Why I Love Being a Healthcare Recruiter
Posted on Wed, Jun 22, 2011
By Erin Arkin
Just the other day I was asked why I love my job as a recruiter at Pinstripe Healthcare. My mind promptly started making a list...yes I am a list person. Of course, I took a second to compose my thoughts and here are some of the things (yes only some) that I identified.
1. Without providing direct patient care, I affect patient care and outcomes. Every time I work with a nurse manager or hiring leader in the hospitals and health systems I support, it happens. Whether it is the new talent coming in or allowing the Nurse Manager to stay focused on providing the best care (instead of reviewing resumes), these things impact the day to day function of a unit and patient care.
2. The people I get to speak with. Everyone has a story and part of what I love is to listen and hear the story of what drives people to make the choices they do. In nursing, I often hear that someone went into the field because of something impactful that happened in their life. It could have been that a parent worked in healthcare and they grew up around it. Another reason could be that a friend or family member was impacted by someone providing great care and that individual wanted to be able to affect someone's life in a positive way. No matter what the reason, the stories keep me engaged and help me get those people into the right positions.
3. The challenge. I love the hunt and being a detective. When I get to dig around and find those talented people it keeps me engaged. When I have those "hard to fill" positions it becomes more about using resources than it does waiting for people to apply to the opening. Being able to reach out to someone to start a conversation is exciting and challenging as I never know going in how it will end.
4. Technology and Innovation. As an organization, Pinstripe understands that technology helps us recruiters do our jobs better, faster and more efficiently. In some cases, it also makes the life of a candidate much easier. Technology alone won't be the solution but if we have the right people using the right technology we can make a greater impact on our client's outcomes. Not all healthcare recruiters have the access and training around what is out there so I know how lucky I am that our organization embraces and gives us access to these tools.
So now I ask you, why do you love your job as a recruiter in healthcare?
