Seventy percent of U.S. physicians are passive job seekers. That means that, although they aren’t actively seeking out a career change, they are open to opportunities that come their way. Which is good news for recruiters, and very good news for recruiters who know how to maximize their reach. So, how exactly do you do that? Drumroll, please!

The secret to physician recruitment is… brand awareness!

One of the best ways to get these passive job seekers to notice you is by building brand awareness — an important long-term activity to efficiently engage and hire candidates. The online world is where you get your brand out to the masses. 90% of job seekers use mobile technology — 45% of those search for jobs online at least once a day — and 70% of employers said they have successfully hired from social media. 

Here are two ways you can begin building brand awareness online:

• Get physicians and leaders involved.
• Focus on the platforms that match your goals. 

We are living in a digital world

A majority of the world exists in the online space. Encourage current physicians and leaders to maintain social media accounts that showcase their work and experience at your hospital. Referrals are a powerful form of recruitment, and a strong social presence for individuals can be as important as a strong presence for your brand. 

And if your physicians are a little resistant to your marketing efforts, try some of our tips to get doctors excited. For example, highlight the individuality that shines within the group by creating a custom plan — specifically, videos for your employed providers’ directory pages. These videos allow each doctor’s unique thoughts, backgrounds, and specialties to show. And then, repurpose them for social!

Which social media platforms should physicians be on?

Invest in your social media presence — focus on the right platforms and remain active in those channels to be competitive. Share innovations and thought leadership from your group to show what you have to offer. 

Knowing which platforms to invest in is key. Here are four platforms your brand and physicians could (and should) be on. 

• Doximity is a physician-only social media platform that can also be used as a candidate sourcing tool to reach both active and passive candidates. It’s a powerful recruiting platform since 80% of all practicing physicians are users.
• LinkedIn is a professional-centric social media platform with specialized recruiting tools, including job postings and InMails.
• Twitter can be successful when used by physicians aiming to reach their colleagues and peers across the globe. 
• Facebook has the widest audience and can be a great sourcing tool if used with the right expertise.

And there you have it, our secret sauce for physician and healthcare recruiting: brand awareness. Getting your current physicians and leaders involved shows potential prospects that your organization is a place that values what they’re bringing to the table. And remember: if something isn’t working, try something else. Just because “everyone” is on a platform doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you.

Our team at DECODE has years of experience when it comes to physician recruitment. From building a specialized strategy to developing an online brand for physicians and hospital leaders, we have the right tools to effectively implement your brand. If you have more questions about how to improve your physician recruitment, let’s sit down over a cup of coffee and see what we can create together.