Posts By: Kerrie Boyd

5 Tips for Choosing a Locum Tenens Recruiter

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locum tenens recruiters

A locum tenens recruiter helps physicians find lucrative job opportunities in quality health care facilities while also partnering these facilities with candidates best-suited to each job opening. The recruiter acts as a matchmaker of sorts, helping both parties make the right connection. Physicians who are seeking a locum tenens recruiter should keep a few key points in mind when making their selection.

Look for a Full Job Board

One of the primary benefits of locum tenens work is flexibility. Physicians typically choose this path so they’ll have their pick of prime job opportunities. The best locum tenens recruiters have several options for their physicians to choose from. When choosing a recruiter, check out their job board and make sure there’s plenty of variety in the locations, specialties, and work environments that are available.

Choose Informed Recruiters

A good locum tenens recruiter knows what clients are looking for and how to handle the matchmaking process. The recruiter should ask each physician questions about their:

  • Areas of specialty.
  • Preferred hours and schedule.
  • Target salary.
  • Desired location.
  • Willingness to relocate.

Recruiters should also address the importance of each of these areas. For example, some physicians may feel that good pay is more important than location while others will prefer to stay in the same locale even if it means making a little less money.

Prioritize Prompt Communication

A good recruiter will respond to inquiries promptly. Locum tenens physicians are generally in high demand, so workers shouldn’t have to wait weeks to hear back about the latest opportunities. Physicians who are shopping for a good recruiter can eliminate anyone who can’t get back to them in a reasonable amount of time.

Don’t Pay for Placements

Locum tenens recruiters should get paid by the client, not the clientele. In this case, the health care facility is the client, and the physician is the clientele. Those who are hiring for locum tenens positions will pay the recruitment agency to help with their job listings and connect them with skilled physicians. For the physician, this service should come with no associated costs.

Focus on One Agency

Locum tenens physicians will usually get the best results from working with one dedicated recruiter. This can help both the recruiter and the physician get to know one another better and form a solid working relationship. Working with too many recruiters at once can cause job seekers to spread themselves too thin. It’s also difficult to keep up with too many agencies. Physicians risk submitting their resumes to the same company more than once this way. This makes it confusing for the employer, who may wonder which recruiter the physician is really working with, and it may result in lost opportunities.

The Talent Society offers reliable recruitment services to help health care providers find the best locum tenens jobs. These recruiters use a proprietary candidate synopsis tool to help them find the best opportunities for each individual client. This personalized approach is thoughtfully designed to ensure that providers and health care facilities both get exactly what they’re looking for.

How To Negotiate Locum Tenens Rates

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locum tenens rates

A locum tenens is typically a physician, practitioner, or psychologist who temporarily fills in for a physician at a different practice. Locum tenens jobs can help medical professionals to make some extra money and experience a new work environment. Some, even choose to use it as their full-time career, as opposed to a permanent position at a single facility. Negotiating the right rate at a locum tenens job is important, so here are a few steps one can take to negotiate locum tenens rates effectively:

1. Consider the Non-Negotiables

Before going into negotiations, an individual needs to understand what they’re looking for. Speaking to colleagues who are in the same area of practice is a great way to get a better understanding of the rates in that area. They can then set a goal and focus on addressing the factors that aren’t negotiable. For example, a physician may want to stay within 25 miles of their home, even if the rate is higher than it would otherwise be.

It’s also important to research the locum company before starting negotiations. This allows you to find out more about what it has to offer and how satisfied other physicians are at its placements.

2. Have an Initial Meeting With the Locum Company

After considering all the factors involved in negotiations, it’s time to make the initial call to the company and formally begin the negotiations. It’s often helpful for a physician to have their goals readily accessible to them during the call. This way, they can ask the recruiter the most relevant questions and get a better understanding of what the company offers and how closely the rates correlate to their own goals. This is also a good way to keep track of their answers.

After covering the basics, it’s time to mention the pay rate. Start by expressing interest in a competitive rate and mentioning various aspects of the position that may make it more difficult to accept, such as longer or more strenuous procedures. Discussing these factors can help physicians justify a higher rate. During the negotiation, be sure to ask the company about its own priorities.

3. Reach an Agreement and Get It in Writing

Additional meetings may be necessary in order to come to an agreement. After reaching an agreement, get it in writing and ensure that it properly addresses all the terms. Even if a physician accepts an offer that doesn’t quite meet their goals, it’s still possible for them to negotiate a second time and see if they can get a better rate. Rates may also vary, depending on location.

At The Talent Society, we specialize in helping physicians find placements all across the country. We work hard to make sure every placement respects and rewards the talents of our physicians. All our physicians have their own agents who can help them design unique career paths. Contact us today to learn more and get in touch with one of our friendly recruiters.

