Recruiting EMTs 101: What to Know
If you’ve been listening to the news lately, then you almost certainly have heard of the “Great Resignation.” It’s a phrase coined to represent the millions of Americans who have quit their jobs or switched careers over the past few years in record numbers. Much of the conversation is focused on white-collar professionals, with economic experts trying to figure out how the pandemic may have forced hordes of office workers to reflect on their current working conditions. Here at 9-ONE-1 Marketing, however, we’re focused on a different kind of recruitment and retention: emergency services.
9-ONE-1 is an experienced team of first responder marketing strategists that partners with fire departments, police departments, local government agencies, and EMTs. Both from working as these organizations’ marketing partners and having some employees with firefighting backgrounds on our team, we know how difficult these two objectives can be in today’s world. Specifically, there’s been a steady decrease in EMT retention and those embarking on emergency medical technician training. Below, we’ve written some EMT recruitment strategies to help your organization reach new audiences and connect with prospective recruits.
Keep Your Audience Informed:
There are many misconceptions about Emergency Medical Services, and really about first responders as a whole. Certain rumors or miscommunications are often the deciding factors for potential recruits shying away from emergency medical technician training. While it can be difficult to combat these stereotypes, it’s the responsibility of your agency to dispel false claims and inform recruits with the correct information. This must be an all-encompassing strategy in regards to communications and marketing, starting with an updated website and consistent social media activity. It’s essential that you act proactively in your recruitment efforts, seeking to establish a connection with prospects before they come to their own conclusions about the industry.
Digitize Your Message:
Many EMS units can rely on word-of-mouth referrals or current technicians bringing on friends or colleagues. This clearly is a great idea, as you can trust that current employees’ reference means something. However, if you’re really trying to boost numbers and connect with more qualified candidates, your EMT recruitment strategies need to expand and modernize. From a digital perspective, you need to focus on your target audience, understand their internet habits, and find ways to meet their expectations. At 9-ONE-1, we perform organic and paid advertising campaigns for EMS agencies that zone in on key demographics and interest points. This is how we take recruitment from a few nibbles to a gargantuan net.
New Generations and New Content:
As the “Great Resignation” may attest to, the millennial and gen-z generations are not only expecting changes to the modern workplace, they’re demanding it. And whether it’s the cubical or on the front lines of emergency response, the way in which you market your organization should similarly change as the times do. Has your organization been utilizing trending social media apps or features? Have you been posting enticing job listings on LinkedIn? True growth is best accomplished when online initiatives marry in-person relationships, and both of these can be forged with the help of 9-ONE-1 Marketing!
Ready to revamp your recruitment strategy with the experts? Click here today to connect with one of our team members!