Sourcing Strategies in Recruiting Healthcare Professionals

Some strategies I learned while working at a healthcare insurance provider include valuable insights into talent acquisition and management. I had the opportunity to work with top talents in the healthcare industry, including nurses, medical transcriptionists, and doctors.

We highly value the work in the medical field, recognizing that it is far from easy. Recruiting and headhunting healthcare professionals has been a privilege for me, as I understand the important values they seek in their career moves. Beyond generalizations, I have friends and family in the medical field, and interacting with them has immersed me in their profession. While this may be a limited perspective, it has opened doors for me and deepened my passion for recruitment.

Working in an agency, I acquired a client in health insurance who specifically sought registered nurses, pharmacists, and doctors to process medical billings and review citizen claims. Through this experience, I learned essential nursing terminology that has been crucial in sourcing and initiating talent searches effectively.

#1 Boolean Sourcing and Search String

As for demonstration I would like to focus mainly on Registered Nursing and Registered Practical Nurse opportunities as to navigate in creating string. I have look into common job adverts and compiled the most common skills and requirements posted here’s the summary:

Licensure and Certification:

• Must be registered and in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
• Possession of a valid RN or RPN license.
• Current CPR certification and Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.

Clinical Skills and Experience:

• Experience in administering medication, wound care, vital assessments, and liaising with physicians.
• Proven experience in leading unregulated care providers and working in settings like Long Term Care, hospitals, and community home care.
• Specific experience in areas such as Labour & Delivery, geriatric care, and dementia care

In creating a search string we need to gather essential key words so that we wont overload the operators and we can gather significant results.

Click the link to know about Boolean and google advanced search

here is a sample Search String:

RN AND Ontario ("Registered Nurse" OR "Registered Practice Nurse" OR "Licensed Practice Nurse") ("wound care" OR administer OR administering) site:linkedin.com/in        

This is a straightforward method to create a search string based on the job advertisement. Utilizing job boards or databases with Boolean operators also helps to fine-tune the results.

#2 Channels and Communities

Sourcing channels are essential for building a database and generating leads. Nowadays, online communities in the medical field are rapidly emerging. Immersing oneself in Facebook communities, for instance, can be daunting and may seem time-inefficient. However, if recruiters or sourcing specialist approach these platforms systematically, they can effectively gather leads from various communities across different countries.

Facebook Group:

Nurses of Ontario 3K members

International Nurses Group 3K Members

Subreddits:

Ontario Nurses:

https://www.reddit.com/r/OntarioNurses/

Nursing

https://www.reddit.com/r/nursing/

The goals of an online community may vary, so understanding how professionals gather in the community is essential. Additionally, they often publish rules for job postings and guidelines for approaching members with opportunities. It’s better to abide by the rules of the online or community group to establish a good relationship with the group admins and the members.

Accessing nursing/healthcare magazines or newsletters can definitely aid in sourcing candidates, though this method may incur costs or expenses for the recruitment team.

#3 Knowledge of Medical Terminology and Processes

This approach worked well for me when I was starting out, as I was responsible for initial screenings. I had to learn medical terminology and processes to effectively gauge candidates’ strengths.

#4 Official Organization’s News or Updates

The availability of talent varies by region or country, but organizations that oversee licensure in the medical field often maintain extensive databases of professionals. Since moving to Canada, I have immersed myself in their recruitment practices and discovered the following insights:

CNO (https://www.cno.org/) — regulatory body for RN and RPN in Ontario, you can access their database once you can find some information

Ontario Nurses (https://www.ona.org/) — a union representing Ontario

Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario ( https://rnao.ca/) — they engage with registered nurses and nursing students to stimulate membership

Monitoring updates and news from the official regulatory body can help identify potential candidates who engage with their posts. For instance, when the organization posts an update about new practice standards, reviewing those who liked or commented on the post can provide opportunities to hire.

#5 Build relationship and trust

It’s essentially a networking event, and the cornerstone is leveraging current leads within the community you’ve engaged with. In recruitment, maintaining connections is crucial; even if the initial candidate doesn’t progress to hiring, having their contact information allows for ongoing networking and spreading the word about opportunities.

Here is the sample template when approaching unsuccessful candidates or candidates who may not be interested in opportunity for now:

Dear [Candidate], We truly value your engagement, and while this opportunity may not be on your radar at present, I look forward to connecting with you for future opportunities. Feel free to share this opportunity with friends who may be interested.

This 5-step strategy can be adapted for other professions as well. The key is understanding how candidates in that field think and where they typically spend their time online or in community spaces.

Feel free to reach out or help me in adding more sourcing or recruitment strategy that works.

Best,

Edda