By: Tony Barlow | tbarlow@barlowmccarthy.com
The recruitment landscape is (and always has been) a bit of a moving target. For most recruiters there is a never-ending quest for the right candidates at the right time. Methods for sourcing candidates have been changing at a faster pace in recent years as technology has evolved. Tried and true methods of sourcing like cold calling, direct mail and job fairs continue to be productive if managed correctly. However, modern day methods like email, social media and digital job boards have taken a huge chunk of the market in recent years.
In 2017 our team at Barlow/McCarthy intensified our use of email as a sourcing tool for our clients. WOW, were we impressed with the results. We found solid leads in both the resident and practicing physician space. In addition, we gleaned important details from physicians about our opportunities. From our client’s perspective the ability to source solid leads at a fraction of the cost of other sourcing methods proved to be very valuable.
Email serves two specific roles, the first is sourcing active candidates, finding doctors who are ready to be hired- working those found leads. The second is a bit more obscure but also very important, it is to market your hospital and opportunities to physicians who may not be ready to be hired now but might be in the future. Statistics say that 70% of physicians will leave their first job within 2 years. We want the messaging they hear as a resident to make a solid impression for when they get ready to make that move.
The basics of email marketing remain the same. Subject line is incredibly important, not just for the reader but also for the filters that might label your message spam. After speaking with residents about their inbox, most said large recruitment firms were the most active emailers. Differentiation is key. Be honest and genuine in your subject line and you will cut through the clutter and stay out of the SPAM box. A good first line and solid first paragraph are also important to convince the prospect to continue reading. Then you want to provide a few important details, the key is to give that perfect bite of information. Remember the goal here is a conversation! Finishing the email is where you make the connection and prompt a reply, give them a solid reason to get back in touch with you to complete the transaction.
One of the other elements that became apparent over time was how important it was to be persistently (but not obnoxiously) present in their inbox. You want to be there when they are ready to make a decision. Take a look at the image below (we have grayed out the contact information and campaign titles), it is a fascinating case study that we saw repeated several times. Working from bottom to top you can see the statistics for 8 messaging campaigns, with a campaign being sent each month. The physician opened each email 1 to 2 times, but it took until the 8th email for him to show intense interest by opening the email 20 times. The candidate also replied to the email and became an active lead for our client. What if we had only sent one message? Do you think we would have gotten the lead?
While the methods for sourcing candidates are constantly evolving the basics remain the same. You are looking for a needle in a haystack! Putting together an organized and strategic messaging campaign can set your opportunities apart from the rest. It is important to do the messaging, follow the statistics and find a routine that is effective for your organization.
Have a few more questions or want to learn more about working with Barlow/McCarthy? We would love to talk with you more. When you work with us we always represent YOU to the prospect and we do it all, list management, writing the emails and subject lines for 1 email per month, managing the stats, weeding out the junk replies and sending you the leads! We get you the leads in real time and then provide a comprehensive report at the end of each month. All of this for a fraction of the cost of other email and sourcing options. Just email me at tbarlow@barlowmccarthy.com to shoot me some questions or set up a call.