Advice for Employers and Recruiters
7 tips for hiring healthcare students other than through traditional, on-campus recruitment
Recruiting healthcare workers requires a targeted approach beyond traditional on-campus interviews. One effective strategy is partnering with nursing schools, medical programs, and healthcare training centers to offer internships, residency programs, and clinical placements. By providing hands-on training in hospitals, clinics, or care facilities, employers can engage students and early-career professionals while showcasing their work environment. This also gives healthcare workers a chance to develop skills and build relationships within the organization, making it more likely they’ll transition into full-time roles.
Employers looking for alternatives to traditional, on-campus recruiting can also use online job boards such as College Recruiter and platforms specifically focused on healthcare roles. Sites dedicated to healthcare professionals, such as medical staffing agencies or healthcare-specific job boards, can connect employers with both new graduates and experienced workers. Virtual career fairs, webinars with industry experts, or online continuing education opportunities are additional ways to engage with healthcare workers, allowing employers to promote their organization and reach a broad audience without relying solely on traditional, on-campus visits.
In the search for fresh talent in healthcare without the traditional campus recruitment visits, we gathered expert tips from seven industry professionals including medical directors and human resource managers. From creating internship and mentorship programs to implementing long-term strategic recruitment, discover how Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies can effectively attract college students and recent graduates to healthcare roles.
- Create Internship and Mentorship Programs
- Utilize Virtual Job Fairs and Online Portals
- Engage Immigrant Communities with Cultural Insight
- Offer Remote Internships and Digital Fairs
- Host Tailored Virtual Career Fairs and Webinars
- Partner with Academic Institutions Virtually
- Implement Long-Term Strategic Recruitment
Create Internship and Mentorship Programs
To effectively hire college and university students for healthcare roles outside of on-campus recruiting, I recommend creating internship and mentorship programs that engage students directly in the field. This approach allows them to experience the work environment firsthand while building important skills. I once collaborated with a healthcare organization that established a summer internship program specifically targeting students from diverse backgrounds.
They paired interns with mentors who guided them through real projects, providing valuable insights into the industry. This not only fostered a sense of belonging but also enabled the company to identify promising talent for future job openings. Tailoring recruitment efforts towards community outreach events and education-focused initiatives can also open doors to a wider range of candidates who might otherwise remain untapped.
Kristie Tse, Founder & Therapist, Uncover Mental Health Counseling
Utilize Virtual Job Fairs and Online Portals
For Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies that need to staff healthcare roles at scale, but outside of the traditional campus recruiting season, I encourage you to look towards virtual job fairs and online career portals that focus specifically on healthcare professions. These platforms offer far greater reach than on-campus events, enabling you to find and attract graduates from the entire United States or even globally. In this way, you can significantly expand your recruitment reach and potential applicant pool, with the added benefit of engaging candidates who are already comfortable with virtual tools—a necessity in today’s healthcare industry.
I’ve used these specialized platforms to open up digital booths, live chats, and interviews—I’ve found it a great and effective way of recruitment. The candidates could explore the organization through digital brochures and virtual tours at their own pace, getting all the necessary information about the organization before joining. This is also one of the reasons why I found this method useful in attracting even more effective candidates who are more in line with what the role in healthcare expects.
Renato Fernandes, Clinical Nutritionist, Saude Pulso
Engage Immigrant Communities with Cultural Insight
Immigrant communities possess a disproportionate percentage of recent graduates, as children strive to complete the journey their parents began. These youngsters tend to be hard-working and determined but are sometimes shut out of traditional on-campus marketing due to inadvertent bias. Targeting these recent graduates is a great way for Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies to reach untapped worker pools, but it requires a bit of finesse.
Bringing in a cultural reader is a great way to ensure your marketing strategy is conveying the message you want. A community leader can assist you in getting your advertisements where they need to be: think neighborhood papers and message boards. And translation services can help you get more eyes on your job postings, supporting word-of-mouth networks within enclaves.
Carlos da Silva, Physician Assistant, PA Career Hub
Offer Remote Internships and Digital Fairs
By working with universities to set up remote internships, you can connect with a wider, more diverse group of candidates who might not be reached through campus events. Offering virtual internships in areas like research, patient care, or healthcare administration gives students hands-on experience while you spot promising talent early.
Also, joining online healthcare career fairs and hosting webinars can attract enthusiastic candidates eager to find opportunities in the field. These digital approaches expand your reach and give future healthcare professionals valuable experience.
Dr. Michael May, Medical Director, Wimpole Clinic
Host Tailored Virtual Career Fairs and Webinars
For Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies looking to hire college and university students and recent graduates for healthcare roles, consider creating virtual career fairs and webinars specifically tailored to healthcare careers. These digital events provide a targeted platform to engage with prospective candidates who are interested in the healthcare field but may not be reached through traditional on-campus recruiting.
Virtual career fairs provide a dynamic way to connect with students and recent graduates from various institutions. These events can include virtual booths, where representatives from your organization can interact with candidates in real time, discuss job opportunities, and provide insights into the roles and career paths within your organization. This setup allows for meaningful interactions without geographical limitations, making it easier to attract a diverse pool of applicants from across the country or even globally.
Webinars can complement these career fairs by offering educational content related to healthcare careers. For example, hosting sessions on emerging trends in healthcare, career development tips, or specific challenges within the industry can engage students and recent graduates who are keen to understand more about the field. These webinars can also include Q&A sessions, allowing candidates to ask questions and get direct responses from industry professionals, which can be invaluable for their career decision-making process.
Maria Knobel, Medical Director, Medical Cert UK
Partner with Academic Institutions Virtually
The top tip is to leverage virtual platforms and targeted partnerships with academic institutions, student organizations, and specialized online communities. Directly partner with specific healthcare-related programs and departments, such as nursing, public health, and healthcare administration, at universities and colleges.
Also, utilize specialized virtual recruiting platforms like College Recruiter, Handshake, or Brazen, which allow companies to connect with students from multiple universities simultaneously. By employing these strategies, companies and government agencies can effectively tap into a wider, more diverse pool of talent for healthcare roles than by relying on on-campus recruitment.
Esma Dukaj, Human Resource Manager, Plastic Express
Implement Long-Term Strategic Recruitment
Finding ways to get your organization in front of potential future hires and candidates should begin well before on-campus recruitment. It’s a long-term strategic commitment that reinforces your employer brand and impacts the volume of applicants visiting your careers page.
Strengthen your visibility with college/university students and recent grads by developing and implementing talent-based opportunities that make sense for your organization. Ideas include maintaining a structured pipeline of enthusiastic freelancers solving some of your problems and completing relevant work; customized apprenticeship programs for specific roles; scheduling pre-work days for small groups where future candidates can visit one of your locations for a tailored experience; and designating a person or team in your organization to lead and conduct on-demand virtual or in-person interviews as needed to maintain a bench of qualified candidates and fill your vacancies.
It’s a good opportunity to showcase your organization’s personality and culture while drawing attention to all the good things you do, as well as the impact future hires will have on organizational goals and objectives.
Sash Dumanovic, Human Resources Manager
