With an aging population and expanding health care services, nursing is one of the most in-demand careers. Yet it seems as though there’s always something in the news about nursing shortages, especially in non-urban areas. The key is not just to develop a strategy to recruit nurses, but also to retain them. Here are a few examples of what health care facilities are doing to attract new employees in order to fill these important positions.

  1. Host a Career Day – Your company can sponsor a career day and present informational workshops geared towards an important, trending topic. Attract nursing students and those already in the nursing field by shedding light on new techniques, discoveries, or management tools. It’s a great way to bring in candidates who are truly interested in developing their careers.
  2. Participate in Job Fairs – Set up a booth at an area job fair that focuses on the healthcare field. It’ll bring in graduates as well as candidates who are actively searching for a new position. Create a comfortable space for candidates to fill out applications right then and there, and also arrange a space for you to present your company in the best light.
  3. Post Jobs Online – Start by posting your jobs on Masshire-cicc.com. There is no charge for employers to post a job on the MassHire website.  Once the job has been posted it is not only available to local job seekers, but job seekers statewide. There are also numerous generic job boards that will bring in candidates from near and far. Some sites, such as Monster.com and Indeed.com, list jobs in many industries. Others are health care specific such as Nurse.com and Healthcareers.com. Posting your job openings on these sites covers a lot of ground with little effort and their search engines will sift through filters so that you’ll hone in on candidates that are relevant. Be sure to keep an eye on reviews on the various online sites because the feedback posted publicly can make or break your success in getting great candidates.
  4. Hire Temps – It makes sense to hire temporary workers.  You can secure them through temp agencies and/or travel nurse agencies.  You also might find potential temps within your own organization.  Try inviting employees who are scheduled to retire or have recently retired to work on a per diem basis. Many people are not that excited about retiring or find they retired too soon and would welcome an opportunity to work flextime.
  5. Get Referrals – Find candidates through personnel already on your staff. There’s nothing better than a good recommendation by someone you already trust and know. It can be a great incentive to offer a bonus to a staff member who recommended a successful hire. Also, when you interview job seekers, take note of their references and keep those people in mind as possible candidates down the road.
  6. Partner With Nursing Schools – Connecting with a nursing school is a great way to get the word out about your company, and it’s also a great resource for finding new employees. Once you establish a rapport with the school, they’ll become familiar with your specific needs and work environment, and can help promote your company to their students.
  7. Provide Incentives – Besides offering bonuses to current employees who help find successful candidates, think about other incentives that can help attract nursing applicants. Widen your outreach by providing moving costs, or offer perks such as assistance finding housing, housing subsidies, tuition reimbursement, free continual education, or even a sign-on bonus.

These 7 tips are just a few of the ways to bring in fresh nursing talent. For more suggestions or for assistance with your recruitment efforts contact Neila at MassHire Cape and Islands Career Center at 508-862-6134 or nneary@masshire-capeandislands.com and/or visit https://www.masshire-capeandislands.com/finding-job-seekers/ to schedule a Specialized Recruitment where we do the recruiting and vetting for you.