So You Want a Job? Career Choices, Contracts, and Negotiations-View Presentation

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This professional panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Carlos Fernandez-Robles, centers on job searching, negotiations, and career development in psychiatry. Dr. Vishal Madan emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in defining job priorities—such as location, compensation, work-life balance, practice setting, and visa considerations—and encourages utilizing professional networks, preparing CVs and cover letters thoughtfully, and researching job postings and institutions. He highlights different academic roles and stresses thorough interview preparation and assessing group culture, job expectations, and contract details.<br /><br />Dr. Fernandez-Robles discusses personal branding, underscoring consistency across in-person interactions, online presence (LinkedIn, Doximity), and application materials. He outlines negotiation as a collaborative process, not a competition, emphasizing preparation by understanding one’s Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA), reservation value, and the interests of both parties. Effective negotiation involves building trust based on competence, authenticity, and acting in mutual interest. He advises clear communication, flexibility, strategic timing, and maintaining positive relationships throughout the hiring process. He cautions against revealing salary expectations prematurely and encourages negotiating beyond base salary, such as bonuses, start dates, protected time, mentorship, and other benefits.<br /><br />Dr. Dora Linda Wong shares excerpted memoir stories illustrating the evolving realities of psychiatry practice—from private practice to managed care and academic settings—highlighting tensions between the mental health profession's noble traditions and the for-profit healthcare industry’s challenges.<br /><br />Panelists also address practical questions: using contract lawyers (especially for complex agreements), the value of locum tenens work, differentiating oneself as a candidate by aligning skills to job needs and demonstrating teamwork, and navigating virtual interviews. They advocate thorough research, multiple information sources to verify employer claims, and making informed, relationship-conscious decisions to build sustainable careers in psychiatry.

Keywords

psychiatry career development

job searching in psychiatry

negotiation strategies

self-awareness in job priorities

professional networking

CV and cover letter preparation

academic psychiatry roles

interview preparation

personal branding

online professional presence

BATNA in negotiations

building trust in hiring

contract negotiation tips

virtual interviews in psychiatry