“There is a Definite War for Talent” – Superstar Healthcare IT Recruiters See Increased Hiring

I am sure that you have heard that the Healthcare IT market is heating up and I hope you share my opinion that this could create great opportunity for all of us.  I recently interviewed two of THE BEST (and my favorite) recruiters to 1) confirm that the market is actually heating up and 2) get their advice on how to take best advantage of the opportunity.

First let me introduce you to Mike Bunch and Christi O’Brien.  Mike is the Director of Recruiting for CTG Healthcare Solutions and Christi is a Senior Recruiter at Santa Rosa Consulting.   I have worked extensively with both Mike and Christi and I highly recommend each one of them for their knowledge and skills, their integrity and their commitment to building great companies by recruiting top Healthcare IT talent.  If, for some reason, you have a beef with one of them, I can tell you first-hand that often the “square wheels” on the recruiting process are on the hiring manager side and not the recruiting side.  I know that both of them have taken many bullets for me  and my peers as we have changed the requirements of a job after they have developed a great list of candidates, changed the salary range for a position, or decided not to hire the position altogether.

So on to the business at hand, what do the best recruiters I know who are on the front lines of hiring at some really great organizations have to say about the increase in hiring in Healthcare IT?

Question Response
There seems to be a buzz in Healthcare IT for the first time in a long time.  Can you confirm that hiring is increasing? Christi – “Yes, ARRA has absolutely stimulated hiring”

Mike – “We undoubtedly have more business today than 12 months ago… there is a definite war for talent”

What are the hottest jobs? Mike – “We are seeing tremendous need for very senior consultants for strategic planning and program director roles.   We are also seeing a need for vendor savvy, senior clinical roles on projects.   And the market for those with Meditech skills is very hot”

Christi – “We were first seeing the need for high level strategists to help organizations put together their ARRA plans… we are now seeing great need for report writers and for anyone with EPIC certifications.  We are also seeing that hospitals are willing to hire people with relevant skills and then train and certify them.”

How has social media affected the recruiting process? Christi – “Social media has helped us get our message out quickly, I am very pleased that everyone I talk to has already heard of us even though we are only 2 years old.  Additionally, it has made it easier to find valuable information on candidates – often it takes only minutes to find a connection from a potential candidate to someone we know. “

Mike – “We have redirected significant spending away from traditional job boards and toward social media strategies.  However, we have approached social media cautiously, we remain vigilant to our company values and culture and we attempt to ensure our candidates will do the same. “

What is the best advice that you can give job seekers in the current market? Mike – “Start by thinking long term and how your next move should support your career goals.  Make sure you understand the cultural fit between you and potential employers.  Do your best to demonstrated that you are a good investment for a potential employer and check your ego at the door.”

Christi – “Make sure that you have a plan beyond looking for more money or a new job.  Make sure that you have a great resume and maintain a great attitude!”

Do you have any other advice? Christi – “Yes, we are seeing many staffing Firms hanging up their shingle as  a Healthcare Firm.  Make sure you do your research to understand how committed potential employers are to Healthcare.”

Mike – “Maybe some helpful observations – we are seeing other positive trends for Healthcare IT professionals like increased raises, sign-on bonuses, and firms looking at college recruiting again.

Well you there you have it, straight from the experts.  Thanks Mike and Christi!

I can tell you that there are many opportunities waiting for you now to accelerate your career.  Need help getting started?  I can help you there.  Feel free to contact me!  Good luck!

About the author

Joe Lavelle

Joe Lavelle is the Co-Founder of intrepidNow. Prior to that Joe was an accomplished healthcare IT executive and career coach with a record of successfully meeting the business and technology challenges of diverse organizations including health plans, health delivery networks, health care companies, and several Fortune 500 companies.

Joe is also the author of Act As If It Were Impossible To Fail, available on Amazon.

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