Executive Recruitment in Healthcare – Challenges and Opportunities

There is a huge need for executive recruitment in healthcare. What are the challenges and opportunities for finding qualified candidates?

There is only an increasing need for executive recruitment in healthcare. The trends indicate that, indeed, for administrative and executive positions, the growth rates are much higher than expected. From an executive recruitment perspective, certainly, this is a great sign of the potential roles available. From the perspective of the health system, on the other hand, it indicates how challenging it can be to meet the demand for qualified, expert leadership in the sector.

But the challenges are an important factor in finding the right – the ablest and most qualified – candidate. You want to know the challenges so your organization can address them accordingly. Conversely, opportunities allow us and you see where changes and transformation can occur.

Let’s take a look at the challenges opportunities and challenges. How can we address them from both the employer’s and candidate’s perspectives?

Institutional challenges in healthcare executive recruitment

First and foremost, one of the main challenges in healthcare executive recruitment is the lack of suitable candidates. We’re not saying that there aren’t a lot of talented executive candidates out there – not at all! There’s just not enough to meet the expanding need. It’s more difficult to identify and attract candidates.

Artificial intelligence (AI) recruitment tools and software can help narrow down candidates with the appropriate technical skills. They can’t, however, properly identify the essential soft skills required for most roles. Despite the high-tech assistance, you still need to put in the work and investment reaching out to sort through the roster of candidates delivered to you.

For skilled and talented candidates within the organization, you should design career development programs to provide existing staff with the skills to move upwards to the executive level.

Challenges for executive candidates

From the candidate’s perspective, as they pursue avenues for executive recruitment in healthcare, it can be difficult to get the attention of prospective employers.

Yes, there may be an abundance of opportunities at the executive level, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a veritable deluge of applicants. Candidates must take a skills-centred approach to their resume to set themselves apart from the crowd. Outline hard, practical, and technical skills in detail, but don’t forget the soft skills, too. A prospective employer wants to know you can function effectively at the executive level, but they want assurance you will be an engaged and effective leader, too.

Emphasize your winning combination of medical, managerial, or administrative talents and skills and how they will translate the most proficiently into a C-suite position.

The increased stress of a global pandemic has only served to amplify the executive hiring challenges for both recruiters and candidates. Over the past few years, the culture around health care has become fraught with mistrust and conflicting information, making the jobs of healthcare workers, including those of administrators and managers, just that much more difficult. Effective executives have a responsibility to manage the care of their patients, but also the working lives of their employees, with safety chief among them.

Recruiters need to reassure clients and candidates that they take the expanded concerns seriously and that there are structures of support in place to assist them. Candidates have to understand the level of support they require to make the most impact on their role.

A range of opportunities

We at Mirams Becker understand fundamentally how, with each executive we recruit, it’s a new opportunity to transform our healthcare industry. One of the most important factors impacting change with executive recruitment is the opportunity to promote diversity. Healthcare still suffers from considerable racial and gender inequity, particularly in leadership. Executive positions show especially low numbers when it comes to minority representation. Healthcare executives play a huge role in supporting aspiring leaders from marginalized groups.

Prospective executive candidates have the opportunity to fill roles that can make a big difference. These positions determine how facilities and their departments operate. Skilled and talented healthcare executives have a unique opportunity to influence the direction of the sector.

Healthcare leadership incorporates medical knowledge and experience, industry trends, and an understanding of patient experience to make great improvements to care.  Well beyond simply functioning, executives can also bring entrepreneurial skills to help facilities thrive! Healthcare leaders can specialize in a variety of areas. From hospital administration to billing and coding, there is a multitude of ways to make a positive impact.

For both facilities and candidates, leveraging the digital landscape offers significant opportunities. Advanced technologies are fundamental to efficient, high-functioning healthcare. Healthcare executive candidates can promote new tools and processes that benefit both their staff and patients.

In summary, hiring healthcare executives in healthcare presents as many challenges as there are opportunities. Whether you’re an organization or a candidate, you need to understand both – and how you’d like to address them. Each of the parties has a lot to offer the other. The employer must communicate what makes them a desirable place to lead. The candidate needs to demonstrate what makes them the best leadership choice. The goal is for everyone to achieve the most positive outcome.