​The Difference Between Headhunters and Healthcare Recruitment Agencies

The demand for healthcare professionals will continue to grow for many reasons, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to an aging Baby Boomer population. To ensure you’re able to recruit top-quality candidates, you might be looking for professional help. There are a few options to consider, including both healthcare headhunters and healthcare recruitment agencies. But how are they different and which is the right fit for you? Here’s what you need to know.

What’s a Healthcare Headhunter?

Headhunters are hired by organizations to locate individuals who meet specific job requirements. It sounds straightforward enough. However, what makes them different from a healthcare recruitment agency is how they approach the relationship with employers and candidates.

Headhunters tend to focus on speed and filling empty seats as quickly as possible at a cost that is typically on the the higher end of the spectrum. These professionals usually devote much of their time recruiting online, via email and through other efforts, like high-volume cold calling. When it comes to headhunters, it’s more about mass recruiting to find as many people as possible and less about building relationships.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach and for some hiring companies, it’s what works. However, there is a different way.

What’s a Healthcare Recruitment Agency?

A healthcare recruitment agency is a firm that tends to focus more on relationships and less on transactions. They’re looking at situations from a bigger picture, longer-term perspective. This means working cooperatively with candidates and employers alike to find the best fit between the two. It also means spending a lot of time meeting, on the phone, and talking with candidates and employers. While email is a great automated tool for certain applications, healthcare recruitment agencies tend to focus on cultivating relationships through phone, video and in-person conversations.

Since the focus is on relationship-building, recruitment agencies also tend to have a strong referral network of candidates. This means they have a robust talent pipeline filled with individuals who are qualified and ready to apply and interview. At the end of the day, this approach is all about people and making personal, productive connections.

Why Consider Provisional Recruiting?

At Provisional Recruiting, we offer the best of both worlds. We’re a healthcare recruitment agency that focuses on building long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with our hiring companies and our candidates. At the same time, we’re able to meet high volume staffing needs and provide you with quick access to a large number of qualified and skilled people, where and when you need them. Our goal, at the end of the day, is to establish trust among the many clients we serve across Washington and Idaho. We want long-term relationships, not to make a quick buck, and it’s a difference you’ll notice when you work with us.

If you’re a healthcare provider looking to establish a relationship with a recruitment agency, turn to Provisional Recruiting. We’re here for you, helping you source, screen and hire those skilled individuals you need, quickly, for a range of healthcare roles. We can also work with you to look to the future and plan ahead, so you’re staffing your hospital, clinic or agency strategically and building a stronger team as a result. Contact us today to learn more.