I don't usually talk about my candidates. As a matter of fact, I make it a point to NOT talk about them to preserve and protect their confidentiality. However, I have to break my rule this once.
As you may know, I work with physicians usually. They come in all shapes and sizes. They are super smart and uber smart. There is a shortage of them in the US. Some work with recruiters to help them find jobs. Some have a hard time working with anyone. By that I mean, we have done such an awesome job of teaching physicians to rely on their own judgment, to trust their instincts and to reluctantly rely on others (beside a physician colleague) that they have a hard time delegating any part of their job search to someone else.
Now, just for a second, to intensify the pitch of my whine that makes them tough cookies to work with as a recruiter. Docs don't listen to your advice and they go off wandering alone – much like my seven year old. The real issue is that the recruiter is an asset to the physician. Recruiters have experience in that in which docs don't – finding jobs.
So, here is my rant. I've been working with a doc who has an offer in hand. He is interested in joining this great practice with people he is confident will be good to work with for a long time. He is and has been seeking attorney review of his offer. I applaud his desire to have attorney review. I believe that is a step every physician candidate should take. However, please know that it always: 1) adds time to the negotiation process; 2) adds expense; and 3) I've yet to see anyone go to an attorney and say, "I want you to find only the things that are right about this so we can move forward quickly." By definition, adding an attorney adds a layer of complexity to the process. Attorney's (I am one by training so I can say this with an insider's navel-lint-picking-perspective) HAVE to find something to correct. You'd be mad if you paid someone $500 or so dollars to have them come back and say, "everything is fine."
So, I've got this candidate with a job offer and the first attorney, one he selected, takes FOREVER to get back to him. Doc starts calling attorney and attorney has excuses about why he hasn't had a chance to review the offer letter agreement. Eventually, attorney stops returning calls. Doc is desperate. Super Recruiter (me) steps in and says, "lookie here are the names of well respected firms that I know 1) do this work on a regular basis, 2) guarantee that they will produce an answer promptly." Viola, a win-win for everyone. Doc even sends Super Recruiter a note saying thanks for the suggestions.
Next, what do I learn? Well, Doc has hired a new attorney. Yeah. However, it isn't one of the ones recommended by me, it is some other guy….so we are still waiting on the results of "attorney" review. Just for the record…it has been over a month. I'm sure that Doc will come back with feedback about the offer for my client soon. I'm sure eventually we will get to an acceptable arrangement between the two. I'm also sure that like my seven year old, I'll forgive him for this interminable delay and send him happily on his way to his new job. But, just for the record, if he had listened to me, sought my advice and allowed me to be a true partner to his process the offer negotiations would have been over at least two weeks ago and he would be working with the relocation specialist by now rather than still being up in the air.
Ok. I'm done. I just think that sometimes we "do what we think we need to do" without thinking about the consequences. In this case his prospective employer is learning something about this Doc and what it is like to work with him. Not all these impressions are good. Wish it was different, but in this instance the Doc choose to do his own thing and I will support him to the finish – cleaning up behind. Food for thought.
Happy and healthy hiring and job searching.
Success by design. One candidate, good advice and retention tips at a time.
Lynden Kidd
http://www.nextteration.net and www.nihealthjobs.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndenkidd
2 comments:
It sounds like "trust" is a big issue with this candidate, and if this is the level of trust that the candidate has BEFORE signing onto a new job, which is supposed to precede the honeymoon period between new employee and employer, then the employer may be in for some challenges with this individual. I hope it works out with the candidate and that this is just pre employment jitters.
Jane - you nailed it. Trust was the big issue. This candidate walked and we never saw him again. So, in many respects I'm glad for both my client and my candidate. There needs to be magic in the match between new physician and practice. If there wasn't sufficient magic in the match to overcome the newly trained physicians issues then it wasn't right. Discouraging part is the lack of communication.
L
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