and basically told me to have all my references respond to their online system within 24 hours to "expedite the process." Two months later and the job opening still doesn't even exist? 

Everyone I've met there has been great and the manager has been apologetic so I'm just chalking it up to an inefficient HR, but man this has been frustrating! If my clinic wasn't in its current state and letters going out to patients specifically talking about me taking over their care, I wouldn't be freaking out as much.

Thanks again!

[MCHAD]

I just went through this last year, but I was working in oncology and trying to get out!  I felt terrible going to work every day hiding the big secret that I was looking for other jobs, especially because the docs I worked with were great.  Ultimately I had to though, oncology wasn’t for me.  

I actually told the docs in the practice when things got serious and I went out of state for an interview.  They were very understanding and things worked out well, but I’m retrospect the safer thing to do would have been to keep it quiet until I had signed a contract and was for sure leaving.  

I agree with the others, especially since your process has been so drawn out, keep it under your hat until you’ve signed on the line and have a for sure thing locked up. 

[ALC0313]

It's hard with hospital-owned practices because the practice itself will want to do something but then they have to get the hospital/HR on board. They obviously want to add a provider and want you for that position, but the bureaucracy of big organizations can get in the way. If the office manager is staying in touch with you that means that they still want to create this position and offer it to you. If it's really what you want be patient. And agree with what others have said, try not to feel guilty. These things are out of your hands. 

[jb5158]

3 hours ago, MCHAD said:

I just went through this last year, but I was working in oncology and trying to get out!  I felt terrible going to work every day hiding the big secret that I was looking for other jobs, especially because the docs I worked with were great.  Ultimately I had to though, oncology wasn’t for me.  

I actually told the docs in the practice when things got serious and I went out of state for an interview.  They were very understanding and things worked out well, but I’m retrospect the safer thing to do would have been to keep it quiet until I had signed a contract and was for sure leaving.  

I agree with the others, especially since your process has been so drawn out, keep it under your hat until you’ve signed on the line and have a for sure thing locked up. 

If you don't mind sharing, why did you want to get out of oncology? I've been in my current specialty 5 years, so switching to oncology is pretty scary for me. I've (obviously lol) had time to think about it, but I still have moments of uncertainty, especially with the emotional burden I imaging it carries. I know everyone is different, but what did you like/not like about oncology?

[MCHAD]

1 hour ago, jb5158 said:

If you don't mind sharing, why did you want to get out of oncology? I've been in my current specialty 5 years, so switching to oncology is pretty scary for me. I've (obviously lol) had time to think about it, but I still have moments of uncertainty, especially with the emotional burden I imaging it carries. I know everyone is different, but what did you like/not like about oncology?

It was a combination of things.  But there were three big reasons.  

1: I had a very difficult time leaving work at work.  In primary care where I have worked both before and now after oncology there have been moments that were emotionally hard.  I’ve told plenty of patients in primary care that they have cancer, or another scary condition but the majority of the time it wasn’t that serious. In oncology, the majority of my day was those hard moments every day.  This wasn’t for me and didn’t get better as time went on. 

2: the schedule was not anywhere near what I consider a good work life balance. I averaged about 55 hours m-f and worked about every other Saturday for a couple hours.  Getting a day off was near impossible and I missed several important events because of it...being at work while my wife was at the children’s hospital with our infant having surgery sucked. 

3: I genuinely missed primary care.  Not just because I was in a specialty I hated, because I missed primary care itself.  I really feel like my “calling” is in general medicine.  I love the variety of conditions I treat, especially in my current job in a rural clinic.  One minute I’m treating otitis media and the next I’m treating an acute MI and trying to figure out how and where to send a patient because weather is bad so I can’t get a flight into our valley.  I can’t ever see myself working in ANY specialty after leaving primary care and coming back. 

Please don’t let my experience scare you away from oncology, plenty of folks love it and can’t see themselves working anywhere but there. 

[jb5158]

Thanks for sharing with me! I'm concerned about #1.....I shadowed several hours with different people in the department as part of the interviewing process but I feel like all the encounters I saw were routine follow-ups or good visits, I didn't really see or experience the negative, emotional encounters.  I'm not feeling like I'm really doing anything meaningful in my current job, so I'm hoping that this is a good fit and actually rewarding at the end of the day. 

 

Thanks again!