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How Physicians Can Choose the Right Physician Recruitment Firm


by Michael P. Broxterman, COO & Wendy Abdo, Staff Writer – Pinnacle Health Group

 

Initiating Your Job Search

As a seasoned physician looking for a more suitable opportunity or resident just out of training, how will you initiate your job search? Will you network yourself or contact a physician recruitment firm to network for you? Physician recruitment firms can offer you more choices and options, but which type of firm would benefit your individual needs? As we discussed in Part I of this article, there are basically two types of recruitment firms: (1) contingency search firms, and (2) retained search firms. How can you determine which route to go? Below are three different scenarios that might shed some light on the matter.

 

Three Example Scenarios

A physician can choose the following three ways to market him/herself or any combination thereof:

– Physician A will not use a recruitment firm but will network on his/her own.
– Physician B will use a contingency firm to find an opportunity.
– Physician C will use a retained search firm to find employment.

 

Physician A:
Physician A has decided not to use a recruitment firm, but instead will market him/herself. Since Physician A has adequate time on hand, he/she will acquire a list of hospitals in the area he/she wants to live and cold call them for job opportunities. Alternately, Physician A may also contact all colleagues and associates to inquire on any available positions in his/her area of expertise. Eventually, Physician A will set up job interviews and make arrangements directly with each medical facility. Physician A understands that he/she must directly negotiate with the organizations until an equitable arrangement has been made. All licensure assistance will be handled either by the prospective employer or by the physician.

 

Physician B:
Physician B does not have the time to search on his/her own and is interested in getting his/her curriculum vitae out to many different medical facilities at once. He/she is not overly concerned about keeping his/her CV confidential. Physician B may have responded to an advertisement regarding a particular opportunity that the contingency firm listed or may have submitted his/her curriculum vitae to the contingency firm directly. By offering his/her CV to the contingency firm, Physician B understands that they will use it in their telemarketing campaigns and present it to all applicable medical organizations in the desired area. While getting basic information about the opportunity, Physician B realizes that he/she will not have all the job details until the site interview.

 

Physician C:
Physician C may have been contacted by a retained firm via telephone or responded directly to an advertisement or direct mail piece. He/she is then given detailed information from a search consultant on a particular opportunity. To ensure that the physician will meet the qualifications of the specific opportunity, the retained firm will check Physician C’s references before setting up an onsite interview. Physician C appreciates that the consultant has personally visited the site because he/she is able to discuss such pertinent details as the location of practice, job responsibilities, client’s requirements, professional environment, and community details. Since retained search firms offer more confidentiality, Physician C feels more comfortable employing their assistance and understands that the retained firm will only introduce him/her to one medical facility at a time.

 

Questions to Ask

In order to determine whether you should use a contingency or retained firm or do it solely on your own, it is helpful to ask yourself several questions:

  1. How much attention can you devote to your job search?
  2. Are you comfortable in negotiation directly with a proposed employer about compensation and contract issues?
  3. How quickly do you need to find employment?
  4. How much competition are you willing to handle?
  5. What are your personal and professional requirements?
  6. Do you require licensure assistance or help with J-1 visas?

 

If you decide to use a search agency, you should ask the following questions:

  1. How long has the company been in business?
  2. What is the company’s reputation?
  3. What is their success rate in placing physicians?
  4. Do their services extend nationally or are they limited to a particular region?
  5. Do they recruit for all specialties?
  6. Have they sent a search consultant to the site to gather comprehensive information about the opportunity such as community demographics, compensation, and contract details?
  7. How many job searches are they presently handling?
  8. Do they guarantee confidentiality?
  9. How much industry experience and expertise do its search consultants have?
  10. Is the company a member of the National Association of Physician Recruiters (NAPR)?

 

Once you have decided which search firm(s) you will use, you must evaluate their ongoing performance by asking these questions:

  1. Is the company effectively communicating with you about available opportunities?
  2. Do the job opportunities they present fit your needs?
  3. Are they supplying you with complete information on the position before the site visit?
  4. Is the firm professional and ethical?
  5. As a result of using their services, has your job search become easier or more difficult for you?

 

These questions are helpful in determining what direction to take. You may discover that contingency firms serve you well or find that a particular retained firm is the best approach to take. Regardless of your choice, finding an organization and practice location that meets your professional and personal requirements must be your top priority.

 

Conclusion

Ultimately, your decision depends on your own individual needs. You must be prepared to investigate your alternatives and ask yourself specific questions to determine whether you are able to do your own job search or require the assistance of retained or contingency search firms. If you choose to use a recruitment firm, you should expect the company to be knowledgeable, friendly, and professional in all its dealings with you. By looking for recruitment firms that have the best reputation in matching the right physicians with the right medical organizations, you are not only safeguarding your own welfare but are also safeguarding the welfare of your patients and family.

 

References:
Schmiege, David P. (2003). The Resident and the Recruiter. Retrieved December 12, 2003, from MedStrategies Management Group web site: http://illinoisaap.org/IL-Recruiter.pdf.
New Physician. How to Work With Recruiting Firms. Retrieved December 12, 2003, from http://www.newphysician.com/articles/howto_1.html.
Bruce, Calvin (March-April 2001). Evaluating Physician Search Firms. Retrieved December 12, 2003, from The New England Journal of Medicine CareerCenter web site:
http://www.nejmjobs.org/rpt/rpt_article_4.asp.
Cornell, Rich (July-August 1999). Retained vs. Contingency: Selecting the Right Search Firm. Retrieved December 12, 2003, from The New England Journal of Medicine CareerCenter web site: http://www.nejmjobs.org/rpt/rpt_article_9.asp.

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