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When looking for new physician and advanced practitioner candidates, we often first think of active job seekers, that is, those who are actively looking for a new position. Makes sense, right? And, of course, there are many qualified candidates among such job seekers, particularly those right out of medical school or having just completed their medical residency.

However, there’s an entire other market of job seekers to consider: passive candidates. This group comprises those who are already experienced in a particular specialty and working within that specialty, who may not be thinking of switching jobs but could be enticed with the right offer. These candidates are often richly qualified and work well with others—qualities that would make them a great addition to your team.

So how do you adapt your recruiting efforts to attract the best talent, whether from active job seekers or passive job seekers?

Here are a few tips:

Make hiring an ongoing process.

Even if you’re not seeking to fill a particular position today, maybe you will be tomorrow. Identifying the best practitioners in the field is important so that when you do need to fill a spot, you already know who you want to contact.

Networking.

Networking is the key to getting to know who might make the next best addition to your team. Get to know others in your department and make it clear that you are always on the lookout for candidates. A physician on staff might have a friend from medical school who would be a great addition to your workplace. And remember to bring your recruiting efforts into your daily life. Your tennis partner’s wife or a member of your book club might be the specialist your department needs!

Social media.

Polish up your profile on LinkedIn and Twitter and show off your accomplishments. Being active on social media is a great way to get to know healthcare professionals, and posting job offers across these platforms is a good idea. But if you stop there, you’re missing an essential part of drawing talent to your team. Don’t forget to use social media to post about your accomplishments and highlight the expertise you already have in your department. Write about that award you won and post it to your social media accounts. Interview the most experienced physician in your department about how exciting it is to work for your hospital, then post the article to your blog and promote across social media.

Make your job offers shine.

When writing up a job offer, be as specific and precise as possible. Experienced medical professionals often relocate to take on new positions or consult with their families before making a big career change. If you address subjects that concern families such as relocation costs and healthcare, you’ll definitely win points with your candidates.

Compensation.

Like in other fields, if you are hoping to attract the best candidate for the job, have a look at your compensation and benefits package and make it as strong as possible. Although physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals are often focused first and foremost on helping others and saving lives, they still look at compensation when making a decision. Demand is high for medical professionals. If they receive two offers that are equally interesting, compensation might be the deciding factor.

Make interviewing easy.

A busy physician or nurse, often juggling career and family, might find it hard to come to your office at 8 a.m. sharp on a Monday. Especially if he or she lives in another city. Start off with a phone call or video call at an hour that suits the candidate—even if that means after business hours or on a weekend. This will put you on the right track from the get-go.

These tips can help you save time and money as you recruit and lead you to the best candidates to provide quality care. Whether you’re looking to hire a physician or advanced practitioner now or down the road, we can help you find the right candidates.