12 reasons why employers need to hire candidates who are early in their healthcare careers

There are important short- and long-term benefits for employers to hire students, recent graduates, and others early in their careers for healthcare roles. We reached out to 12 hiring experts to get their thoughts:

• Create Immersive Preview Experiences
• Build Bridges Between Practice and Academia
• Offer Stipends for Interview Participation
• Lead with a Clear Authentic Mission
• Implement Micro-Credentialing Programs
• Form Alliances with Educational Institutions
• Use Authentic Staff Videos on Social Media
• Brand as Career Starter and Continuer
• Develop Dedicated Externship Programs
• Provide Free Shadow Days for Students
• Emphasize Employer Branding Across Platforms
• Become a Media Expert in Your Field

Create Immersive Preview Experiences

At Thrive, we have hired over 50 early-career mental health professionals by creating virtual “shadow programs” where candidates observe our actual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) sessions (with patient consent). This approach allows them to see our evidence-based methods in action before committing, which has improved our retention rate to 94%.

The key insight came when I noticed that early-career therapists were intimidated by virtual care delivery. Instead of traditional interviews, we started offering 2-hour paid observation sessions where candidates could watch real Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and IOP sessions, ask questions, and understand our federated data approach to personalized treatment plans.

What makes this scalable is that we run these sessions weekly with 5-8 candidates at once. Each session costs us approximately $400 in total but generates 3-4 quality hires who already understand our culture and clinical model. We’ve expanded this to our Lifebit partnerships, where candidates also observe our healthcare data harmonization work.

For healthcare employers, we recommend creating immersive preview experiences rather than standard interviews. Allow candidates to see your actual work environment and patient interactions. Early-career professionals want to understand the day-to-day reality, not just hear about company values in a conference room.

Nate Raine, CEO, Thrive

Build Bridges Between Practice and Academia

One effective recruiting strategy for healthcare employers aiming to hire dozens or even hundreds of early-career candidates is to build a strong bridge between clinical practice and academic development. At Tylock Eye Care, we’ve seen the value of engaging directly with medical students, residents, and early-career clinicians through mentorship, surgical observation opportunities, and participation in research.

Early-career professionals are often looking for more than just a job – they want mentorship, hands-on experience with the latest technologies, and a culture that supports professional growth. Our practice invests in education and is known for working at the forefront of refractive technology and lens-based procedures. This naturally draws interest from candidates who want to be part of a progressive, research-driven environment.

We also recommend creating clear internal pathways that show new hires how they can evolve within the organization. At Tylock Eye Care, this approach has helped us attract talent that’s not only skilled but deeply committed to our patient-first mission.

Also, visibility matters. If your practice is doing high-quality work, highlight that publicly, whether it’s publishing research, participating in mission trips, or being an active member of your community. This kind of social proof builds a brand that early-career candidates want to be associated with.

Hiring at scale is about more than filling roles; it’s about becoming the kind of organization people seek out. When early-career clinicians and technicians see an opportunity to grow, innovate, and contribute to meaningful care, recruiting becomes much more effective.

Taj Nasser, M.D., Medical Director, Tylock Eye Care

Offer Stipends for Interview Participation

To compensate applicants for their time spent in the hiring process, we, acting as a clinic network recruiter, found it necessary to include the incentive of a $50 stipend for attending a two-hour group interview and participating in a simple patient interaction activity. This single step was a sign of respect for their time, particularly for candidates who had multiple jobs or caregiving responsibilities.

The number of attendees doubled in two weeks, and no-shows reduced by over 60 percent. There was also an improved slate of candidates, including people who would have otherwise missed a classic unpaid interview due to logistical constraints. It was a small initial outlay that proved well worth it in terms of speed of hire and commitment on day one.

Wayne Lowry, Founder, Best DPC

Lead with a Clear Authentic Mission

One recruiting strategy I’d recommend is leading every part of the hiring process with a clear and authentic mission. For healthcare roles, especially early-career positions, candidates are looking for more than just salaries and job titles (which are, of course, important). They want to know their work has meaning and that they’re contributing to something bigger.

