Questions Every Healthcare Executive Should Ask Before Signing a Recruiting Contract

Signing a recruiting contract is easy but dealing with the fallout of poor hires is hard. Before you lock in your next partnership, move beyond the fee percentage and get healthcare recruiting contract tips by asking these five data-driven questions:

1. “How do you measure ‘Quality of Hire’ beyond 90 days?”

Most firms consider their job done once a candidate hits the 90-day guarantee, but the real cost of a bad hire is turnover. Ask if they track retention rates: a partner who stands by their placements is incentivized to find a cultural and clinical fit, not just a warm body.

2. “What is your ratio of ‘Active’ vs. ‘Passive’ candidates?”

A firm that relies primarily on LinkedIn or job boards is simply doing what your internal HR team can already do. Research from Zippia indicates that 70% of the global workforce is made up of passive candidates who aren’t actively looking. Ask for their specific recruitment methodology: How do they identify and engage clinicians who aren’t on the job boards?

3. “How do you integrate with our clinical quality goals?”

Recruitment is a clinical function, not just an HR one. Every clinician you hire either strengthens or dilutes your patient safety culture. Ask if they assess for soft skills like empathy and communication, that directly influence your patient satisfaction scores and overall quality of care metrics.

4. “What is your ‘Offer Acceptance Rate’ for our niche?”

A firm that brings you twenty candidates but only closes one is wasting your clinical leadership’s time. A low acceptance rate usually indicates a failure to “pre-close” candidates on salary, relocation, or culture. A high-performing firm should maintain an 80% or higher offer acceptance rate. This demonstrates they have done the heavy lifting before the contract reaches your desk.

5. “What does your ‘Ownership’ clause look like?”

Recruitment contracts are often laden with “ownership” clauses that can haunt an organization for years. Ensure the “ownership” period is reasonable (typically 6-12 months) and that there is a clear “opt-out” if the candidate applies through your internal portal independently of the firm’s efforts.

Don’t leave your clinical continuity to chance. Whether you have immediate gaps to fill or need a more robust long-term hiring strategy, Optigy is all in. We help you move beyond transactional hiring to find talent that lasts.