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How to Use Career Development to Recruit Healthcare Talent

Written by: Alex Brown
Published on: Jun 14, 2022
Category:

learning and development

The Great Resignation has impacted some industries more than others: healthcare was hit particularly hard. Already facing shortages, healthcare employees at every level are leaving their jobs for better opportunities. This year alone, nearly 1.7 million people quit their healthcare jobs.

How can healthcare organizations stay attractive to new candidates and encourage top talent to remain in the face of rising turnover? Career development may be one of the most powerful tools recruiters and organizations have to combat The Great Resignation.

Here are four ways you can leverage career development as a key to recruit and retain healthcare employees.

Start with the Job Listing

Use job listings as your chance to showcase how you help your employees learn and grow. Job posts may either ignore or bury career development opportunities within job benefits. Doing so can minimize the job’s appeal to career-minded applicants. Carve out a section of your post to mention tuition reimbursement, job shadowing opportunities, or a learning stipend.

Long-term, high-value candidates looking for an organization that supports their development will naturally be attracted to those roles and enticed to apply.

Interview Current Employees

Showcase career paths in your organization by interviewing employees who have advanced their careers within your organization. Ask them about the opportunities they have had in their role, how they grew within the organization, and advice for new employees. Give them a chance to talk about what they love about working for your organization and what a typical shift looks like for them.

Put the interview on your website and promote it on social media channels. Job seekers who are considering working for your organization will be encouraged and inspired by those currently taking advantage of career development opportunities.

Tackle Career Advancement in Job Interviews

Job interviews are a great opportunity to provide candidates with information about how they can develop their healthcare careers. Asking candidates where they see themselves in five years and providing available opportunities is a great chance for recruiters and hiring managers to discuss exactly how the organization can support that career path.

Keep in mind that career development will mean something different for different employees. For example, many nurses are not interested in being promoted to a management position—however, many like the opportunity to “float” to other departments and learn other nursing skills.

One recent study found that 60% of nurses “floated” in 2020 across units, settings, and acuity levels. Highlight the opportunities that candidates can find to expand their skillset even if they are not interested in moving upwards to management.

Remaining Competitive During The Great Resignation

One of the most attractive benefits healthcare establishments provides is learning opportunities and career development. Mentorship programs, leadership training, tuition reimbursement, and other learning benefits can help organizations gain a competitive advantage. By highlighting how you help candidates improve their skills and offer growth opportunities, you can attract top talent interested in staying for the long term.

 

Want to keep up to date on the latest healthcare recruiting trends? Bookmark myHealthTalent for tips and tricks to stand out from the competition.