As we enter the final month of 2024, it is tempting to leapfrog over the coming weeks, which will likely be filled with vacations and holiday celebrations. However, it’s worth taking stock of the year and considering what to take with you into 2025.
What Can You Take with You into 2025?
This year was likely filled with milestones that you’ve already forgotten. Revisit your successes and take a fresh look at the goals and objectives you set early in the year. Which goals did you meet with ease, and which required you to stretch? Which objectives remain on deck for the coming year?
As Regional Vice President of Recruiting for Jackson Physician Search’s Midwest Division, I work closely with in-house recruiters every day. I strive to be the kind of partner I would have wanted when I was a recruiter with a large health system in St. Louis. I remember the challenges I faced as an in-house recruiter, and I understand the mix of stress and excitement that a new year brings. In order to finish the year strong and set yourself up for success, it’s time to take stock and focus on the following:
Take a Look Back: Review this year’s recruitment metrics, such as time-to-fill, offer acceptance rates, and turnover. This will help you identify what worked, what didn’t, and where you can set meaningful goals for the coming year.
Review Industry Benchmarks: Tools like the AAPPR Benchmarking Report can go a long way toward helping you frame up your recruiting efforts in the context of the industry. For example, this year’s report found that the percentage of filled searches increased for the first time in several years, as did active physician searches. The report’s insights on vacancies, time-to-fill metrics, and its various calculators can help you understand how your organization performs against your peers and competitors and can give you the data you need to educate your leadership team.
Consider External Factors: Your community is always growing and changing, so you must consider the external factors that may impact recruiting in the new year. Your local business publications, chambers of commerce, and your state’s healthcare or hospital association are good sources of data and information.
Plan Ahead: Your colleagues have likely set their budgets for the year ahead. Now is your chance to work closely with department leaders to anticipate next year’s staffing needs. Ensure the team considers factors such as upcoming retirements, planned expansions, and changes in your community’s healthcare demands.
Reboot Your Employer Brand: Take time to update your organization’s career pages, social media, and outreach materials. Make sure they showcase why your organization is a great place to work and include this year’s accomplishments and accolades.
Revisit the Basics: Revisit the core elements of your recruiting strategy. Where and how you source prospects, what your pipeline looks like, and how you screen candidates will evolve as time goes by, so it’s worth taking a fresh look before the new year. Does your plan for how to host candidates during site visits need a refresh? Could your onboarding strategy use some additional structure?
Stay in the Know: The healthcare landscape is always changing. Stay informed about market trends like provider shortages, telehealth growth, and high-demand specialties so you can adjust your strategies accordingly.
Bring Your Personal Best Practice into Focus
As a healthcare recruiter, you are so much more than a matchmaker. You are a catalyst for real, meaningful change in your community. Your success isn’t just about filling positions. It’s about the lives you improve along the way — whether it’s the providers you support, the teams you strengthen, or the patients who ultimately receive the care they need because of your efforts.
With that in mind, spend a little time thinking about how to set yourself up for success by examining your best practices.
Work Smarter, not Harder: With much of a recruiter’s time spent on tasks like sourcing and screening, think about how to balance your workload. Prioritize activities like contract negotiations and onboarding that deliver the most value, and make sure resources are aligned to support your efforts. Consider how you might be strategic about investing in provider search so that you can focus on what’s most impactful to your organization.
Strengthen Relationships with Leadership: Take time to build stronger connections with your leadership team. Educate them by sharing insights about the recruitment process and its challenges. By aligning on strategic goals, you can create a more supportive environment that makes your role even more impactful.
Invest in Yourself: Encourage yourself and others to pursue ongoing training to sharpen skills in areas including advanced sourcing techniques, behavioral-based interviewing, contract negotiations, emotional intelligence, crucial conversations, and more. Consider certifications like the AAPPR Fellowship. These credentials enhance expertise and may open doors to better compensation and career opportunities.
Most importantly, as you close out the year, be sure to acknowledge the successes of your team — and yourself. Celebrate the wins and remind yourself that every “no” is a step closer to the right “yes.” If you learn from the past and plan for the future, you are sure to find success.
As you plan for the new year, consider partnering with Jackson Physician Search to assist with your searches. Our team is eager to learn more about your needs and demonstrate why healthcare organizations nationwide trust us to find physicians and APPs who fit, succeed, and stay. Reach out today to learn more.
About Tara Osseck
With more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Regional Vice President of Recruiting Tara Osseck specializes in matching healthcare organizations with physicians who are a strong fit for the role and the culture. Her healthcare career began as a physician liaison. It quickly expanded to include physician recruitment, strategic planning, and business development, working for various hospitals throughout Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri. Based in St. Louis, Osseck leads the firm’s Midwest Division, placing providers across the Midwest and Upper Midwest. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and a master’s in health care administration and management from The University of Memphis.
