What To Look For Before Accepting A Job

The rota, in detail

• What are your contracted hours, and what is the actual pattern week by week?
• How often are weekends, and how are they compensated?
• How is holiday agreed, and is there a limit on how much can be taken at once?
• What happens when someone is on sick leave?

The clinical setup

• What imaging, lab and surgical equipment is available?
• How are referrals handled, and is there internal pressure to keep cases in house?
• What is the appointment length, and how strict is it?
• How much protected admin and CPD time do you actually get?

The team

• How long have the current clinicians been there?
• Who left in the last twelve months, and why?
• How are team decisions made, and by whom?
• What does a normal Monday morning feel like?

The offer itself

• Is the salary a basic, or does it include on call and shift uplifts?
• What is the CPD budget, and does it include time?
• What is the notice period on both sides, and is there a probation?
• Is there a restrictive covenant, and how wide is it?

One final question worth asking

Ask the clinical director or owner what they would change about the practice if they could. Their answer tells you a lot about how honest the conversation is, and about how self aware the leadership is.

Frequently asked questions

Is it rude to ask this much detail?

Not at all. A good employer expects it and welcomes it.

What if the answers are vague?

That itself is useful information. Vague answers usually mean the practice does not know, which is a red flag.