We at Carepatron have seen that early-career candidates are most engaged when they understand how their role directly supports better patient outcomes or makes healthcare more accessible. When employers clearly communicate that mission and show how each role connects to it, it creates alignment and motivation from the start.

If you’re hiring at scale, that shared mission should be visible across job descriptions, interviews, onboarding, and team culture. Candidates want to feel that their personal goals and values align with the organization’s purpose. When that’s in place, you attract people who are committed for the long haul and who grow into impactful team members.

Jamie Frew, CEO, Carepatron

Implement Micro-Credentialing Programs

Hiring at scale often reveals a key issue: most early-career candidates have enthusiasm, but their technical experience varies widely. Instead of filtering out potentially great hires, healthcare employers can implement or partner with micro-credentialing programs to bridge the gap.

Micro-credentials teach valuable skills for dental and medical offices, including front desk software, HIPAA, sterilization, chairside support, and patient communication. Spending money on in-office training or on paying for these certifications can simplify the hiring process and lead to a more capable, consistent team.

It also indicates to candidates that you believe in their development. Many early-career employees desire to progress, and formal training provides them with a clear direction.

For instance, a person who begins in a sterilization position may receive the certifications to become a dental assistant within six months. That’s a win for both the individual and the practice.

The goal isn’t to find perfect candidates; it’s to build them through intentional support and training. Micro-credentials make that scalable and efficient.

Dr. Kristy Gretzula, Dentist/Owner, Hawley Lane Dental

Form Alliances with Educational Institutions

The process of recruiting early-career healthcare talent requires building personal connections instead of relying on job advertisements. My go-to strategy involves forming alliances with nearby educational institutions to establish a continuous flow of dedicated candidates. Students participate in workshops and shadowing experiences and receive mentorship at our facilities to experience firsthand what working with us entails. The process focuses more on developing a team of believers in our heart-centered care mission than on traditional hiring procedures.

I use my knowledge of psychology and integrative health to develop this work. The understanding of young professionals’ driving forces comes from their need for purpose beyond financial compensation. Early engagement allows me to demonstrate how their abilities will create meaningful change, which transforms their curiosity into dedication. The opportunity to mentor them creates trust and maintains their enthusiasm about joining our organization.

Healthcare job seekers should understand that sharing organizational stories replaces traditional job listing approaches. Students should experience your workplace through hands-on activities such as internships and casual meet-and-greets. Show them the heart of your work—maybe a patient’s smile or a team member’s proud moment. The goal is to create an emotional response that makes them feel they want to join your organization. This approach differs from others because you should let potential candidates discover your organization instead of actively seeking them. Host a basic event or create authentic content for online platforms to let potential candidates feel drawn to your organizational purpose.

Value-Adding Tips for You:

1. Create meaningful school partnerships by providing real experiences through guest lectures or team shadowing opportunities.

2. Use social media to share authentic short stories about your new hires’ initial achievements instead of using professional advertisements.

3. Start conversations with students at an early stage by providing answers to their questions while demonstrating your concern and maintaining a friendly atmosphere.

4. Show them your organizational culture by revealing the fundamental reasons behind your activities.

Abdullah Boulad, Founder & CEO, THE BALANCE RehabClinic

Use Authentic Staff Videos on Social Media

Here’s one effective strategy: Record 3-minute selfie videos of real staff explaining why they love their job, and run these as paid ads directly on Instagram Stories, TikTok, or Reels. No scripts. No filters. No corporate intro. Just raw, first-person clips like, “Hi, I’m Lacey. I graduated last year, and now I’m training future injectors at Injectco.” This approach speaks the language of new graduates who are already scrolling through these platforms. You’ll get ten times more engagement than a formal job post and filter out those who aren’t interested in the company culture from the start.

If you want 100 applicants to genuinely care, don’t start with job titles… start with faces they want to work alongside. Real people attract real talent. It’s pretty simple and highly effective.

