How to Search for a PA Job
The job market for Physician Assistants has become more competitive than ever. Many cities across the United States are now saturated with advanced practice providers and the competition for new graduates is increasing. Making yourself marketable as a candidate while you are a student is important to ensure you will have a job lined up hopefully by the time you graduate.
Starting the search early is the key to success in order to land a job by graduation or soon after. I began researching jobs about 3 months before my graduation date. This allowed me to really see what specialties and hospitals were hiring in the area. I knew I wanted to start my career in something general such as: internal medicine, general surgery, or emergency medicine. It was important to me that I build a base knowledge before proceeding into a specialty.
Knowing which search engines to utilize while applying and looking into jobs is just as important as an early start. I initially used Glassdoor, Indeed, etc but found that uploading my cover letter and resume through these sites rarely got me anywhere. I felt that my applications disappeared into the abyss with other eager PA students. Going to the hospital websites and looking/applying for jobs through that platform is a much more effective way to get through this process. LinkedIn is another great resource at it allows your to connect with other PAs that work at that hospital and reach out to them directly. You can search jobs in LinkedIn and it will also populate alumni from your University that also work at that institution—that is a connection waiting to be made if you ask me.
The final and most important part of the job search—CONNECTIONS! Word of mouth is by far the most powerful way to land an interview. This is how I got my first job as a physician assistant. Start thinking before you graduate about any possible connection you can reach out to. This includes: previous preceptors, alumni of your program, friends, family, mutual connections. A personal recommendation by someone who knows you will do wonders for when you actually apply. Connections are everything, especially in a competitive job market. This is also important to keep in mind while on rotations or at jobs in the future; do your best not to burn any bridges. The world of medicine is much smaller than you may think and you do not want to develop a negative reputation.
As a new graduate, it is much easier to find a job if you keep your options open and are not dead set on a speciality. That being said, I know there are some of you that know for sure that you want something specialized like dermatology or cardiovascular surgery. I am not here to tell you it is not possible, but definitely more challenging. In regard to pursuing certain specialties, I would focus heavily on the personal connection aspect of applying for a job.
Best of luck!