Our jobs would be a lot easier if it were only a matter of reaching candidates that are actively seeking the right practice opportunity. They usually find us!!
We are always trying to find new and better ways to reach the passive candidate. What and where do we advertise to entice the passive candidate? How do we reach the passive candidate that is just waiting to see or hear something that encourages him to investigate our opportunity?
We often hear from our colleagues that networking with the peers of such passive candidates is important. I find myself saying, “I wish I have more opportunities to network with the peers of potential candidates.”
LinkedIn is an excellent tool that you can use to network with passive candidates. Physicians in general are technology savy and more than 70% will use the Internet when looking for a practice opportunity (New England Journal of Medicine, 2008). Like Facebook, LinkedIn is a social networking site and is a cost effective tool. But unlike Facebook, LinkedIn was created specifically for the business world as a professional networking site.
LinkedIn allows you to develop a network of professional contacts that can pass on any information you have to share and can get information out to your network 24/7. But be forewarned, this is not just a job posting site. You have to take the time to maintain your network, update information, etc. LinkedIn has the potential of keeping passive candidates engaged allowing you to develop a professional rapport—rule of “garbage in, garbage out” definitely applies.
Another benefit of LinkedIn is their convenience. Physicians are very busy and it can be a struggle to connect with them. Often, I find that when I do track a candidate down he/she does not have a lot of time to talk. LinkedIn allows prospective candidates access to practice information on their timeframe. In my opinion, this is a tremendous advantage giving us the opportunity to capture a candidate’s undivided attention when he is most receptive to our message.
Most of our clients that have turned to social networking activities have tried Facebook first and have had great success. LinkedIn is quickly gaining in popularity—membership grows by a new member approximately every second! Like Facebook, LinkedIn is a great, user-friendly, cost effective tool that can compliment your candidate acquisition plan. The initial feedback has been very positive!
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