The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us all of the importance of healthcare workers while leading to the wider use of telehealth and other innovations. But the pandemic also increased stress, burnout, and turnover for millions of healthcare workers, exacerbating pre-pandemic shortages in many areas. Healthcare recruiters face the tall task of finding talent and keeping them in a tight labor market.

Discover the three challenges healthcare recruiters are facing after the pandemic and how to overcome them.

1. Shortage of Skilled Workers

The limited pool of potential employees means that finding and onboarding the right people is becoming more challenging and expensive. A key component of this challenge is skills gaps. Healthcare has become increasingly complex, specialized, and technology-dependent. This makes it harder for recruiters to find professionals with the right credentials and experience.

To find the best candidates, look beyond your traditional recruiting channels and seek out niche, sector-specific job boards. See how you can build closer relationships with universities and industry associations. And don’t forget about social media, where you can combine organic and paid outreach.

Recruiters should also look at how their organization can fill skills gaps by providing training to promising candidates who are short on experience. This expands the candidate pool to include high-potential workers who might be less expensive than a more experienced hire.

2. Difficulty Verifying Credentials

Every recruiter faces the risk of candidates misrepresenting their work history or credentials. Even higher-education institutions aren’t immune: Just this year, federal authorities discovered that six nursing schools in Florida issued more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas.

Even when candidates are truthful on their resumes, verifying their credentials can be difficult. The number of microcredentials has more than tripled in number in the past five years, for example. Recruiters need a reliable solution for conducting secure employment credential verification and background checks, such as PreCheck. This helps recruiters quickly verify relevant employment information, avoid bad hires, and spend more time with the most qualified candidates.

3. Employee Expectations of Management

Many healthcare workers today have higher expectations for what employers should provide in a job. The pandemic caused soul-searching for millions of Americans about working conditions, compensation, and work-life balance. As healthcare workers look for their next role, they want transparency about job expectations, potential career progression, and compensation and benefits.

“I've seen healthcare workers dramatically less tolerant of poor management, including entire departments quitting over a two-week period when a bad manager is placed,” says Jeff Blackwood, CEO and President of New Frontier Mobile Diagnostics.

To meet these heightened expectations, recruiters need to showcase how their employer will support healthcare workers and give them growth opportunities. This is where a strong employer brand can communicate life at your healthcare organization and why they should join.

Improve Your Recruiting Strategies

Finding great healthcare workers is tougher than ever, given the tight labor market, skills gaps, and increased demands on employers. By understanding the key challenges of hiring in 2023, recruiters can highlight what their organization has to offer and adjust their approach to meet candidates where they are. When recruiters take proactive measures and listen to job-seekers, they'll improve hiring outcomes.