If your needs are highly specialized, you want to look beyond your market, or you just want to know a person is actively sifting through candidates, you may need to retain a recruiter to help you. Recruiters are trained in placing quality candidates in quality jobs and are often the key to filling positions.
Of course, before there was the Internet and before people had recruiters to turn to, those looking to fill vacancies relied on networking. This time-tested way of finding quality candidates is still solid enough to depend on today. Reaching out to your colleagues is a great way to fill a vacant position. Networking at local, national, and international events is also a good idea. After all, your colleagues have an excellent grasp on what it takes to work in rheumatology and can often make the most helpful and thoughtful recommendations.
Narrowing the Pool: If you have put the time and effort into a thorough initial search, less work will be needed to narrow the candidate pool. Narrowing the pool entails reviewing résumés and cover letters to determine the candidates you will interview.
Edward J. O’Connor, PhD, professor of management and health administration, University of Colorado in Denver, suggests that, when in doubt, physician leaders should look for three specifics in potential employees:
- Intelligence: “Smarter employees, on average, are more proficient employees,” he says.
- Conscientiousness: Dr. O’Connor advises physician leaders to, “select conscientious people, if you are looking for a single personality trait,” because “conscientious employees are dependable, reliable, thorough, organized, and persistent.”
- Ability to fit into the culture: All it takes is one ill-fitted employee to cause waves in culture. When searching for the right person, Dr. O’Connor says physician leaders should, “hire people who fit [in order] to improve performance and cut turnover.”
You won’t be able to pinpoint all of these things while narrowing the pool, but if you find that a candidate is lacking in one of these areas, consider carefully before inviting him or her for an interview.
Interviews: As a physician leader who is filling a vacant position, you are concerned with finding the best talent in the smallest amount of time and for the best possible price. This can be nerve racking.
Being prepared before you pick up the phone or sit down with an interviewee is your best protection against wasted time, such as discussions about certain topics (compensation, time off, or benefits) too soon in the process, and—most importantly—dropping the right candidate or moving forward with the wrong candidate.
