When physicians should (and shouldn’t) use recruiters in their job search

Physician staffing and recruiting firms are always looking to network with doctors, but when does it make sense for physicians in the job market to reach out to recruiters?

In many cases, if candidates are flexible in their location preferences, it might be beneficial to call a recruitment firm, says Pete Cebulka, director of recruiting development and training for Merritt Hawkins.

While retained search firms are hired by employers to find the right candidates, physicians can use contingent recruitment firms to aid in their search processes.

But there is a time when physicians might not want to use a recruiter, Cebulka says.

“If [physicians] are negotiating with the facility where they trained, they already know everyone there,” he says. “There’s not a lot of value that a recruiter is going to add to those conversations. Also, if a candidate is focused on one particular city, they may want to call around and find an opportunity by themselves first.”

However, if job-seeking physicians are too focused on one particular city, they might not always be successful.

“What normally happens, if they can’t find a job after several attempts, they’ll call a recruiter and say, ‘Why aren’t they’re jobs here? Help me understand,’” Cebulka says.

He says that’s when recruiters can step in and offer their expertise.

“They should talk with the recruiter to find out what they know about the market,” he says. “An experienced recruiter can give them really good information. [Physicians] can pick their brain and find out what’s realistic and what will be useful in their search. There isn’t a shortage of jobs in most specialties. It might just not be where they want to move.”
 

Subscribe to Medical Economics'weekly newsletter. It's free!