Doctors are digital omnivores, so the best way to connect with them is through technology. Reports have shown that nearly three-quarters of physicians are using computers, smartphones, and tablets in their professional lives.

Doctors are also great networkers, and since recruiting has always been about networking, engaging candidates via social recruiting adds another layer that’s highly convenient: nearly 9 out of 10 (87%) physicians age 26 to 55 engage with social media daily (per Jackson Physician Search). 

Social recruiting isn’t just convenient, it can be a cost-effective and more efficient way to find candidates. Social media platforms are often the first place candidates check you out. Hospitals, for instance, have websites, a LinkedIn company page, and even a Facebook page. Are they designed to showcase your culture? It’s a good idea to identify doctors and advanced practitioners who represent your organization and enlist them in building your social network. They can share content that makes your pages a provider-focused community. Sharing quality content is a critical step that enables you to establish connections with the right candidates. Share content that others will want to share. Pay close attention to questions candidates ask via social channels – and keep answering questions in a way that keeps them engaged.

The greatest benefit to using social and digital recruiting tactics is that most physicians are passive job seekers – they’re interested in opportunities but they’re not actively looking for jobs (only about 11% of candidates are actively looking at new positions on job boards, per Doximity). That means a great strategy is to use social and digital platforms your candidates are already using.  

Email still fits into the digital mix for recruiting, too. We know that physicians prefer to receive opportunities via email, but they are also inundated by them. According to a Doximity physician survey, nearly 45% of physicians report receiving emails about new job opportunities multiple times per week, yet the majority of physicians say these messages are relevant less than 10% of the time. So, it’s vital to target your candidates with opportunities that fit their specialty and requirements. Don’t send opportunities that aren’t relevant, or you’ll lose candidates immediately. On the contrary, if you send personalized messages to the right candidates, you’ll likely see a great response rate. Doximity’s DocMail messages from recruiters, for example, see an average click rate of 24% (compared to the industry average of 5%). 

Of course, the largest single pool of candidates continues to be those already in practice, and you’ll find over 1 million doctors and advanced practitioners on Doximity. Are you using Doximity Talent Finder to recruit candidates socially and digitally? Sign up for a free demo and start finding candidates today.