In any physician search, defining the role requirements involves debating which skills, attributes, and experience are genuinely must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Finding the right balance between the two is crucial for attracting a sufficient amount of qualified applicants. An experienced physician recruiter often knows even before posting the job if the parameters are too tight, that is, if too many “nice-to-haves” are listed as “must-haves.” However, the client may experience limited responses from candidates before they are open to making changes. Once everyone is on the same page, even just a few strategic adjustments can dramatically improve the flow of candidates for a physician job opportunity.
A recent Medical Director search for a Michigan mental health clinic documents how this process often unfolds. When Search Consultant Cameron Hutt was assigned to the search, the clinic had been recruiting for about a month and had yet to gain traction, so the urgency to fill the position was mounting. Cameron’s strategic recommendations, coupled with the client’s willingness to adapt, caused a dramatic turnaround, and the clinic signed a new Medical Director fewer than 60 days after Cameron took over and a total of 90 days from the start of the search.
Leaning on the Recruiter’s Expertise
When Cameron first met with the clinic’s leadership, they stressed the growing urgency to fill the position. Leveraging her experience and expertise, Cameron voiced her concerns about some parameters hindering the job’s appeal. The current description involved a hybrid schedule, with onsite presence required once a week. Cameron knew it would attract more candidates if it were fully remote. She also pointed out that the compensation range was fairly broad, and it was potentially unclear what candidates should expect to earn.
Cameron suggested they make the position fully remote to expand the candidate pool and set a narrower compensation range near the top of what was already listed. Initially, the clinic hesitated but ultimately decided to trust Cameron completely.
A Stream of Applicants
Once her proposals were approved, Cameron got to work crafting compelling job ads highlighting the position’s remote nature and the now competitive compensation. After making these adjustments, the position went from needing more responses to receiving a stream of qualified candidates for Cameron to evaluate.
As Cameron was sorting through the flood of interested physicians, there was one candidate who was impossible to overlook. Although he wasn’t actively searching for an immediate change, Dr. D was passively browsing job opportunities when he came across Cameron’s job ad for the Medical Director role. He picked up the phone to call Cameron to share his interest, and she was certainly glad he did.
An Ideal Candidate
Dr. D was everything that the clinic was looking for. He was currently the Medical Director of another organization in the Michigan area but was becoming increasingly unfulfilled at that specific clinic. He was hoping to move to a different organization nearby where he could continue as a Medical Director with the opportunity to be more hands-on and impactful. Luckily, the new ratio of administrative to clinical time Cameron had advocated for would allow Dr. D to do exactly that at the mental health clinic.
Cameron presented Dr. D to the clinic’s CEO, and the process moved quickly from there. The CEO knew from the first conversation that Dr. D was the one. Since he was already local, they conducted the on-site physician interview right away, and everyone came to the same conclusion: Dr. D was the ideal candidate for the Medical Director job.
Secrets of Physician Recruitment Success
Cameron’s recommendations were the key to attracting candidates, but the clinic’s ability to trust her expertise and make the necessary adjustments was just as significant. Once they set the right parameters, the Jackson Physician Search digital recruitment process ensured the most qualified candidates saw the job ad, which compelled them to reach out. From there, Cameron leaned on her expertise to identify the best candidate to meet her client’s needs. And, of course, the clinic did an excellent job of showcasing how it could meet the needs of Dr. D. Though he wasn’t in an active job search, he couldn’t deny that the opportunity was just what he needed. He was happy to sign the contract into his new practice, and Cameron was proud to close out the search just two months after taking over — a total of 90 days from the start of the search.
If your organization has an urgent need, our team of expert recruiters is ready to make recommendations and offer resources to accelerate your physician search. Reach out today to partner with a dedicated physician recruitment firm.
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