sereneview Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 So, I have been a brand new PA-C for about 2 weeks now. I have been searching for work for the past 2 months to no avail. I currently live in MT and only have a limited amount of money in the bank. I have taken telephone interviews over the phone with Medford and Corvallis, OR. Both places are ENT practices, although I was trained in family medicine. The phone interviews go fine, however at the end they both said something to the tune of, "So do you plan on making a trip out her in the near future?" implying that I will travel to Oregon for these interviews. I have told them both that I do not have any immediate plans to visit due to my finances. I also ask if it would be possible if I could receive some financial assistance to come and interview. When I mentioned this to Medford they said, let me check... I haven't heard anything from them going on 2 weeks. I recently sent an email to Corvallis explaining that: 1. I am a new grad with limited finances 2. By my coming out to Corvallis is no guarantee of being hired. 3. I am out at least +$800.00 for travel, lodging, food, etc. Am I out of line by my thought process? Is this this the norm for recruiting? Does anyone have any other experiences relating to this? Advice? I appreciate your time reading this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfw6er Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 yeah....that's kinda how it goes. Smaller groups often can't afford to fly out and house/feed every potential job applicant. Sometimes they can meet you in the middle and cover your hotel/food.....or even say they'll reimburse you after 6 months if you take the job. Bigger groups sometimes will pay the cost if they're desperate enough.....but being a new grad puts you at a disadvantage compared to experienced ENT PAs. You could see if Amtrac is cheaper....or just drive it. Good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality Check 2 Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Many many years ago I interviewed in Oregon by phone from Texas. The salary offers were AWFUL and they do not want to invest in any sort of travel for potential employees. The laws back then were kind of iffy as well. Montana would only see me if I happened to be in the state. And forget Idaho. Washington practices - large practices - are willing to fly someone out - most of the time. Depends. Sorry, as a new grad you might be a lower interest - not being mean - just realistic. You have to advertise yourself as a great benefit to a practice worthy of their interest and expense to get you there. And remember that you are likely talking to an office manager and not the providers you would work with. Perhaps ask to talk to another PA that works there or the physicians - talk shop and spark their interest. They are the ones who can push to get you on site. Good Luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cideous Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 In the old days they would fly you out no problem. I took an interview in California from Texas about 20 years ago and they paid for everything. Now a days when fighting to get a few days of PTO is a hassle, they just don't do that anymore. Not to mention the glut of providers all out there fighting for scraps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicinePower Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 2 hours ago, sereneview said: I have told them both that I do not have any immediate plans to visit due to my finances. I also ask if it would be possible if I could receive some financial assistance to come and interview. This is a huge red flag for any hiring manager. Unless they are recruiting you you really aren't in a position to request funds. You may want to look into a loan either from a bank or friends in order to help with finances for in-person interviews. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sereneview Posted June 14, 2019 Author Share Posted June 14, 2019 17 minutes ago, MedicinePower said: This is a huge red flag for any hiring manager. Unless they are recruiting you you really aren't in a position to request funds. You may want to look into a loan either from a bank or friends in order to help with finances for in-person interviews. Good luck. I guess I am not seeing this, why would this be a 'huge red flag'? I literally just spent everything I have and then some (loans) asking for some assistance is a red flag? Worse they can say is no, but put yourself in my shoes. . . I fly out there on my own dime, see the physician/manager, k thanks, come back home and see/hear "thanks, but no thanks." Now I have lost money due to a wasted venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj11 Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 I don't want to talk about "back in the day," but with the point of helping you to feel a bit more encouraged, I will. I graduated in 1982 from the University of Kentucky. Jobs were very tough to come by. I wanted to stay in Kentucky and made contact with 124 (if I remember right) practices and not one interview was offered. In my class of 16, by 6 months after graduation, only 2 had PA jobs, and both had these jobs arranged before going to PA school. I was poor as a church mouse and would go through the lobby of dorms, looking for loose change under the cushions. I took two part-time jobs, one at Sears and one with "Manpower" (which was the bottom-dweller job place, and I met other PAs working there, and that was sad). But I had to, to buy food. So, I finally decided that I had to go out of state. I had to borrow money from a roommate (which I don't recommend, but he is still one of my closest friends after these years) to drive to Michigan for my first interview. It was a bad job at the BOP. But, I eventually got it (and it was much worse than I had expected). But I worked this terrible job for six months. Then, I started to look in Michigan and found many good jobs advertised and they all wanted to interview with me. I took a fantastic job and that launched my career after a very hard start. