In his excellent book, Games Companies Play, Pierre Mornell says: “Most of the best jobs are not advertised – anywhere.” If this is true, and our experience affirms it, then how will you know when that dream job comes along? The answer is simple – build a relationship with a top Career Agent in your market.
Our experience in health care recruiting has taught us two lessons about top professionals: (1) they are good at what they do and focused on the patient, (2) they are not very focused on career advancement or development. Fact is, the two are incompatible. We encounter these health care heroes every day; working 12 hours shifts, trying to keep up their CE credits, meanwhile raising families and taking care of business. Their heads are down and their eyes are focused on improving health outcomes, not scanning the horizon for the cutting edge job….
On the other hand, the career professionals talk to employers in your market every single day. They have their finger on the pulse of the industry and are aware of new ventures and trends in the industry at large and in your immediate market. Because we are proactive in talking to clients we know when they are thinking about hiring even before jobs are announced.
Take Pharmacy Home Infusion as an example. Recently we noticed that Venture Capital companies have become aware of the cutting edge nature of home health care delivery. Some of these VC enterprises have developed and funded divisions designed to capture this market by buying independently-owned home infusion operations; infusing them with cash and operational support in order to develop nation-wide networks. These companies are on the move under the radar and unbranded in the marketplace. Our candidates learn of these opportunities before they are advertised.
Or, to quote Stephen Viscusi (Bullet Proof Your Job) who recommends “establishing a relationship with a recruiter” as a key strategy: “Recruiting is an industry fueled by information – gossip to be precise…the inside scoop about people leaving jobs or being fired, new positions being created, companies being reorganized….”