Understanding the difference between interviewing and recruiting is essential in today’s climate.
As a dermatology practice, you already know the candidate pool is small. There are simply not enough dermatology physicians to go around. So how do you get a candidate to sign with your practice when they have so many options available across the country?
As an expert team of dermatology recruiters, our advice is clear. Get back to “Wining and Dining” candidates to set yourself apart!
Don’t just interview a candidate, recruit them through your professional yet personal approach that sets you apart from the competition. Recruiting is often compared to dating. It’s a process in which intentions must be made clear, while getting to know each other and hopefully making an important commitment to one another in the end.
We know how busy you are running your practice, so here are some simple tips to help get you started…
Have a Clear and Concise Plan
Having a smooth and well planned recruitment process truly can set you apart from your competition. Having one main point of contact at the practice that they feel comfortable asking questions of as they come up is really important. This may be an internal recruitment manager, a practice administrator or physician owner in charge of coordinating recruitment.
Make the first call with a candidate feel special and important. A few ways to do so is to send the candidate lots of information on your town or community via email before the call, so they can get a feel for what it would be like to live and work there. Ensure the candidate understands exactly who will participate in the first phone call or zoom meeting with the practice before it happens. It’s important that the candidate knows what the roles and responsibilities are for each person involved in the recruitment process. This will provide the candidate time to research each person and be familiar with who they will be speaking with.
During the phone interview, ask open ended questions which allow the candidate to explain in detail who they are and what type of employee they would be. Say please and thank you often. It shows an appreciation of their consideration of your opportunity and exudes professionalism.
Upon close of a phone or zoom interview, provide concise details about what the next step will be, who will reach out to the candidate and when. It’s important to keep the process moving forward at a moderate pace to keep the candidate’s interest peaked.
If you decide you would like to move forward with a face to face interview with a candidate, it’s crucial to make your intentions known and to allow plenty of time for the candidate to make arrangements to take off work and/or travel to the interview. As experts in this area, myDermRecruiter recommends asking for a face to face interview within 48 hours of the initial call or zoom meeting.
Make It Personal
A memorable face to face interview will help you stay top-of-mind long after a candidate’s left your practice.
Imagine being an out-of-town candidate and walking into an interview or hotel room where you are greeted by a gift basket full of local goodies, or a few products from the practice’s skin care line!
A kind gesture like this before you’ve even met in person shows candidates that you are willing to go above and beyond their expectations. Plus, now they have something to bring home that will be a pleasant reminder of your initial meeting. In addition, a well planned printed itinerary with specific details on locations, meeting times and participants helps a candidate feel welcome and prepared for what to expect during the visit.
Listen intently during your first in person meeting to learn about specific interests, hobbies, or concerns they or their family may have. This will allow you to get creative regarding highlights of the community or opportunity that will make a lasting impression on the candidate.
Show Genuine Interest
While recruiting (courting) a potential employee, your main goal is to lay the foundation for a trusting, transparent relationship. Some practices are so caught up in the interview process that they forget the days of “wining and dining” a candidate to make them want to work with you.
And what better way to get to know someone than over lunch or dinner? Arrange a luncheon for yourself, the candidate and perhaps some of the other providers in the practice if appropriate. Or set up a fine dining dinner at a local restaurant that will allow for conversation and make a great impression on the candidate about what your community has to offer.
Use this time to dive deeper into their passions, motivations and long-term career goals. Ask questions about things they may have mentioned during your initial interview. Take a genuine interest in the information they are sharing. Whether a candidate is seeking a positive work-life balance or training in a subspecialty, reassure them that their career and lifestyle goals are important to you, too.
And let them ask questions about you and your practice, too. Share background information on fellow providers at your practice and give further insight into the culture and atmosphere you want to foster.
After a site visit is complete, be sure to follow up with the candidate personally within 48 hours to answer any questions they may have and inform them of when the next communication will be. If you plan to make an offer, we highly recommend that you do so within one week of the site visit.
By following these tips and truly building a recruitment process versus an interview schedule, the likelihood of a candidate signing with your practice is high! Set yourself apart.
A Recruitment Partner You Can Count On
In the highly competitive field of dermatology, you may not sign every candidate you attempt to recruit. However, you can build an outstanding reputation with your process and professionalism that will absolutely impress. Creating an initial sense of genuine appreciation, and taking the time to wine and dine a candidate will only increase your chances of being the practice they decide to call home. And the specialty of dermatology is small, so building a reputation as a practice who really cares about their potential recruits will only help attract more candidates to your door.
The good news is, you don’t have to figure out everything there is to know about attracting top-of-the-line candidates on your own, or managing the process step by step alone. Professional recruiters solely dedicated to your specialty are ready to help today!
Contact myDermRecruiter today at 636-239-1787 to start working with a recruitment partner that you can surely count on!