General Surgeon Locum Tenens

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general surgeon locum tenens

General surgeons are some of the busiest health care professionals. Due to this, hospitals may recruit general surgeon locum tenens to help relieve their full-time surgeons. There are several benefits to contracting as a locum tenens professional, including increased pay rates and flexible schedules. Hospitals and recruiters may also benefit from hiring locum tenens since they often need more surgeons in their staff. Read this overview to understand the advantages of locum tenens positions and why they’re worth considering.

Flexible Scheduling

Contracting as locum tenens gives general surgeons more flexibility in their schedules. This type of position allows surgeons to choose when they work and how long they work for. Flexible work schedules can help reduce burnout since general surgeons have more control over when they work. Locum tenens are usually temporary positions, which means they don’t have to fulfill office hours when they’re off-contract. Hospitals and recruiters also benefit from this because they can use locum tenens to fill gaps in their schedules. This means if a surgeon can’t come in, they can replace them with a locum tenens professional.

Expanded Skill Set

Locum tenens often work in different clinical settings, which allows them to expand their skill sets. General surgeons usually stay in the same location, so they can’t use their various skills. On the other hand, locum tenens can accept contracts in different facilities. For example, they may work in a specialty facility where they have to perform unique procedures. This benefits the general surgeon locum tenens because they get to develop new skills. Hospitals also benefit from this because they can recruit these multitalented surgeons who have large skillsets.

More Hours

General surgeons may end up having fewer hours when they work in private practice. This is because there are more staff members to fill the hours. While some surgeons may appreciate having fewer hours, young physicians may not log as many hours as they need for practice. Contracting as a locum tenens professional allows general surgeons to get more surgical practice because they will probably be at a location with few physicians on-site.

Increased Pay

One of the most notable reasons to consider locum tenens work is the pay increase. Whether the physician chooses to work locum tenens full time or temporarily, they’ll likely make more money. If it’s a side job, they’ll earn extra income in addition to what they already make. Full-time general surgeon locum tenens sometimes make a higher salary because their region is experiencing a shortage of physicians. Therefore, pay rates for locum tenens may be higher due to the demand. General surgeon locum tenens positions have many benefits for both the recruiters and the professionals accepting these contracts.

These positions allow general surgeons to have more control over their schedules, plus they help them expand their skill sets. Hospitals also benefit from recruiting locum tenens because these contractors can fill gaps in the hospitals’ schedules. For these reasons and more, general surgeon locum tenens contracts have several advantages that may be worth considering. Contact our team at The Talent Society today to learn more about locum tenens positions.

Why Locum Tenens?

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why locum tenens

Locum tenens is a Latin term that translates to “one holding a place” and can describe a professional, particularly a doctor or clergy member, who performs the work of a colleague for a short period. A locum tenens company can provide temporary, high-quality staffing support for hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. Hiring using the locum tenens strategy can also help hospitals and physician service providers boost recruitment and provide excellent care. Here are five ways that health care facilities can benefit from hiring locum tenens:

Simplified Hiring Process

Working with a locum tenens hiring company can boost recruitment and simplify the hiring process by finding, matching, and screening candidates for each facility client. To begin the process, hiring managers can fill out a provider request form in which they indicate the type of physician they’d like to hire, the number of positions they have to fill, and their contact information. Next, hiring managers can submit the request form and wait for a recruiter to contact them to review candidates.

Trial Period

Locum tenens hiring can provide the opportunity to evaluate locum tenens physicians before offering them a full-time position. Facilities might use this strategy to assess the attitude, medical aptitude, and cultural fit of an individual health care worker. This may be particularly useful when the facility wants to hire a specialist quickly. If hiring managers determine the candidate is a valuable addition to their team, they may offer that individual a permanent position after their time as a locum tenens is complete.

Access to Top Talent

Facilities that choose to partner with a locum tenens hiring company can easily access top industry talent to fill open positions. The selection and verification processes the hiring company performs on candidates can include pre-verification of privileges, credentials, and state licenses. They may also facilitate rigorous background checks and present only candidates with clean and consistent work histories.

Access to Compatible Talent

Locum tenens hiring companies can also assess the cultural fit between a provider and a facility before suggesting a match. To facilitate the matchmaking process, candidates can provide survey answers that reflect their interests, attitudes, and personality. The hiring company can match this information with a facility’s mission, values, and culture to offer compatible hiring options.

Continuous Patient Care

In health care settings, continuity of care is vital. For patients, it can help create familiarity and build trust. Smooth care transitions can also help reduce physician error and improve communication. If a doctor is absent — on vacation, for instance — filling the position with a locum tenens physician rather than rearranging other caregiver schedules can help improve the continuity of care for all patients. This consistency can help patients feel cared for, which may improve the overall physician-patient relationship.

Hiring locum tenens physicians can help medical facilities offer high-quality care by top-quality caregivers. Locum tenens physicians can also benefit from the opportunity to experience different locations, practice styles, and clinical settings. This makes locum tenens a useful hiring practice for medical facilities to consider.