Recruiting outstanding candidates may require more creative effort, but this can pay off significantly.

The hiring process for physicians is, understandably, longer and much more involved than that associated with most other healthcare professionals. What is most disconcerting is to spend a considerable amount of time "courting" a prime candidate who ends up taking another position. When a leading candidate does not become an actual hire, there are usually good reasons. This article explains some of those reasons and suggests ways to win a reluctant physician recruit.

Understand the supply-and-demand factors.

Some medical specialties (such as Family Medicine) have an over-abundance of practitioners who are looking for work. Other medical specialties (Anesthesiology, Radiology) are experiencing a shortage of qualified providers. By understanding the supply / demand factors associated with certain specialties, in-house recruiters can better determine how vigorously to pursue the candidacy of exceptional providers. Simply put, candidates representing "hot" specialties deserve kid-glove treatment during the interviewing process. They know their market worth and expect serious employers to make it well worth their while in discussing practice opportunities.

Cover all bases during on-site interviewing.

Doctors and other healthcare practitioners are busy professionals. Understandably, they expect to make the most of their time during on-site interviewing. In-house recruiters can help by arranging for candidates to meet with all appropriate parties during their visit. This group should include: the department head or principal(s) of the group, hospital Chief-of-Staff (if available), prospective colleagues in the same specialty, administrative support personnel, Human Resources representatives, medical staff officials, and the person(s) involved with physician relocation.

In addition to conversing with a wide range of persons associated with the practice, serious candidates benefit from meeting other individuals who can help sell the community and quality of life. Specifically, it is prudent to arrange for the candidate and spouse (or significant other) to speak with: one or more competent realtors, representatives of the business community (such as a well-respected banker), public or private school principal or headmaster, and representative(s) of the candidate's religious faith.

It is also beneficial to have the candidates interact with others who can contribute to the recruitment effort. In particular, if the medical group includes employees or associates who graduated from the candidate's alma mater, or grew up in the same part of the country, or who share the same ethnic / religious background, it makes sense to allow them to speak with the candidate. This could even be something informal like a breakfast conversation.

The more people who are involved in wooing the recruit, the easier it is to move his acceptance of an offer from "Maybe" to "Yes."

Address special family concerns.

No two candidates have the same needs and concerns in taking a new position. The decision to accept or decline a job offer might depend on such things as procuring special educational services for a handicapped child, or finding gainful employment for the candidate's spouse, or relocating in a community with a certain religious or ethnic concentration, or selling a home in a "down" local market.

Candidates might not voice these concerns if not asked. That is why it is advisable to establish good rapport with the candidate (and spouse) early on and tactfully broach the subject. "If our practice were to extend an offer, are there any special concerns that you or your family have that need to be discussed?" Such an open-ended question will allow the candidate to address any problematic issues that might make-or-break the deal. If the employer is able to provide some special assistance in resolving problematic situations, that increases the likelihood that a pending offer would be accepted.

Communicate serious interest.

If your medical organization has a strong interest in a given candidate, don't hesitate to express that fact. This doesn't mean that you need to be in a supplicant position, begging the person to join your ranks. However, it does mean that a top-notch candidate should not wonder how seriously he or she is being considered as a candidate.

For starters, explain the employment opportunity not only in terms of what the practice is looking for, but what it is prepared to offer to an outstanding candidate. To go along with this, discuss the candidate's overall career ambition, professional goals, and earning expectations. Then suggest some ways that the organization can demonstrate appropriate support of such ambition and goals. Without tipping your negotiating hand, provide the candidate with a "shell" contract and indicate that the proper dollar figures, and other specifics, will be added later.

It doesn't take a lot to communicate, obviously and subtly, sincere interest in a candidate. Conveying such interest can make the difference in winning or losing an outstanding candidate. Simply mentioning "We would like to have you join our practice" is a direct way of communicating serious interest.

Other, indirect means of communicating interest can be effective. Illustration: A Midwestern hospital had a keen interest in a board certified, bilingual candidates with extensive experience treating inner-city patients. The candidate was highly sought after by several other practices. The hospital recruiter decided to send a bouquet of long-stem roses to the doctor's wife after their site visit. That gesture of courtesy was appreciated and made them feel all the more comfortable in accepting the offer. At this writing, the doctor has been practicing at that hospital going on six years.

Sweeten the pie.

The most desirable candidates usually receive more than one employment offer as their job search winds down. In terms of initial compensation, the actual offers might not be that different. Regarding candidate acceptance, what can tip the scales one way or another is to include something that sweetens the offer, making it virtually irresistible.

What can tip the scales? The possibilities are numerous: Increased vacation time, lighter on-call duties, the chance of quicker participation in an equity arrangement, job-hunting assistance for spouse, more time to attend professional conferences, additional support for professional advancement, or more involvement in the clinical training of aspiring practitioners (as in a teaching hospital).

Certainly in-house recruiters cannot violate organizational by-laws or internal recruitment policies in sweetening a deal. Nevertheless, there may be suitable ways to make an employment offer (with perks) so attractive that a prime candidate would be hard pressed to refuse. In the end, winning a reluctant recruit doesn't cost as much as it pays the organization that's willing to go the extra mile to bring on board an outstanding practitioner.

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