Sometimes with the excitement of searching for a new job we tend to forget about the price tag of finding that next anesthesia job. Just as you spent large amounts of money and time on pursuing an education for your career, you will again have to invest in finding that first or next job. Especially for anesthesia residents, SRNAs, SAAs or if you are applying out of state from your current job, you should keep these four expenses in mind for your search.
Site visit
How are you going to get there? Planes, trains and automobiles all carry a price tag. You need to determine what works in your budget and the allotted amount of time you have to travel for the interview. Also, if you did not drive you will need to rent a car, use public transportation or a ride service once at your destination? If it’s a trip you cannot make in a day, you will have to book lodging or, if you are lucky, stay with family and friends. And one last item to remember is meals. You cannot give that great interview on an empty stomach.
State License
New state. New license. There can be multiple costs to cover for a new license depending on state requirements. They can include application fees, new license fees, background checks or cost of fingerprinting. Factoring in the time to obtain a license needs to be a consideration when determining the time frame in which to give a termination notice to your current anesthesia job or trying to figure when you will start after training. Time frames can vary from 8 weeks all the way up to 9 months! Talk to providers or anesthesia credentialing specialists at your new facility to get an idea of how long it typically takes for licensing to be completed. You don’t want to be unexpectedly sitting around for months without a paycheck.
Lawyer to review contract
Anesthesia contracts are getting longer and longer with each passing year. And most of us did not study contract law. Talking to national recruiters revealed more providers are having their contracts looked over. Lawyers obviously do not come cheap but can be well worth it to protect yourself down the line. So it’s really up to you if you want to have your contract reviewed.
Relocation expenses
Most people do not like the moving process and it can end up being your biggest expense. There is the cost of physically moving your items, but it’s easy to forget the price of a trip or trips beforehand to find a new place to live. Luckily, you can research your housing options online and narrow down your choices before visiting to maximize your time. Other items to think about if you end up buying are the costs for inspection, appraisal, lender fees and closing cost.
None of these expenses should be a deterrent to going out there and finding your next job. Pursue that anesthesia job! Just keep them in the back of your mind and they won’t be a big surprise when they pop up.
