Healthcare Professionals Add Social Media to Their Job Search Process, Networking

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Job seekers, including those in the healthcare profession, are using social media for more than just social purposes.  Physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists are accessing their computers and mobile phones to network with professional colleagues, track down job leads and apply for new positions.

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AMN Healthcare's "2010 Social Media Survey of Healthcare Professionals" suggests that traditional methods of recruitment such as referrals, online job boards and search engines are not being superseded by social media, whereas social media does surpass other job search methods such as newspaper ads, career fairs and other methods.  At the same time, social networking sites are experiencing tremendous growth, and have become the new frontier in professional networking and career development for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and pharmacists.  Job candidates are spending more time online and experimenting with media sites for job searches, but have thus far found minimal success in securing interviews, job offers and positions.

AMN Healthcare (NYSE: AHS), the nation's largest healthcare staffing and workforce solutions company, received 1,248 responses to its social media survey completed this fall.  The survey was designed to provide healthcare employers and leaders a snapshot of how healthcare professionals are currently using social media and other online applications for networking, job hunting and other career development activities.

Susan Salka, AMN's president and chief executive officer, said, "It's not surprising that social media and mobile media usage have become additional job sourcing methods for healthcare professionals and a way to network with peers and companies.  What this tells us is that job seekers will add new methods and continue to replace those that don't work as they have access to innovative new resources.  As the nation's largest healthcare staffing company, we find this information valuable in being able to connect with top talent in healthcare today.  It will be interesting to compare this year's results with those from 2011 and beyond to gauge the search methods and developing preferences of job seekers."

Key Survey Findings

• 38% of clinicians surveyed are currently seeking employment, and 12% of current job seekers have been looking for more than a year.
• Nurses have had a significantly shorter job search than their fellow professionals, averaging three months, compared to just less than seven months for physicians and allied professionals, and nine months for pharmacists.
• 37% of clinicians reported using social media for professional networking; nurses had the highest use among healthcare workers at 41%.
• 10% of healthcare professionals are using mobile job alerts, but only 3% have received an interview, 2% have received a job offer and 1% secured a new job.
• Physicians are by far the heaviest users of mobile devices for professional reasons among their medical colleagues; 37% used healthcare-related applications and 17% used mobile devices for healthcare-related content or jobs.
• 64% of the clinicians surveyed would choose Facebook, the clear favorite, if they could choose only one social networking site.

The survey data is presented as totals and broken out by clinical specialties.  Industry leaders can use the results to gauge the effectiveness of various social media networks and related applications as they develop future plans for recruiting, advertising and general communications.  To obtain a copy of the complete survey click here.

About AMN Healthcare

AMN Healthcare Services, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, CA, is the nation's largest provider of comprehensive healthcare staffing and workforce solutions.  As the leading provider of travel nurse, per diem (local) nurse, allied and locum tenens (temporary physician) staffing and physician permanent placement services, AMN Healthcare recruits and places healthcare professionals on assignments of variable lengths and in permanent positions with clients throughout the United States.  AMN Healthcare is also the nation's largest provider of healthcare managed services programs and recruitment process outsourcing solutions.  Settings staffed include acute-care hospitals, government facilities, community health centers and clinics, physician practice groups, and a host of other healthcare settings.  AMN Healthcare also provides home healthcare services in select regions.  For more information, visit http://www.amnhealthcare.com.

SOURCE AMN Healthcare