Do you give a full history of employment?

[Guest ral]

Was chatting with a PA colleague not long ago.  We used to cover the same little hospital ER.  Was venting about job hunting prospects, and the hassle of CV, applications, jotting down any clinical positions held in the past, and digging up phone numbers, addresses of places, some of which are no longer in business.  She responded with a simple, "I don't list them all."  I was kind of taken aback.  She says short stints have no substance or relevance to her applying to a job.  She left due to either bad fit, shitty management, contract breach, etc..  She thinks anything under a couple of months is not worth mentioning, and that her objective is to highlight accomplishments to land her the position, not list all of the little puddles she dipped a toe in.  What do you think?  Let me get some popcorn...

[Cideous]

I agree with her.  Especially if you do locum work like I do and have been practicing over 20 years.  Heck, more than half of the initial employers I had are no longer in business. Sold, closed or the docs just flat out died.  :-0

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

I have my time window accounted for, including breaks in service on my CV.  That being said, you and I are close enough in age that our former SPs are either on the beach or dead.  I provide contact numbers for groups/corporations if known but otherwise I leave it to their discretion.

[DizzyJ]

Agree as well.  I've jumped into very short term PRN jobs that have no presence on my CV.  I make sure to list the main positions and not leave any gaps in employment.  The more you list, the more work it will be.  For instance, some medical staff offices want letter of reference/good standing from every hospital you've had privileges at.  One company I worked at credentialed me at 5 of their hospital, but I only worked at one.  So, what is the point of disclosing hospital privileges at a hospital I've never stepped foot in?

[BruceBanner]

I agree. Your resume or CV is your best foot forward, not an exhaustive historical document.

That said, big gaps must be accounted for, and when or if you get credentialed, everything will be brought to light. So be careful there.

I leave off any job that is less than 6 months, which is just one.

 

[Guest ral]

Well, I learned something.  Thanks (although I hate it when she's right...lol).  I was always terrified I would sit down with an administrator, and they would say they found out I worked for XYZ Clinic for three weeks, six years ago,(I didn't, just created for example) and fire me for not disclosing such on the application.  I agree with not having to go back to the dawn of time but, I always worried about being put on the spot if I wasn't truthful.  I am not a big risk taker in general.

Like some of you, I have been at this a while.  I cannot remember what I had for breakfast most days, so it's nerve racking filling out apps which tend to want more specific info (addresses, month and day, contact persons and phone numbers) than is presented on my CV.  Plus, I have always done a lot of side jobs where multiple places and times overlap.  Makes my CV look odd to an untrained eye but, when I explain, you'll find out I worked at four different hospitals, for three different employers at one time.  

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

For some of us, it’s becoming a challenge to even know what the years were that we worked somewhere off the top of our heads.

[Guest ral]

In Ral's imaginary utopia, my vetting process for potential PA job candidates would be simple:

1. Do you have a license?

2. Will I find your name plastered all over the National Practitioner Data Bank?

3. Will you do your fair share of the work?

4. Will you take good care of the patients?

Anyone can put on a suit and smile.  I'm at the point where I just want to walk in and do what I do.  GetMeOuttaThisMess has heard it: show me where to find the bathroom and coffee, and I'll take care of the rest.