By: Mitzi Kent, RN, BSN | mkent@barlowmccarthy.com
While we speak with people frequently from around the country regarding their specific challenges in the recruitment process, conferences are still the very best tool for getting a broad understanding of what is going on in the trenches. At a recent conference we made it a point to ask people about their challenges. If you are a fellow recruiter, you can likely relate!
I am always impressed by the consistency of the challenges recruiters are facing. East Coast, West Coast, South and Midwest, the challenges align. Of course there are small differences. For instance, our friends in the rural markets have distinct challenges over those in metro or suburban areas. But the nuances that make recruitment challenging exist in every market.
Here are a few of the challenges we heard most frequently:
- Too many requisitions
- 1 or 2 specific tough searches
- Not enough time to get to all the important tasks
- Short staffed
If you are a fellow in-house recruiter maybe you are nodding along to those 4 bullets. The recruitment environment across the board is more challenging now than it has ever been. The biggest factors leading to these challenges are the massive shortage of doctors across the country as well as the financial challenges facing healthcare in general. This has been a brutal combination for healthcare in general but specifically for the recruiters working to keep the hospital staffed.
As recruiters we need to manage these challenges in a way that keeps us focused on success and small wins. We also need to do our work in a sustainable way to fight the burnout issue that is so prevalent. We need to find ways to be honest with our leadership about the challenges we are facing. Lastly, we need to stay creative in how we handle this job, don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
While we are all facing challenges in this line of work, conferences do such a good job of creating solidarity. There is strength in numbers! Stay in contact with your peers and work together to find solutions to the challenges that we all face. The challenges aren’t going away, it is up to us to find solutions to guide the future.
At Barlow/McCarthy it is our mission to jump in the trenches with you and help you find success. Whether through our educational offerings and blogs or through an engagement where we come on board to help you and your team. I would love to connect with you to hear your specific challenges. We can solve a lot in a 30 minute call! You can schedule a call with me HERE. Or simply reply to this email and I will be in touch.