Healthcare Hiring Surges 50 Percent in March

The healthcare industry received a needed boost during the first quarter.

Nationwide, the economy added 27,000 new healthcare jobs in March, according to recent data from Staffing Industry Analysts. That’s a 50 percent increase from the average monthly gain over the past 12 months.

Healthcare is often less affected than other fields during bad economies. But no field is immune. Between the recovering economy and trepidation over federal healthcare reform, healthcare hiring was negatively affected in 2009.

Things, however, are getting much, much better.

In fact, my healthcare vertical registered the biggest percent change in placements from Q1 2009 through Q1 2010 out of any other vertical at firstPRO—a 154.8 percent jump! Much of this increase was in temp-to-hire positions, a sign that employers are still shaky about hiring full-time workers. And economy-wide, early 2009 was dismal. But 154.8 percent is a great sign nonetheless.

I expect healthcare hiring—non MD positions at least—to start returning to “normal” conditions by the third quarter as the overall economy improves and as the impact of healthcare reform becomes better known.

All this and more is detailed in the brand new Inside Hiring Report—a quarterly intelligence brief from the recruiters at the front lines at firstPRO. Inside Hiring Report delves into nine key industry verticals, from healthcare and IT to legal and traditional hiring.

I encourage you to take a look at the report. It contains observations on what positions are hot, a Q2 outlook, intel for hiring managers, and some advice to job seekers.

I’m pleased with our Q1 results. Here’s to an even healthier Q2!

-Susan Zingaro