Healthcare continues to be one of the fastest-growing fields in the U.S. It is set to add about 2.6 million new jobs between 2020 and 2030, more than any other job group.
During the pandemic, many healthcare workers quit because of stress and burnout. Even before that, the sector’s aging workforce and worker shortage pointed to a bigger crisis.
With this in mind, recruiting in healthcare is a real challenge. These healthcare recruitment strategies can help you avoid common mistakes and hire with more confidence.
Common Healthcare Sourcing Mistakes to Avoid
Healthcare organizations need to stay alert and flexible to avoid the sourcing mistakes below:
1. Post and pray
One common way to source candidates is to post a job on as many boards as possible and hope the right person applies. But this post and pray method is not a good fit for healthcare.
Programmatic recruitment advertising can help place job ads on the right boards. A strong partner can smartly allocate your ad budget using data and market trends so you can meet your hiring goals.
In addition, niche job boards for healthcare like Health eCareers, CareerVitals, JAMA Career Center, Doximity, DocCafe, Healthcare Jobsite, and MedJobsCafe.com can strengthen your sourcing strategy. These sites offer filters for medical specialties, licenses, and certifications, which helps recruiters expand their talent search. Some sites, like HealthJobsNationwide.com, also host forums and support groups. Job seekers can search by location, specialty, or job type.
Recruitment advertising can also support diversity hiring. It can reach candidates from less-seen groups and reduce bias through data-driven hiring.
2. Overlooking Millennial and Gen-Z professionals
Millennials and Gen-Zers are entering the workforce. In 2020, medical school applications rose by 18%, and enrollment in bachelor of science in nursing programs climbed by nearly 6%. Last year, more than 222,000 nurses took the National Council Licensure Examination, which suggests that some people who earned nursing degrees are coming back to the field.
With a younger workforce in the mix, healthcare sourcers need to change course. Offering flexible schedules and clear career paths can make roles more appealing. Using social media to show diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) work can also help. Share stories of diverse leaders, and post DE&I content to the right audience. That can help you reach young professionals who care about culture fit.
3. Ignoring value-based pay
Pay in healthcare has been under close review for years. Hard work, long hours, and burnout have pushed many workers to ask for better pay models. Fee-for-service is a traditional model where providers are paid based on the number of services they perform. It spurs professionals to see more patients or order more tests to bring in more money, which can lead to overwork.
By contrast, value-based pay ties pay to quality of care. This model puts patient satisfaction and outcomes first, and it can spur providers’ effectiveness across care settings. Promoting value-based pay can help attract healthcare professionals who want a better model and who are worried about burnout, overwork, and fee-for-service plans that may spur excessive patient visits or tests.
4. Not taking advantage of professional associations and industry events
Professional networks can be a great source of healthcare talent. Traditional sourcing can be tough, but professional associations can help. They often host conferences, training, and career growth events. These are strong chances to build your brand and connect with candidates.
Before attending an event, make a plan to meet people and collect contact details from job prospects. Build ties with healthcare professionals, add them to your talent pipeline, and reach out when the right roles open up.
You can reach a wide network through groups like the American Nurses Association, American Medical Association, American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM), and American Case Management Association (ACMA). Their publications, newsletters, and websites can also help you reach candidates.
Make Successful Talent Sourcing a Reality!
Use community outreach, DE&I events, employee referrals, and more.
Conclusion
The shortage of healthcare workers has been an ongoing struggle made worse by the pandemic. An aging workforce and high attrition from stress and burnout make sourcing even harder. In a fast-moving hiring market, mistakes can cost you the right talent, productivity, and money. Don’t repeat them. When sourcing healthcare workers, use a multi-channel recruitment advertising approach, niche job boards for healthcare, social media, DE&I efforts, and professional associations. This mix of healthcare recruitment strategies can help you succeed.
To learn about recruitment advertising and meet your healthcare hiring needs, schedule a demo with us. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn!
FAQs
Why is the post and pray approach especially risky in healthcare recruiting?
Healthcare jobs often need specific specialties, licenses, certifications, and location fit. Posting on many generic boards may not reach the right people. A stronger approach uses programmatic recruitment advertising, smart budget use, and niche job boards for healthcare to reach qualified professionals.
How can healthcare organizations better attract Millennials and Gen-Z professionals?
Younger healthcare workers may like flexible scheduling, clear career paths, and a workplace culture that visibly supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. The article recommends using social media, sharing DE&I content with the right audiences, and showing stories of diverse leaders to appeal to candidates who value culture fit.
What is value-based pay, and why can it support healthcare sourcing?
Value-based pay ties pay to care quality, patient satisfaction, and outcomes instead of only the number of services provided. Emphasizing this model can help attract healthcare professionals who worry about burnout, overwork, and fee-for-service plans that may spur more patient visits or tests.
Why should recruiters use professional associations and industry events for healthcare talent sourcing?
Professional associations give recruiters access to established healthcare groups through conferences, continuing education, publications, newsletters, and websites. By meeting professionals, collecting contact details, and building ties before roles open, recruiters can strengthen their talent pipeline and improve future hiring.
