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Physician recruiters: 3 tips for your first medical conference

Published on: Jun 10, 2019
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Medical conferences can be a great platform to find and recruit top medical talent, but you have to understand how to appeal to attendees. Generally, the medical professionals you meet at conferences aren't there looking for another job; however, many of these people may be passively interested in new opportunities.

As a recruiter, events represent an amazing opportunity to connect with the best of the best. Simply by attending, these professionals are demonstrating their commitment to expanding their professional knowledge and moving their careers forward. It's up to you to engage them in a conversation about their future. Here's how:


1. Don't rush the introduction


You may be tempted to meet as many medical job seekers as possible, but that defeats the primary benefit of attending conferences: the ability to establish personal connections. So take your time when introducing yourself and get to know everyone you speak with. Learn about their current position, what they like about it, and what they want for their future.

It's OK if the conversations you have are mostly made up of small talk - you're not at the event to interview people. Instead, focus on building rapport and gauge their interest in future conversations.

Conference attendees show they're interested in expanding their professional knowledge.Conference attendees show they're interested in expanding their professional knowledge.




2. Listen carefully and ask questions


It may be tempting to launch into a description of that one job you've been trying to fill for weeks when you find someone who seems like the perfect fit. Try to pace yourself and don't spend too much time describing the positions you hire for - you can always send a follow-up email.

When you meet new people, ask questions about their background, why they're attending the conference and what they hope to do in the future. Make mental notes as you talk, and then jot down anything important immediately after the conversation ends.


3. Follow up after the event


The conference is the time to meet physician job seekers, ask questions and collect information. After the event, collect and organize your notes and determine who you want to speak with again. Who seemed most interested in changing jobs? Who seemed to have the most qualifications? Create a ranked list, then contact them via email or phone. Make sure to remind each person how you met and try to recall something you discussed at the conference.

Attending events is one of the best ways to establish a personal connection with physicians and other medical professionals, but they're rarely a recruiter's sole source of talent. To connect with active and passive job seekers all year, post your open positions to myHealthTalent.com. As a recruiter, events represent an amazing opportunity to connect with the best of the best.