52 Days to Victory: Whitman Partners Record-Breaking Placement
By Carisa Brewster
Client Partner Rachel Butt characterizes her efforts to secure a retainer from Trios Health as a “persistent journey.” Despite possessing valuable insights into the hospital’s inner workings, breaking the barriers proved to be a prolonged effort. Six months of tenacious yet tactful outreach.
“I think our brand story is compelling enough that, regardless of how much I frequently reached out, they got to a tipping point where the scarcity of candidates prompted them to respond to my emails and phone calls,” says Butt.
The culmination of Butt’s relentlessness is the fastest placement in Whitman Partner’s history, accomplished in an impressive 52 days. This remarkable success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of Butt, Portfolio Manager Tyler Deacon, and an outstanding candidate in Michelle King.
This illustrative case study showcases how Whitman Partners seamlessly streamlines the placement process for clients, making it remarkably hassle-free. It also underscores the strategic tenacity required to navigate and succeed in the competitive landscape of healthcare recruitment.
The Approach
Butt says she and Deacon had a solid plan in place from the start on how to get as many candidates before the client as possible. The main goal was to find a personality fit above anything else, and it helped that the client had the standard requirements for a surgical services leader. This person needed to match the team and mesh with the CNO.
“Tyler happened to be in town when the contract came in, and we sat in my office and made a list of the 100 closest candidates to this hospital,” says Butt. “We divvied them up and called 50 candidates each.”
The Stand-Out
Out of 100 calls, one person rose to the top: Michelle King. She was local and knew many of the physicians at the hospital.
“That’s a tribute to her durability in the industry,” says Deacon. “She was confident and had a checklist of things she wanted.”
Butt says from her first conversation with King she knew they had found their candidate. However, there was one catch: she wasn’t recruitable. Interestingly enough, this isn’t a deal-breaker.
“People who aren’t recruitable can be our best candidates,” says Butt. “They aren’t actively looking but aren’t 100% satisfied where they are, either.”
For King, it was essential for her next move to be with an organization willing to support her growth. Trios ticked those boxes.
“When I spoke with the CNO and CEO, they confirmed the growth opportunities towards being a CNO in about four years,” says King. “For me, it was a no-brainer to make that leap.”
The process moved quickly from there: a video interview, then a lengthy site visit. All the pieces fell into place.
Deal Sealed
King says that Butt and Deacon answered any questions she had, quick to respond to texts and phone calls. If they didn’t have an answer, they would contact Trios and get back to her quickly.
“All those things helped make my decision easier because I had all the information I needed. They were definitely advocates for me,” says King.
As for career navigation toward perioperative leadership, she says, “I would tell my fellow leaders to identify what they want in the next step in their career. Don’t sacrifice that next step for money or a bonus. Just stick to your career goals.”
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Carisa Brewster
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