As a strategy for physician recruiting success, the first rule of thumb is to make initial contact with new candidates as quickly as possible. These days most physician job searches begin with online job boards. Many of these job boards will distribute a physician’s contact information to dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of competing recruiting firms and in-house recruiters. If you are not among the initial responders, the candidate might never get to hear your presentation. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle with so many open positions, especially with Primary Care candidates.

When contacting new candidates, be persistent and consistent with your initial effort. Once a candidate finds your job posting online, the odds are extremely high that this person has also seen numerous advertisements for competing positions. Don’t be discouraged if your initial attempt at contact goes unanswered. Call or e-mail a second and third time within the first 72-96 hours of receiving the candidate’s contact information. If you receive no reply after 4-5 attempts, be sure to make one last attempt, relaying in your message that you will “assume he/she is no longer interested in the opportunity if they do not respond.” If this type of message seems too aggressive, try to remember how much competition you are up against for a candidate’s time and attention. We found it very common for physicians to say they were contacted by over 40 recruiting firms within 24 hours of listing their names on open job boards. You can always soften the message by wishing the candidate luck on their job search and inviting them to contact you anytime.

Once initial contact is made, focus on the information you need to communicate to the candidate about the position and, just as importantly, what the candidate’s questions are. Be prepared with as many details on your opportunity as possible. Many physician candidates decline to pursue a job which should be a good fit because they are unable to get specific information about the job early in the process. Know the strengths and weaknesses of your position, and be prepared to discuss them in detail. Being prepared to discuss earning potential and compensation structure enables you to answer some of the most important questions to most physician candidates, and is an excellent way to keep the recruiting process moving forward. Get to know the physicians for whom you are recruiting, and share these details with your prospective candidate. The simple detail of a shared hobby or family situation can be the extra piece of information needed to take the process to the next level. Become an expert about your local community, and be prepared to say what makes it a great place to live. Be ready to speak about any general topic a candidate is interested in: schools, recreation, housing, job market for spouse, etc, and be prepared to research the questions for which you do not have answers. Remember that vague or nonspecific responses to a physician candidate’s questions are often misconstrued as a way to cover up a deficiency with your job.

With this persistent, consistent effort in contacting any worthwhile candidates, you will separate your opportunity from those of your competitors, and you will likely end up with more set interviews and higher closing rates for the candidates you pursue.

What is your technique for initial candidate contact?