Think You Don't Need a Healthcare Recruitment Agency? (Here’s Why You're Wrong)

Posted on 15 July 2021

​Everyone has seen those job adverts that state “NO AGENCIES PLEASE”. We get it; recruitment agencies get some bad press, which is, unfortunately, deserved in some cases. Expensive, ineffective, uncommunicative and unformed about the business they’re pitching to. Have we missed any? 

Those organisations with excellent reputations, benefits packages and sparkling employer brands likely don’t need the help of an agency to secure talent. However, in industries where the right skills are hard to come by, recruiters provide a valuable service. Let’s rephrase that: Specialist recruiters are invaluable, particularly in healthcare. Here’s why: 

They possess in-depth knowledge 
It’s easy to be a jack-of-all-trades in recruitment and go where the work is, but sector expertise and developing a reputation in a particular market takes a lot more work. In short, it’s not something that can be faked. To be an authentic and effective healthcare recruiter requires an acute understanding of: 

All of the roles they recruit for regarding day-to-day tasks, expectations, skills and experience, attitude and the career paths that can branch from it.
The full range of healthcare settings with regards to their unique talent requirements, challenges, timescales, and the communities they serve.
The broader healthcare market in terms of history, current trends, salary benchmarks and skills gaps. 

It’s this knowledge that enables specialist recruiters to spring into action and find the precise talent for each client, saving considerable time and effort and ensuring the right person is placed, first-time.

Provide access to talent 
An excellent specialist recruiter invests as much time and effort into candidates as they do clients. Our clients often require an individual or team quickly, which means we need a healthy and engaged talent pipeline that’s available to work and, crucially, wants to work with us.

People who are actively looking for new positions are more likely to register with at least one recruiter. It’s then up to the agency to make a good impression and stand out from the rest. We do this by providing access to jobs candidates can’t find anywhere else (or before they’ve been advertised), helping with CV feedback and interview preparation, being proactively communicative and offering advice and guidance where needed.

The dream is that the candidates we place have such a great experience that they eventually become our clients. 

Save you time 
The average time to fill any position is around 42 days, but this can be much longer in the healthcare sector. Sifting through applications and CVs, scheduling interviews and negotiating salaries and contracts takes time you may not have.

Recruitment agencies take care of the initial steps of the hiring process. Plus, a sector specialist should have a complete understanding of precise talent requirements and a robust talent pipeline they can tap into immediately.

It results in a significant reduction in time and in-house resources, leading to a faster turnaround time filling vacancies and greater organisational efficiencies as managers can focus on more critical tasks and duties.

Save you money (yes, really)
When it comes to working with a recruiter, some organisations, particularly those with tight budgets, are nervous about the costs it can incur. However, engaging a specialist recruiter can be a lot more cost-effective than handling a hiring process in-house. Here are just some of the savings a specialist recruiter can help you make: 

Removes all costs associated with posting job adverts.
Gets rid of overtime costs - temporary workers often work out cheaper than permanent staff undertaking overtime during busy periods.
Reduces the risk and associated costs of making a ‘bad hire’. 
Delivers savings in training costs as the recruiter can find the right candidate with the exact skills and experience you require.
No need to invest in recruitment technology - a specialist recruiter will already employ the most up-to-date technology and digital screening tools, which, as a client, you have access to.

Making the right choice
It's crucial to partner with a specialist healthcare recruiter that’s the right cultural fit for your organisation. In short, do they ‘get you’ and speak your language? Can they move at the pace you need them to? Are they proactive when it comes to communication? Who have they worked with in the past who may be able to provide a testimonial or reference? 

Invest some time in finding the right recruiter that will unlock the door to the best talent while saving you time and money in the process.

Connect with T2 Healthcare today and find out more about who we are and what we can do for you. Call us on0203 002 6305or send an email toinfo@t2healthcare.comto connect with our expert team. 

Share this article