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicinePower Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, sereneview said: I guess I am not seeing this, why would this be a 'huge red flag'? I literally just spent everything I have and then some (loans) asking for some assistance is a red flag? Worse they can say is no, but put yourself in my shoes. . . I fly out there on my own dime, see the physician/manager, k thanks, come back home and see/hear "thanks, but no thanks." Now I have lost money due to a wasted venture. From your perspective it may seem like a reasonable request but from the practice manager's perspective it's a ridiculous thing to even ask about. "He wants us to give him money to fly him out here for an interview? What?" I'm in the same exact boat as you insofar as having no money and buried in deep debt so I know how you feel but you need to realize that unless you are being recruited by a clinic/hospital you really should not ask them for anything prior to being hired, especially not money to fly you out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted June 14, 2019 Administrator Share Posted June 14, 2019 Last time I interviewed for a PA job across the state, I flew out for a day trip interview, and they paid my plane fare. This was late 2014 and with a faith-based nonprofit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinkertdm Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 I once drove from Illinois to Florida, overnight to interview the next day; then back the next day. I also drove from Illinois to DC; this trip I stayed in a 58$ hotel halfway there. Nothing wrong with asking for funds, but if they ask if you are going to be in the area, say “hell yeah”, especially if you want a job. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted June 14, 2019 Moderator Share Posted June 14, 2019 BS. An ENT practice has plenty of money to pay a $800 round trip fare. If they expect a person to come out and interview in person, they should pay it. I’ve seen plenty of “small” practices do this. i would explain that you have no savings for this and request they do a Skype interview. If they say no, explain that you’re very interested, but it just isn’t financially possible, unless they would be kind enough, and so interested, as to help you with airfare. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of the difficult financial situation that prevents your from coming. That’s what I’d do anyways 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Skype interview is the way to go. I personally wouldn't ask them to pay for travel for an interview, but that is more because it tells them that you are desperate for a job because you are impoverished. That being said, I wouldn't take a job without going and personally interviewing THEM. This thread is just another example of how debt sucks..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 4 hours ago, Cideous said: Not to mention the glut of providers all out there fighting for scraps. Cid - I think this is location specific. Place I work at is looking for 2 EM PA/NPs, and pay is almost $200K/year with great benefits. Yeah, it's in the middle of nowhere, and it's very busy for "rural" EM...but still, the jobs are out there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cideous Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 I was referring more to new grads fighting for jobs. The positions you list don't sound like new grad material but I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted June 14, 2019 Moderator Share Posted June 14, 2019 rent a toyota prius with unlimited miles - drive - max out driving time (like 15 hours a day) bring one nice suit rent motel one night (night before interview) SSS in motel - put nice clothes on interview and drive home Prius will get 50+ mpg on highway 100 miles each way = 2000miles 40 gallons of gas, $3/gal = $120 in gas $100 motel $100 car rental under $350 spent... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cideous Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 1 hour ago, ventana said: rent a toyota prius with unlimited miles - drive - max out driving time (like 15 hours a day) bring one nice suit rent motel one night (night before interview) SSS in motel - put nice clothes on interview and drive home Prius will get 50+ mpg on highway 100 miles each way = 2000miles 40 gallons of gas, $3/gal = $120 in gas $100 motel $100 car rental under $350 spent... ^^^^ Fantastic advice. Also, 20 years from now you will have a pretty interesting story to tell 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatswain2PA Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 2 hours ago, Cideous said: I was referring more to new grads fighting for jobs. The positions you list don't sound like new grad material but I could be wrong. They just hired a new grad NP...although one with a lot of good RN experience beforehand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyJ Posted June 14, 2019 Share Posted June 14, 2019 Going through a recruiter is your best chance of getting travel covered as they often ask their clients ahead of time if they will cover travel for candidates. So, you can tell them upfront you can't afford to pay out of pocket. I went through one and flew from Hawaii to California on their dime....well they charged their client. I ended up taking job with a private practice in California that agreed to reimburse my travel after signing a contract. When I went from California to Ohio, I did all phone/skype interviews. With the large hospitals, they didn't expect me to fly out for them. I had one interview that flew me out for a PA faculty position. I don't think it is a red flag to ask about reimbursement at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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