No matter what business you are in, there are times when the laws of supply and demand are simply not working

in your favor. Rather than throwing in the towel, those are the times when you have to become more resourceful and creative so you can stay competitive. This is a reality that healthcare recruiters know far too well. Couple strong and continuous demand for high-quality talent with limited supply, and you can see why healthcare recruitment has never been tougher.

To further complicate the situation, the healthcare market is growing at a record pace with new organizations and business lines developing daily. In this competitive arena, retaining and attracting top talent requires strategic planning and out-of-the-box thinking. Recruiters have to be willing to go the extra mile to build relationships with their current staff and partner with local organizations to maintain the pipeline of talent their hiring managers require.

Here are four ways to nurture strong relationships within the healthcare field to ensure on-going access to top talent:

Establish an employee referral program. Nurses are a very well-networked group of professionals, and they care deeply about working with people they like and respect. As a result, they are likely to recommend candidates who have the skills and experience that will fit the unique culture of your

work environment. Provide enticing incentives such as trips or electronics for successful referrals. Then, publicly recognize those that provide successful referrals (and the referees) on a regular basis in your newsletters or email communications. Don’t forget to garner executive sponsorship for the program; buy-in from the leadership will go a long way towards successful adoption of your referral program.

Build social media campaigns. Use social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest to build and nurture your online community of followers. This strategy appeals to the communal nature of the people in the healthcare field and will lead you to like-minded candidates. Try these ideas for your next campaign:• Start a photo campaign of the most unusual uniforms;

we know nurses enjoy this creative outlet.• Share smart phone apps that make life easier for

busy nurses.• Provide healthy recipes with pictures. Nurses generally like

to bake and share recipes, so to get their attention, start a “What’s Cooking at XXXX Facility?” campaign.

• Tweet your favorite encouraging words of the day or funny things patients say that made your day.

Four Tips for Beating the Oddsin Healthcare Recruiting

Tresina Lockhart, Director of Talent Acquisition, Agile•1

Showcase existing talent. Identify some of your top nurses and engage them in strategies that will promote your employer brand and lead you to high-caliber candidates who follow them. For example, ask your top talent to write articles and recommendations on www.Glassdoor.com to support the organization on the web. You might also ask them to:• Write white papers for your website and third-party

social media sites• Speak at events and local colleges• Appear at job fairs

Partner with local schools. This is a critical component to building a sustainable pipeline of high-demand talent. Begin by developing relationships with professors to help engage the top talent in their schools. Invite professors to speak at your events and encourage them to invite students and alumni to attend. Create a structured program to precept new grads and

give them with valuable externship experience. Provide CEU partnerships with local colleges and universities so you can build relationships with their students.

The balance of supply and demand for top healthcare talent shows no indication of changing any time soon. In the meantime, it is up to recruiters to search for new ways to find the talent they need, before their competitors do. The best strategies for overcoming these market challenges begins with having a firm understanding and appreciation of the candidates you seek. By finding out what matters to them—their interests, their lives, their values—you can create programs that will appeal to their deepest values. Given the care and attention these dedicated professionals provide to their patients every day, it makes sense to recruit them in a way that honors the important role they play in serving our community and those we love.

www.agile-1.com | 855.924.4531article.RPO2.US.ENG.062014

FOUR TIPS FOR BEATING THE ODDS IN HEALTHCARE RECRUITING

Four Tips for Beating the Odds

in Healthcare Recruiting

Establish an employee referral

program

Build social media campaigns

Showcase existing talent

Partner with local schools

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