The goal of all new ophthalmologists is to work in a practice best suited for them. Unfortunately, most young professionals don’t know how to locate appropriate practices or how to present themselves in their best light to receive offers from the practices they desire.

For nearly 3 decades, we’ve helped thousands of medical practices hire new associates while helping thousands of new associates get hired by the right practices. Here are some of our insights into how to make physician recruitment work for you.

Before you begin interviewing, you should spend some time thinking about those practice qualities that are most appealing to you. You need to consider the patient and surgical volumes, the practice style (single specialty, multispecialty, consultant, primary care) and the geographic setting. You should also consider the special needs of your family, including social, religious, educational, cultural and medical issues.

By performing this self-analysis, you’ll be able to spend most of your time identifying practices that are most appealing to you and avoid wasting effort on inappropriate practices. You will not only save time, but also produce much more effective interviews.

To make the best possible practice selection, you need options. The only way to generate options is to speak with multiple practices. How do you find these practices?

You never know which resource will lead you to the practice that’s right for you. Thus, you should always make your search as broad as possible.

If you have Internet access, the EyeNet Web site of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (www.eyenet.org) offers a number of services designed to match new ophthalmologists with eye care practices. On the Professional Choices page, you’ll find instructions on how to search employment listings by state and subspecialty, as well as other information and search options. You can even post an electronic version of your curriculum vitae (CV) on the site.

If you need more options than you find at the Academy website, research practices in your targeted areas and directly contact those you suspect will fulfill your criteria. The Internet, the Yellow Pages (or similar business telephone directories), and Dorland’s Directory are readily available resources to help you. Your efforts are very likely to be rewarded with interviews, and those practices you contact will be impressed with your initiative.

Also check all the periodicals and journals you receive. Many of them have classified employment advertisements. Keep the direct mail physician recruiters send you and contact them to make them aware of your availability.

There’s a lot of competition for good practice opportunities. Your goal is to get the practices in which you are interested to call you and not the other candidates. This means that your cover letter and CV need to convey the following messages:

• You’re a very good ophthalmologist.
In either your cover letter or CV, include the number of procedures you’ve performed, the different techniques you’ve learned and mastered, and the prominent people who have trained you.
• You’re a hard-working team player.
Most practices are looking for new associates who work hard and get along well with patients and physicians. Include in your cover letter some event that illustrates your warmth, compassion, diligence and ability to get along with others. Also include accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to collaborate, such as your election by peers to a leadership role or your participation in team sports.
• You have good references.
For example, with her CV and cover letter, one particularly well-trained ophthalmologist included a letter of recommendation from her department head. Among his other remarks, he wrote that, once patients had been treated by the candidate, they were reluctant to return to the candidate’s mentor. In a tight market, that young physician had practices absolutely falling over themselves to interview her.

Practices hire new associates for subjective reasons. Offers are generally made based upon impressions and feelings, rather than facts and figures. It’s very important that you develop a collegial relationship with the practice’s physicians, advisers and staff.

Realize that most physicians don’t enjoy recruiting associates. The reason the hiring doctors have invited you for an interview is their hope that you’ll be "the one" – the candidate who ends their recruiting misery. They want you to do well, and if you follow these suggestions, they ‘ll be eager to make you an offer:

• Create the right impression.
Before the interview, get dressed up; spend some time grooming yourself, and be pleased with your appearance.
At the interview, introduce yourself, extend your hand and be genuinely glad to make the acquaintance of every member of the practice you meet. Be polite, open and honest. Remember the name of each person you meet and address those people by name. Demonstrate that you realize the nonphysician staff members are people too. Remember to thank your hosts for the privilege of speaking with them.
• Discuss medical issues first
The most obvious characteristic you and your interviewer will have in common is that you’re both ophthalmologists. Discuss why you enjoy ophthalmology. Talk about the gratification you receive from ophthalmic practice. Ask about the types of patients the practice has, their indications for surgery and any protocols and/or guidelines established for the practice’s physicians.
• Provide feedback.
During the interview, nod your head, smile and respond positively to the information you’re receiving. Compliment the practice and express your continued interest. Don’t be afraid to show interest in the practice. Enthusiasm counts and is often reciprocated.
• Sell yourself
. Throughout the interview the type of individual the practice is looking for will become apparent to you. Using your own life experiences whenever applicable, demonstrate to the interviewer how well you meet the criteria they have established.
• Tell them what you will do for them.
Most interviews are fairly one-sided, addressing primarily what the practice will do for the candidate. Subjects typically include, for example, how you’ll be introduced to patients and referral sources, and what compensation you’ll receive. Be sure to describe what you’ll do to help the practice grow and meet its objectives. By displaying initiative and expressing your willingness to contribute to the practice’s success, you’ll make a very positive impression and delight the interviewer.
• Let the practice initiate financial discussions.
Don’t bring up salary. If you follow the suggestions we’ve made, you’ll have no need to ask the practice about the financial arrangements. The object is to impress the practice so thoroughly with your candidacy that its representative will initiate the discussion as a prelude to an offer.
If the practice does initiate financial discussions, don’t be first to say what salary and bonus arrangements you have in mind. Many candidates have cost themselves thousands of dollars by revealing the "bottom-line" offer they would accept.

Knowing how to locate appropriate practices that are seeking new associates, and understanding a few things about the recruiting process should help you with:

• finding more potential employment situations
• finding practices that are appropriate for you
• receiving more quality interview opportunities
• making the best possible impression during the hiring process
• receiving attractive offers from practices you would like to join. w