Download PDF Physician sourcing is a tough business in a market with fewer candidates than there are job openings. While all recruiters make the effort to look for candidates that may be a match for their client’s openings, it is only the real recruiters, the real consultants, that are proactive and go the extra mile. They go above and beyond to find what the client is looking for and then customize their approach to meet the client’s unique staffing needs. On the other hand, you have what the everyday recruiter considers sourcing. They do a passive search, meaning that they post the client’s request online, email their teammates (if they have any) with a request for candidates, do a skill search in their database, and then wait for the candidates to come to them. This lackadaisical approach sometimes lands a candidate that meets the client’s needs, mainly due to luck or the right timing. So what differentiates a true consultant/recruiter from an everyday recruiter? How do they go the extra mile to get the best results and truly sourcing candidates? Here are some of the key ways: Forge a True Partnership with the Client This goes way beyond simply reading the job ad on the client’s website. The consultant/recruiter needs to enter into a joint partnership with the client, where both parties commit to communicate about the business in order to get the job done efficiently and with quality results. Without this partnership, quality sourcing is impossible. True consultant/recruiters gauge their clients’ commitment level and only invest significant time and resources in clients who are serious about success. Once a partnership commitment is made, they ask the right questions to find out what the client really needs. What is the corporate culture? What are their long-term goals and staffing needs, and how does this position fit into the big picture? What are the personalities in the organization, history and unique community characteristics? Sell the Client’s Opportunity Although some consultants/recruiters are wary of sales, it is a key skill that they need to bring to the client. The skilled consultant/recruiter ascertains important information, knows what physician candidates are looking for, presents the client’s opportunity in the best light and gives them a competitive advantage. The unique benefits of the position, the facility, and the community provide what is called the “sizzle.” Every opportunity has sizzle, but it takes a skilled consultant/recruiter to refine the sizzle message and sell the opportunity. They understand what sets each client apart from other opportunities, allowing them to readily entice top quality candidates. They are also armed with information to overcome objections. Write a Compelling Ad and Post It on Association Websites, in Medical Journals, etc Many job advertisements are simply laundry lists of what the client wants the ideal candidate to bring to the table. On the other hand, efficient advertisements sell to the candidate all the reasons they would want to accept the opportunity. Put yourself in a candidate’s shoes and imagine surfing the web looking for opportunities – most advertisements look the same, with similar lists of requests for board-certified, licensed, experienced, etc. This is why it’s crucial that your ad stand out as unique and enticing, speaking to the candidate in terms of what is attractive and interesting to them. Getting the candidate to stop and read your ad is what advertising is all about. Have the Resources to Post Where the Candidates Are Looking Most recruiters do not have the resources to post on the multitude of websites that are available to advertise practice opportunities. And even if they do post to some of them, they don’t have the resources to evaluate the best return on their investments. The Internet has drastically changed the way many candidates access opportunity information. Having the right online presence is critical to capture an increasingly tech-savvy candidate pool. CompHealth has a top-notch website and a marketing team that works to ensure the best presence on the Internet. Sell to Other Consultant/Recruiters—and Have a Team to Back You Up It is a tremendous asset to a recruiter/consultant to have a large team of associates working together on sourcing for your client. Everyone has unique sources and techniques, and when you are able to leverage the skills, experience, and efforts of a team it maximizes your ability to source more candidates. Dig into Your Database It is standard procedure to search your database for matches to criteria that meet the client’s needs and then send out some emails. But proactive consultant/recruiters put in the time to dig deeper into the database, make the calls, be persistent in follow-up, sell the opportunity and ask for referrals. Speak Positively and Often about the Opportunity Keep it hot. You are selling the opportunity, so stay positive and continually focus on its unique benefits. You cannot effectively source candidates when you don’t believe in and regularly verbalize the positives. With so many other opportunities crowding in, you have to keep your opportunity relevant. Stay in Frequent Contact with Your Clients Things change and there are a lot of moving pieces in a professional candidate search. Stay on top of the changes and keep your client up-to-date with regular conversations. Be excited about the changes and treat them as a reason to reach out to your network of people seeking a candidate with new information. Provide feedback to the client with field information to continue to improve your client’s competitiveness. Pay attention to the details so your search stays relevant. Find Out Who the Client’s Respected Competitors Are (That Are Not Your Own Clients) Do they have key players that could meet your client’s needs by joining their team? Are there specific candidates that the client would like to recruit away from other facilities? Are there programs that have already been developed elsewhere that your client would like to replicate by bringing on key players from those programs? Referrals, Referrals, Referrals While building their sourcing project, the proactive consultant/recruiter is constantly asking for referrals and following up on those leads to move closer to the candidates that are the strongest match. Develop Cold Calling Lists of Candidates That Have the Specific Criteria the Client Is Looking for When you call them, find out if they interested or if they know someone who is. There are many sources for cold calling lists, from lists that can be purchased to lists that are generated online. But a list is only a list until the proactive consultant/recruiter utilizes it to source candidates. Develop An Advertising Source Piece and Mail It to Potential Candidates Be sure to be proactive and follow-up on your mailing with a recruiting call. Of course, the professional consultant/recruiter uses skills in advertising to create an appealing source piece that will land in many potential candidates’ hands. Keep a Strict Log of Your Sourcing Efforts, with Dates of Contact, Name/Phone Numbers of People You Speak with, and Follow-Up Dates and Notes You will gain respect and a reputation in candidate circles by being professional and following up timely. Stay organized as people refer other potential candidates to you, so you know who to reference and go back to thank. Some successful consultant/recruiters take this a step further by paying out referral bonuses. Be Proactive in Sourcing Candidates. The results will be higher quality candidates that bring more value to the client’s business. Your network of clients will grow as the value of your services and results consistently exceeds the fee that they are investing.