Do you consider yourself a "passive" job seeker?

 

All of us are searching for another job, to some degree. For professionals who are happily employed, it would take a significant pay increase and better benefits package to tempt them away. But the temptation is still there, nevertheless.

The less satisfied a physician is with his or her job, the more likely he or she is to seek new opportunities. But when does passively glancing at a job board become an active search?

First, it's helpful to define what it means to be a passive job seeker.

What is a passive job seeker?

To be passive does not necessarily mean to be disinterested. For example, you could passively watch a game of baseball, only half paying attention - until the batter hits the ball out of the park. Then, you spring into action, jumping, cheering and waving your cap.

Passive job seekers are in a similar state of rest. They're currently employed and probably mostly satisfied with their work/life balance. But when that home run job comes around, you can bet that they will leap at the opportunity.

So what's the difference between a passive job seeker and someone who isn't looking at all? Preparedness. According to The Balance, passive job seekers keep their resumes and professional profiles up-to-date, so if opportunity strikes, they're ready to pounce.

How do you look for physician jobs?

There are many ways for passive job seekers to keep a pulse on the marketplace without actively searching for a new position. The most obvious way is through networking - you may hear about an exciting new position at a cocktail party or professional conference.

Another set-it-and-forget-it method is to create a job alert on myHealthTalent.com. Specify your specialty and geographical area of interest, and let the machine take care of the rest. This way, you don't have to perform a new search everyday, and yet you get regular alerts anytime an interesting position arises.

When does a passive search become active?

As Forbes Magazine noted, passive job seekers are anything but lazy - in fact, they tend to be so busy with their work that they can only afford to search for a new position passively.

A search becomes active when it's prioritized over something else. For an employed physician, that could mean spending your weekend afternoons looking for a new position rather than enjoying your leisure time. At that point, it's time to start replying to those job listings and preparing for interviews. The less satisfied a physician is with his or her job, the more likely he or she is to seek new opportunities. But when does passively glancing a job board become an active search?