The Tough Life of a Recruiter

[Bwright007]

Everyone hates me!

No seriously, no one likes being called by a locum tenens recruiter.

I asked this question on another thread, but I'm trying to take a different approach to the industry by asking first hand students, graduates, and tenured psychiatrists on here.

Unfortunately my job is to find the best of the best and I know you all are out there. The issue that falls with that is one simple fact: Good providers will never be NOT busy. If they are, they're probably on vacation but even so who would take to me while "relaxing with family"? I wouldn't even talk to me if I called myself asking about work.

With this being said, here are two questions I have gathered while being in the industry 4+ years:

• What is a better approach I can take when speaking with providers about locum work?
• Besides money what else are you looking for me to offer?

B

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[WisNeuro]

• What is a better approach I can take when speaking with providers about locum work?
• Besides money what else are you looking for me to offer?

Can you show that after taking your cut, that working with a recruiter, on average, leads to more compensation for a provider to justify using recruiter services?

 

[Bwright007]

On average, my providers make anywhere from $350-$400k per year.

In regards to 'recruiter services', I take the headache away from credentialing by prepopulating documents and including all Fed Ex labels; buy licenses for my providers for free and again prepopulate those applications; and lastly book all travel. None of these things are coming out of my providers' pockets so this alone is one huge asset to the provider, No?

By all means, if you are satisfied with doing these things on your own, I truly suggest it!

B

 

[WisNeuro]

Don't most hospitals prepopulate credentialing documents already? Ours does for all licensed providers. We just had to fill out some basic info and they filled it out and just had us check over and sign off on it for credentialing with different panels. Additionally, don't most places coordinate travel as well? I'm just wondering about the value added as I haven't had to do these things outside of VA recruitment, which is the only place I know that does not automatically do this for doctoral level providers.

 

[PsyDr]

Don't most hospitals prepopulate credentialing documents already? Ours does for all licensed providers. We just had to fill out some basic info and they filled it out and just had us check over and sign off on it for credentialing with different panels. Additionally, don't most places coordinate travel as well? I'm just wondering about the value added as I haven't had to do these things outside of VA recruitment, which is the only place I know that does not automatically do this for doctoral level providers.

Say you accept a locum job.

They fill out everything, get you licensed in a new state, get you on insurance panels in the new state, buy you a plane ticket, have a car waiting for you at the airport, have a hotel/condo/apartment waiting for you, etc.

 

[Bwright007]

If the facilities you have worked with have prepopulated the documents, that's awesome! Not all are the same I see. You would be surprised regarding the travel aspect. For example, there are hidden fees that are associated with this feature that many overlook. For example, our services are complementary in contrast, there are search/finder fees of up to $25k, processing fees for documents, and also agencies who do not assist with travel on top of all of these fees!

The value I have as a recruiter is taking care of the nonsense of negotiating, documentation, and keeping your file organized to help provide more free time on your end as the provider so you won't have to worry about these things.

Imagine working three to six months then going on vacation without worrying about what's next because you have someone maintaining everything for you?

Again, this process isn't for everyone! So if you have a stable life and need benefits including 401K, Life insurance, steady hours... I get it! I have a daughter also lol.

 

[Bwright007]

Say you accept a locum job.

They fill out everything, get you licensed in a new state, get you on insurance panels in the new state, buy you a plane ticket, have a car waiting for you at the airport, have a hotel/condo/apartment waiting for you, etc.

Sounds like heaven to me!

 

[WisNeuro]

Say you accept a locum job.

They fill out everything, get you licensed in a new state, get you on insurance panels in the new state, buy you a plane ticket, have a car waiting for you at the airport, have a hotel/condo/apartment waiting for you, etc.

All of this except getting me licensed in my new state were done for me by the hospital that recruited me. I don't know, it just wasn't a very complicated or time consuming process. I'm not trying to be difficult, just trying to understand. I assume that there may be some differences in region, but it was a pretty painless process for me from the recruiting to moving in. We barely had to do anything as the hospital did it all for us (PhD and MD spouse both hired into same system).

 

[Bwright007]

Nice! Well that's a great thing you have going. Just keep in mind some facilities are not organized, lose documents, lack in urgency, not willing to call internationally for school verifications (residency/fellowship), ETC...

Stay there wherever you are! You have a good gig going!

 

[Ironspy]

So far the only jobs that recruiters have approached me with (via email) are objectively bad jobs. Either the location is atrocious or the work:compensation ratio is high. It makes me think that the main reason to enlist a recruiter is to fill a job that would not fill if advertised via other venues (APA, NEJM, doximity, word of mouth, etc). If I started getting calls about these undesirable jobs to my cell, I would change my number.

If the jobs are objectively great, I wonder why you have to cold call multiple psychiatrists to fill it.

Summary:
-continue to email please
-good work:compensation ratio

 

[Gavanshir]

Do recruiters work with psychologists? Surely the licensure process is different from licensure of a psychiatrist.

I see the value of receuiters in simply learning about opportunities that I would otherwise not have come across .

 

[Bwright007]

Do recruiters work with psychologists? Surely the licensure process is different from licensure of a psychiatrist.

I see the value of receuiters in simply learning about opportunities that I would otherwise not have come across .

Agreed and Yes we do.

 

[WisNeuro]

Surely the licensure process is different from licensure of a psychiatrist.

In our state, my MD spouse had to fill out less paperwork than I did when we got licensed here.

 

[Bwright007]

So far the only jobs that recruiters have approached me with (via email) are objectively bad jobs. Either the location is atrocious or the work:compensation ratio is high. It makes me think that the main reason to enlist a recruiter is to fill a job that would not fill if advertised via other venues (APA, NEJM, doximity, word of mouth, etc). If I started getting calls about these undesirable jobs to my cell, I would change my number.

If the jobs are objectively great, I wonder why you have to cold call multiple psychiatrists to fill it.

Summary:
-continue to email please
-good work:compensation ratio

I definitely understand where you are coming from, however there are facilities we have been working with for decades. All jobs aren't bad jobs. The majority of the clients I see, based on our tenure, are because:

• Rural areas
• Spike in Census
• Perm Quit/Retired & Currently searching for his/her replacement
• Maternity/ Medical Leave

I also pay attention to desires and if you are one of those individuals who dislike being called on our BFE jobs because we have those as well, I definitely won't!

B

 

[Bwright007]

In our state, my MD spouse had to fill out less paperwork than I did when we got licensed here.

Different states require more/less than others. The amount of credentialing paperwork isn't necessarily based on state but instead the facility's requirements.

 

[gyngyn]

This thread is being closed as it appears to be self promotion.