When it comes to a battle of wills, nothing tests a job seeker’s resolve—or confidence—more than waiting to hear from a recruiter. This is especially true for physician job seekers, considering the ongoing national shortage of doctors.

Their reasoning is understandable: After registering with PracticeLink, in the face of such a shortage plus the strength of the physician’s application, recruiters should be blasting their inbox. When that doesn’t happen, the onus is on the physician as to whether they should make the first move.

Here are a few tips on reaching out to physician recruiters about a job:

Give them something great to refer back to

Make sure all the information in your application and on your CV is current, clear and free of typos. If you need help with your CV or just want an experienced set of eyes to look over it, visit PhysicianCV.com. Once your CV is flawless, register for PracticeLink’s free in-depth interview. One of PracticeLink’s experts will contact you to collect information about your background, credentials and aspirations and then format them onto your profile for recruiters to access. After you make your move, the recruiter can easily refer to this information.

Find the contact information

Physician recruiters are classified as either Employer Direct (In-house) or Search Firm (Agency). In-house recruiters are employed directly through the healthcare organization, usually as part of human resources. Agency recruiters are generally affiliated with third-party staffing firms. Both are equally invested in finding the best talent to fill the role.

To make sure your application isn’t overlooked, it’s OK to be proactive. At the bottom of each job post is a section for recruiters. Most list their names and contact information. For those that do not, their contact information is usually embedded within the job post itself.

There are times when no contact information is given. You’re simply expected to submit your application and wait for someone to get back to you. This can be frustrating! Do you wait and respect the recruiter’s anonymity? Or do you find a way to track them down through the collective might of social media, internet search engines and the healthcare organization’s employee directory?

That’s a tough call, but consider this: inhibition, according to psychologists, stems from social constraint and a lack of power, whereas proactive tendencies are associated with freedom and a sense of elevated power. If your goal is to take charge and make the first move, then just do your absolute best and make the most of every lead and opportunity.

Prepare well for first contact

If you have the physician recruiter’s phone number, before you call, practice your introduction in case they answer the phone, and be prepared with a solid message in case the call goes straight to voicemail. If the recruiter does answer the phone, say your name and the position you’re calling about first, then quickly ask if this is a good time.

This serves multiple purposes. It’s a natural way for you to stop talking and confirm your composure. Also, it shows you’re considerate, allows the recruiter time to talk and drives the conversation to stay on topic. Asking a different question, such as, “How are you today?” is certainly friendly, but you two are not friends, and presumably, both of you are busy. Asking, “Did you see my application?” forces the issue, but no recruiter can be expected to recall an application just by hearing your name. At best, you’ll force the recruiter to stop and think, or at worst, completely shut you down. In any case, the conversation will stall, and it might be difficult to recover.

If the call goes straight to voicemail, the first words should be your name, phone number and the job posting you’re calling about—in that order. That’s extremely important because if anything goes wrong with the playback and the recruiter must listen a second time to get vital information, and they won’t want to listen to the entire message again just because you gave your phone number at the end.

If you’re emailing the physician recruiter, everything from the subject to the body of the email and how you sign should be with intent. Play it safe by reading over the entire job posting again to confirm if there are specific instructions for what to put in the subject line. If there aren’t, start with “Query,” which signifies first contact and that you’re asking a question. (By comparison, starting the subject line with “Follow up” could imply you’re following up on your application but also implies you two have already spoken.) Next, include the job title or job ID number.

For the body of the email, briefly introduce yourself and mention you just applied for the job. Be as specific as possible, such as “earlier today, yesterday, earlier this week or two weeks ago on X day.” This is because recruiters can track applications by date received, as well as your name. The rest of the email can briefly go into your credentials or why you applied for the job and can serve as a quasi-cover letter. If your application, however, includes a cover letter, be careful not to be redundant.

Attach a PDF of your CV and cover letter (if you have one). The benefit of this is if the recruiter has a quick moment to open the PDF, then you have just prompted a terrific level of engagement without risking the recruiter getting distracted by something else as they log into the portal or deal with other priorities.

Expect a positive outcome

Before you reach out, you have to expect great results. There is a subtle but important difference between wanting good results and actually believing that they will come. Call it manifest theory or the power of positive thinking, and the point is that once you decide to make the first move and reach out to the recruiter, you should do it because you fully believe you’re qualified and worthy of the position, and you expect a positive outcome.

Exude confidence

If you’re optimistic enough to go after that amazing physician job opportunity proactively—the one that has absolutely everything you’ve been looking for – don’t sabotage your chances by being overtly shy, self-conscious or self-deprecating. Concurrently, don’t be a comedian, overly confident or neurotic. Find a way to strike a clear, professional balance that comes across as confident, competent and friendly.

Move forward

Don’t take it personally if the recruiter can’t talk. If they say they need time, give it to them. Don’t stalk them or chase after them. If you bombard recruiters with emails, texts, calls and voicemails, you will only appear impatient, insecure and self-important.

When the fruitful conversation finally takes place, be prepared to ask constructive questions, including what the next steps are, what the time frame is for filling the position, and how many interviews are usually involved in the hiring process.

Know when to walk away

After you’ve reached out to the physician recruiter, if things don’t immediately go your way, be patient. Recruiters can keep their strategies close to the vest. You can be certain, however, they are not likely to waste your time or give you false hope.

Even so, if it feels like you’re holding out for something good in a one-sided relationship, try to develop your own strategy. Keep applying to other jobs, and continue reaching out to other recruiters.

Remember, just because you made the first move doesn’t mean you can’t have a change of heart. If it starts to feel like you’re trying to continue a relationship that just leaves you feeling drained – or full of doubt – then trust your instincts and politely walk away.

When the worst possible scenario happens—when your interest in the job has only grown and it feels like you’ve tried everything to get the recruiter to see the brilliant you – then it might be time to give up. And that’s OK. Giving up isn’t rooted in failure. In fact, it’s the opposite. There is strength in saying something is no longer worth your effort and you deserve better.

In the end, just remember, it’s a completely normal and healthy sign of confidence to want to reach out to a physician recruiter when you see a job you really want. After all, you want the recruiter to know you’re here, you’re the perfect candidate and you’re ready to get started! Just be mindful of professional etiquette and give yourself permission to feel all the emotions that come with confidence and uncertainty. Take it one step at a time and know that PracticeLink has a lot of great tools, resources and team members to help with your journey.