Spotlights
Why I Became a Healthcare Recruiter & How to Become One
Becoming a healthcare recruiter can make for a very rewarding career.
Matthew Morrow, a healthcare recruiter with Amergis Healthcare Staffing in Chicago, told us his story on why he became a healthcare recruiter and what it means to him.
My Path to Becoming a Healthcare Recruiter
I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and took a position as a Healthcare Recruiter for Amergis. I’ve learned that working in a profession where I am able to directly and positively influence the lives of others when they need it is extremely rewarding, to say the least.
Raised by a Nurse
The path that led me to work as a healthcare Recruiter is honestly as straight as it is crooked. My interest in healthcare sparked from my mother’s career as a registered nurse (RN), and my constant exposure to the field through her work. She worked in a hospital, a nursing home, and a mental health facility among other settings. But, it was her transition to home healthcare that allowed me to discover my passion for helping others.
When I was in fifth grade, my mother started home healthcare nursing. At any given time, my family had one or two elderly residents living in our house full-time. That means the residents were living with us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If I had a hockey game, our residents came. If we went to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs or traveled to our lake house, our residents went along as well.
PHOTO: Matthew Morrow with a live-in resident
We had these live-in residents until my junior year of high school. Throughout those years, I learned to become a caregiver simply through my day-to-day interaction with the residents. The attitude, personality traits, and generosity needed to be a caregiver essentially became second nature to me. When I turned 17, my mom switched to assisting people in their own homes, and I began to assist some of her patients in this setting as well.
The College Years
I have always been interested in the healthcare industry, but my interests in business, sports, and law eventually led me to enroll at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to study kinesiology and medicine. However, my major changed to a different area of study when I discovered the community health program with a health planning and administration concentration. I eventually graduated in May of 2020 with my undergraduate degree.
My Start with Healthcare Recruiting at Amergis
Upon graduation, I wasn’t sure where exactly within the healthcare business realm I wanted to work, as the opportunities in the field were and still are endless. I’m a very social person, so I knew that I wanted a position that would allow for ample human interaction. I also knew how much I enjoy helping others. These qualities combined with my interest in healthcare led me to explore healthcare recruiting positions and [Amergis] as a company.
I started my career at [Amergis] in August 2020 in the downtown Chicago office. My experiences as a caregiver, combined with countless shadowing and volunteer hours, helped prepare me to speak to healthcare professionals such as:
- Registered nurses (RNs)
- Licensed practical nurses (LPNs)
- Certified nursing assistants (CNAs)
- Phlebotomists
As I speak with these professionals and develop positive relationships with them, my hands-on knowledge of their duties helps me to be relatable and empathize with their preferences and requests.
What Does a Healthcare Recruiter Do?
The way I like to explain what a healthcare Recruiter does is that I act as a middleman between potential job candidates and our clients. I also help to identify, screen, and eventually onboard qualified candidates. Perhaps my most important responsibility is to assist these healthcare professionals throughout the length of their job assignments with the goal of placing each person in a new position once their current one ends. Basically, as a healthcare Recruiter, I position myself as a career consultant for my candidates.
How to Join the Healthcare Recruiting Team at Amergis Staffing
As a nationwide medical staffing agency with local offices in 32 states, Amergis is always on the lookout for motivated individuals to train as healthcare Recruiters. If you’re interested in learning more about joining Amergis, reach out to our team online today and explore our healthcare recruiter jobs.
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