Finding Passive Candidates

Jackson Physician Search– Physicians are in high demand, and their time is at a premium. So it’s no surprise that even active candidates attempt to stay under the radar. They prefer to remain insulated and virtually undetectable by most recruiters. And with job boards advertising as many as 40,000 postings in Family Medicine alone, searching a database is daunting to even the candidates most motivated to finding a new opportunity. Finding passive physician candidates can be quite the challenge.

At the same time, in-house recruiters find that sorting through an avalanche of CVs can be extraordinarily time-consuming, while moving them no closer to finding Dr. Right.

In reality, some of the most successful and enduring placements occur when a physician, who isn’t even looking, and a client, who is looking for the right fit, enter each other’s orbit at the right time and in the right way.

Known in the industry as “passive candidates,” experienced physicians and advance practice providers are likely to be satisfied with at least one of three key influencers: location, practice and/or compensation. Their bar is high and their motivations to make a change are highly individualized. As a practicing physician, they are likely to ignore the steady avalanche of job opportunities they receive.

This is why standardized recruiting techniques will not enable you to find and hire a qualified physician with the right motivations to choose your practice and community.

These snapshots demonstrate how our skilled recruiters adapted their tools and techniques to make excellent placements that mutually benefited the candidate and the client:

 Springboard to Sports Medicine

Scenario

A Family Medicine physician with a specialty in Sports Medicine was well-established as a Medical Director and shareholder in a large practice. He was very happy with the community. Yet with his varied responsibilities within the overall practice, he was struggling to find the time to fully develop his sports medicine practice.

Solution

The recruiter’s localized search and focused social media engagement revealed that this physician would be an excellent fit for a nearby employed foundation group. Although the physician was at first under the impression that an employed position would never allow him to do what he was passionate about. However, with support from the hospital, partnered with the foundation, he is able to have his primary care practice, which created a springboard for becoming a regional expert in sports medicine.

Outcome

Without having to relocate, the physician is now leading a regional concussion program with the foundation group’s outpatient practice.

 Balance Can Happen

Scenario

A Gastroenterologist was a partner in a multi-specialty group, but practicing in a higher cost of living metropolitan area. This brought with it a high workload that kept him away from his young family. He knew that something “had to give,” but was not actively looking for a new practice.

Solution

Originally discovered through a laser focused approach to candidate research, the recruiter discovered that a Gastroenterology Hospitalist position located in a more affordable market could be a solution to the work-life balance challenge.

Outcome

Though total compensation may be less, the physician’s quality of life affords him a great standard of living, work he enjoys and twice as much personal time, including every other week off to spend with his family. Additionally, compensation is balanced by the move to a market that is significantly less expensive.