Pediatrician Dr. Trevor Cabrera shares the qualities and characteristics he looks for when choosing to work with a locum tenens recruiter.
Like many locum tenens physicians, I’ve spent the last few years navigating a busy system of multiple locum tenens agencies and dozens of recruiters. I’ve interacted with some I’ve loved and some I have not. I’ve observed varying company dynamics, from those who balance employee retention with the pressure for commission to others who consider customer service for their providers a priority.
Throughout the process, I’ve developed my own criteria when deciding whether to work with a new agency or recruiter. Here are five questions I find important in determining a strong locum tenens work relationship.
1. Does the recruiter have my best interests at heart?
Those who take a genuine interest in advocating for the well-being of others establish the most worthwhile relationships. My preferred recruiters have taken caution to avoid presenting me to facilities with unsafe work environments due to hospital politics or poor administration. They’ve also recommended I take days off when I appear to be burnt out or overworked.
While it is true that words can just be words, taking a sincere interest in my well-being has been a consistent factor in determining my return business, even if only to refer colleagues.
2. Are they offering me the assignments I want?
A good salesperson must know what they’re selling and to whom they’re selling it. It makes no sense to sell a bike to a mermaid, just like it makes no sense to offer me a clinic job when I request something inpatient.
As a full-time locum tenens physician, I am constantly approached about jobs — and duties — I have no interest in, in places I would never want to be. When I am incessantly solicited for a position that is clearly not the right fit for me, I no longer take the recruiter’s calls. Having a recruiter listen to what I want makes me want to hear them out. It’s exhausting to repeat myself to new people every day.
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3. Does the recruiter know who I am and what I do?
I’m always frustrated when I speak to a recruiter who hasn’t taken the time to understand what kind of doctor I am, what it took to get where I am today, and the clinical duties befitting of me.
After a decade of training, including three years of focus and board certification in pediatrics, I am always disheartened by some recruiters' lack of specialty knowledge. For example, I don’t care for adult patients, but I am routinely solicited for their care. It’s clearly poor form and shows a lack of interest and time investment in me as a provider.
4. Is the recruiter persistent or verging on harassment?
Notably, one of my biggest pet peeves is a lack of respect for the word “no.” I have always appreciated persistence and tenacity, but it’s easy to cross the line into harassment.
Recurrent pestering from one agent not only turned me off from ever working with him in the future, but it also cast a bad light on his company and associates. Sometimes, a little space is all that’s needed — recruitment goes both ways, and I will seek out opportunities when I’m ready.
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5. How well does the recruiter communicate?
Communication can make a monumental difference in the strength and longevity of partnerships. One recruiter’s poorly worded, delayed responses regarding travel and payroll made me reconsider taking the assignment — despite the above-market compensation and a group of people I clicked with in a place I loved.
Many characteristics make a great recruiter, and each fit is individual. At the end of the day, transparency, trust, consistency, and communication form the foundation of a strong working relationship. Focusing on providing great service while respecting healthy boundaries might take a little more effort on the recruiter's part, but it builds the strongest bridges in the long term.