Kiara DeWitt, Founder & CEO, Neurology RN, Injectco

Brand as Career Starter and Continuer

In order to hire large quantities of early-stage health professionals, you must brand your organization as a career starter and career continuer. This requires spelling out paths of growth from the very first contact. Describe the training programs available, the timeframes for promotion, and what success at each stage will look like. Illustrate how staff can progress from entry-level to senior positions, whether in clinical, operational, or management roles.

Many recent graduates are uncertain about how they will develop long-term careers in healthcare. If your hiring strategy provides clear answers to that question, you’ll differentiate yourself from competitors. Applicants need structure and guidance. They want to know that you invest in individuals, not simply fill jobs.

This approach is also beneficial for your business. Employees with a clear career map are more productive and less likely to quit. It enables you to retain institutional knowledge, reduce training expenses, and develop leaders from within. When growth is ingrained in your DNA, you attract go-getters who are more likely to succeed and stay.

Make growth a central part of your message, not just a perk once employees are on board.

Dr Stacey Laskis, Dentist, Parkview Dentistry

Develop Dedicated Externship Programs

I’ve had great success working with local nursing schools to develop dedicated externship programs that give students real clinical experience while still in school. After implementing this approach at OptumMD, we’ve maintained a consistent pipeline of motivated nurses and medical assistants, with about 80% of our externs accepting full-time positions after graduation.

Dr. Edward Espinosa, Owner, OptumMD

Provide Free Shadow Days for Students

Within the healthcare industry, we have been successful with our initiatives to hire early career talent by building relationships with local vocational schools and offering various shadow days to them free of charge. We have not waited for graduates to come to us; instead, we have introduced students in medical assistant, CNA, and pharmacy tech programs to spend a day in our facility, work with our personnel, and gain hands-on experience.

This strategy has helped students gain clarity on what to expect in the workplace, and it has provided us with a constant flow of entry-level candidates who are already familiar with our environment. The people who shadowed with us demonstrated more commitment. More than 60 percent of our open positions were filled within three months by those who participated in the shadow program. It was effective as it focused on experience rather than promotion. It was important to the students that they were treated as future professionals rather than mere applicants.

Maegan Damugo, Marketing Coordinator, MacPherson’s Medical Supply

Emphasize Employer Branding Across Platforms

There are several strategies for employers to hire candidates for healthcare jobs, but if you are looking to bring many onboard at once, it is critical to emphasize employer branding. While conducting hiring drives on campuses is certainly helpful, it does not always allow time to address what quality candidates are looking for, as it is more of an introduction than a deep dive.

Today’s candidates are interested in various aspects of your business rather than a simple paycheck. Highlighting your current employee stories, career advancement opportunities, skill set training, education, and flexible scheduling in your job listings and social media posts can be very enticing. By focusing on your employer branding, you can showcase your company as an exciting opportunity for a career that attracts multiple candidates, rather than just a job.

Robert Applebaum, CEO & Plastic Surgeon, Beverly Hills Breast Reduction Center

Become a Media Expert in Your Field

As someone who has built Thriving California while being quoted in major publications like HuffPost, Newsweek, and Parents Magazine, I’ve seen how visibility attracts top talent. The strategy that has worked brilliantly for healthcare recruitment is becoming a media expert in your field.

When I started getting quoted as an expert on parenting and mental health topics, early career therapists began reaching out directly. They had read my insights in Today’s Parent or seen my advice in Everyday Health and wanted to work with someone who was actively shaping the conversation in our field. This created a pipeline of motivated candidates who already understood our values and approach.

The key is picking 2-3 specific topics you can speak to authoritatively and pitching journalists regularly through HARO (Help A Reporter Out) or direct outreach. I focused on postpartum challenges and attachment-based parenting, which aligned perfectly with our therapy specialization. Now I get contacted by both media AND potential hires who have seen my expertise.

For healthcare employers, this works because early career professionals want mentors who are recognized leaders. When you’re the person journalists call for quotes about sleep training or relationship struggles after having children, you naturally attract candidates who aspire to that level of professional visibility themselves.

Maya Weir, Founder, ThrivingCalifornia