Physician recruiting, like a flowing river, is always moving. Fishing in the river (sourcing candidates) is equal parts timing (arriving on the riverbank), resources (how many fishing rods you put in the water), and patience (how you tend to your rods). Many of the tools we use in today's recruitment market are similar to those used 10-15 years ago. The old tried and true methods still have merit but in today's socially active society the landscape for conversations and interactions has changed dramatically. The ability to reach millions of people is now easier than ever before. Social media is shrinking the world 140 characters at a time. Here are some startling points to ponder:
- If Facebook was a country it would be the 8th largest country in the world just ahead of Japan
- 3 out of 4 Americans use social technology
- 13 hours. The amount of video uploaded to YouTube every minute
- 100,000,000. The number of YouTube videos viewed per day
- 3,600,000,000. The number of photos archived on Flickr.com (6/09)
- 5,000,000,000. The number of minutes spent on Facebook each day
- 93% of social media users believe a company should have a presence on social media
Social media is the art of making media (pictures, video, blogs, microblogs, conversations...) a socially interactive experience. In physician recruiting that ability amplifies information about our jobs, our organizations, our culture and the things we do everyday to impact our communities. Many strategies can be employed by an organization to amplify their message for a variety of reasons through a variety of social outlets. In the case of physician recruitment the key element is harnessing each of these outlets and weaving them into a coherent narrative. Once developed, the narrative is used as an advertisement to which prospective candidates can be directed to gain vital information about the organization we are so eager for them to see and join. The end result of putting together such a carefully constructed narrative is hopefully well informed hires. Social media outlets are not the place to connect with potential candidates. Instead, they are the conversation starters we can use to engage candidates who seek information. In addition those conversations will lead to other conversations with colleagues, friends and family who, in return, will spread the message and elevate your brand to new heights.
The process of weaving a narrative together takes more than just a physician recruiter and a phone. It will require administrative support and marketing support. However, even if you are a house of 1, fear not, you can put social media to good use. Here are some suggestions from some experts on social media:
- Start small. Manage up your connections to encourage with content they will like, comment & share
- Share your story in a way that attracts prospects
- Pick one or two social media outlets and master them
- Include images in your content
- Keep it simple
- Identify your goals and then make a plan
- Steal ideas from others. Don't reinvent the wheel
