Interview with Health Search New England (HSNE)
When you think about healthcare recruitment, you think about innovative firms like Jordan Search Consultants that focus on understanding the client’s unique needs and culture to create enduring matches between healthcare organizations and providers. In 2017, we acquired Health Search New England (HSNE), partly because their matchmaking styles are so similar to ours. There is one big differentiator, though: because HSNE serves healthcare organizations in New England only, they focus on getting to know the candidates first and foremost.
Upon the launch of HSNE’s new website, we talked to Vice President Celena Knapp about exactly what this means—and how both healthcare providers and organizations benefit.
Why is Health Search New England candidate, as opposed to client, focused?
It just makes sense when you are a region-specific recruitment firm. I know, and have excellent relationships with, the hospitals and healthcare organizations in New England. Where I need to innovate—in order to best serve these clients—is in drawing in and creating relationships with qualified candidates. With a regionally-focused firm, it makes better business sense to allocate resources to attracting top-tier candidates to a region.
In some ways, it seems as if you are an ambassador for the New England region…how does this contribute to HSNE’s success?
I’ve lived in New England my entire life; I know the pros and cons and am forthcoming about the realities of living and working here. To attract healthcare providers who have even the slightest interest in relocating here, I have to be knowledgeable about the areas and everything unique this region has to offer. This region-specific knowledge helps me sort the candidates who are invested and will be happy long-term here from those that just have good memories of vacationing on Cape Cod as a child. This helps my clients because I’m providing candidates who want to stay in the communities, thereby reducing turnover rates.
How do you describe what you do to healthcare providers?
I’m a match maker. I really get to know the candidates…not just inquiring about their professional goals and ambitions, but also about their personal lives. I want to make sure their interests line up with what New England, as a region, has to offer. I want to make sure their spouses or partners will be happy here…that their kids can thrive. Developing such relationships with candidates benefits my client organizations and the candidates themselves.
While JSC deeply vets candidates, they are also invested in attracting client organizations and learning clients’ organizational needs and culture. Your business model is a bit of the reverse, yet this was an exciting and positive merger. Can you expand on that?
JSC serves clients nationwide; HSNE serves clients only in New England. Because the HSNE team has been working in this area for more than three decades, we’ve done (and continue to do) the culture evaluations with healthcare organizations. By concentrating on attracting great healthcare providers to become engaged with HSNE –whether they are actively looking or curious about the area—I am better able to serve New England’s healthcare organizations.
What do the healthcare organizations with which you work like about your approach?
They love that I bring them candidates who are not only extremely qualified, but candidates that are committed. By the time I bring a candidate to an organization, I know that they want to be in New England long-term. And, with the ever-rising costs of replacing physicians and other healthcare providers, this provides extreme value for the organizations.
What do the candidates with whom you work like about your approach?
They enjoy the fact that I’m always here for them. Whether I’m working with someone who has a few more years of residency to go, but knows she wants to be in New England, or I’m in communication with a physician who is thinking of spending the last 10 years of his career in New England, I’m an honest sounding board and a resource of information for those who are actively or passively looking. There are some candidates with whom I’ve had relationships and conversations for more than five years! I get to know them well and that is why I’m able to only bring to client organizations the best of the best.
If there is a healthcare provider out there who is really interested in moving to New England or just a slight bit curious about the opportunities or lifestyle there, what should they do?
If you are actively looking or curious about the area, I’d love to speak with you. Create a free profile on the website or contact me so we can set up a time to talk.
Celena Knapp, Vice President
(207)866-5680
[email protected]
