Good afternoon-

Nurse recruitment has been good to me.  It helped me buy an engagement ring for my wife, it has helped me afford a new car, and it recently helped me and my wife purchase our first home.

But more important than the financial gains that recruitment has afforded me, has been the knowledge that I have gained about myself and about the human race. 

I try to put myself in the shoes of my candidates.  I try to think of how I would like to be recruited, what advice I would like to be given, and what advantages and disadvantages would be important to me if I were embarking on a new career.  That is what has helped me get out of the "money-making" mindset and instead adopt the mindset of "how can I help."

Not everyone is comfortable taking a new job, not everyone wants to leave the security that they have for the unknown, and while it can seem harmless to peek at what else is out there, most people would rather not fool with Pandora's Box. 

I understand.

It seems that there is no recruitment tactic (for lack of a better term) to overcome this way of thinking.  Nor should there be.  We as recruiters neeed to allow our candidates to be left to their own devices.  We need to present all of the options and allow our candidates to decide rather than try to force and influence what would make our bank accounts happier because, in the long run, you will eventually begin running in mud.

I'm the first to admit that I am not the best "recruiter".  I would never brag about being able to talk someone into leaving their job and "recruiting" to another.  But I will say that I am pretty good about being honest, accurately telling the good, the bad and the ugly about every option, and respecting the decision of my candidates. 

And so far that has worked.

I love what I do.  I am a consultant, a friend, and an agent rather than a head hunter.  And that is why I love it.

Best wishes to you as you go through your day.

Good morning all-

I have decided to try and keep a running blog on this site that chronicles the average day of a recruiter.  I will share stories of interest, pose questions, and give an overall glimpse into the trials and tribulations of what my profession experiences in a day to day. 

As you can see, I am starting this blog on the day of my two year anniversary with Martin, Fletcher and Associates.  So far, so good.  I had a rough spell early in my career, but I decided to stick with it and now here I am, Team Leader, managing six other recruiters and working ten accounts nationwide. 

I've heard some crazy stories in my day, have been disappointed by healthcare over and over again, and have often times had to question the overall integrity of human beings.  But if there is one thing that I have learned it is: we are all people and the thought of leaving a secure and safe job in this economy does not always sound like the best idea.  And even though healthcare has its major issues (staffing ratios, no educational opportunities for nurses, Medicare, Medicaid, the list goes on and on), some people still have the mentality of the grass is not always greener on the otherside of the fence.

I understand.  I wouldn't leave this company to do the same thing somewhere else.  So I fully understand why it can be hard to reason with someone that you may in fact have a better opportunity down the street. 

So that leads me to my first question in this series of blogs:

Healthcare professionals, what do you care about in your career?  How can we recruiters make life better for you?  I know that every individual is different, but I would like your take on this question.

And that is where I will leave it this morning.  I am now going to go get my first of 3 or 4 cups of coffee for the day and start making phone calls.

Connor