Ways to Overcome the Challenges of MedTech Recruitment

In recent years, MedTech recruitment has become increasingly difficult. Businesses must rethink recruitment strategies that appeal to top candidates to fill talent and skill gaps within the industry. Global shifts within the MedTech industry will have various impacts on how hiring managers recruit. As technological advancements continue to evolve, the demand for expertise and skills within this sector is at an all-time high, adding to the difficulties of the recruitment process. 

Our guide will explore the top five MedTech recruitment challenges and what steps we can implement to overcome them, providing advice to businesses and hiring managers on how MedTech recruitment agencies like us can help improve recruitment strategies that will effectively attract and retain talent.

In this guide, we will discuss the following challenges of MedTech recruitment:

1. Talent Gaps in MedTech
2. Talent Retention - Recruitment for MedTech is Competitive 
3. High Turnover and Limited Recruitment  Resources
4. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
5. MedTech Professionals Seek a Quick Recruitment Process

1. Talent Gaps in MedTech 

The MedTech industry is constantly evolving, particularly within technological advancements where careers such as regulatory and quality specialists, AI engineers and clinical data managers are in high demand. The demand for talent and specific expertise within these career roles is substantial, leading to huge staff and talent shortages. 

A recent report from the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) indicates that the skills gap within MedTech is expected to widen from 3% to 26% over the next five years. The MTAA report also explains that 84% of organisations believe that skills gaps have adversely impacted their operations, suggesting that businesses are increasingly finding the MedTech recruitment process difficult. 

Finding the necessary talent in a competitive job market is one of the biggest challenges businesses face in MedTech recruitment. Fortunately, there are various strategies to expand the range of your talent search, and we’ll discuss additional approaches later in this guide. However, one crucial recruitment strategy to focus on is accessing non-typical talent pools to source candidates with the required niche expertise. 

Diverse talent pools can include recent graduates with less experience, parents returning to work, or candidates with a gap in their employment history. Other options involve collaborating with high schools and universities to navigate emerging talent within MedTech careers and considering offering internship opportunities.  

By nurturing and investing in emerging talent, companies can begin to address talent gaps and develop a supply of skilled MedTech professionals by moulding them to meet the niche skill requirements within an organisation. 

To learn more about the top recruitment trends used to help fill talent gaps in MedTech, take a look at our guide - The Top MedTech Recruitment Trends of 2024.

2. Talent Retention - Recruitment for MedTech is Competitive

Not only is sourcing talent in MedTech a challenge, but retaining talent within an organisation is also difficult for businesses. MedTech has massive competition for talent, where professionals frequently seek new opportunities that align with their career goals and aspirations. 

For example, the demand for regulatory and quality research roles is high, as the desire for professionals with specialised knowledge and experience around frameworks, attention to detail and medical and regulatory domains continues to increase. 

Similarly, the implementation of artificial intelligence is beginning to revolutionise the MedTech industry, meaning the demand for artificial intelligence engineers and professionals with medical device jobs is rising. Professionals in this sector are crucial in driving machine learning and data analytics advancements. However, professionals in medical device jobs with this specific domain knowledge are highly sought after but difficult to source. 

Below is a list of things your business can do to attract and retain talent: 

• Establish an Employer Brand - To attract and retain top talent, a company must build a strong employer brand, ensuring that company values, goals, missions and unique selling points are effectively delivered to potential clients.
• Build Professional Networks - To increase visibility and attract top talent, businesses must leverage professional networks such as LinkedIn, participate in industry groups and networking events and post job listings to connect with candidates with the skills and expertise to fill talent gaps. 
• Offer Competitive Benefits - It is a good idea to consider offering competitive benefits such as salary packages, bonuses, insurance and retirement plans, which will differentiate your business and attract top talent.
• Perfect Your Interviews - The interview process is a great way to showcase your business's values, goals and positive culture. Asking relevant questions can also help attract and find domain-specific talent. 
• Invest in Professional Development - Investing in professional development can help your business attract, retain and develop talent within the field. Offering training programmes and career progression plans can help employees develop the expertise required within the role and increase employee satisfaction.
• Promote Flexible Working - Ensure your business highlights flexible working opportunities if they align with your organisation's needs. Remote work and flexible hours are a way to connect with diverse professionals and create access to a broader talent pool. 
• Adopt a Positive Company Culture - Embracing positive workplace elements such as collaboration and communication and a positive work-life balance will definitely attract and retain top MedTech talent. 
• Collaborate with Educational Institutions - Partnering with universities and technical schools is a great way to navigate up-and-coming MedTech talent. Investing in potential talent by offering internships is an excellent way for your business to fill and retain talent gaps within MedTech. 

To learn more information on the best recruitment processes within MedTech, discover our insightful guide - What is the Best Process to Recruit for Medtech Jobs?

3. High Turnover and Limited Recruitment Resources

As we previously mentioned, professionals with skilled and niche expertise in MedTech careers, such as medical device jobs, typically seek new opportunities that deliver the best benefits, considering their knowledge is in extremely high demand.

Having limited resources within an internal hiring team, such as less budget dedicated to talent acquisition and retainment, including training and hiring expenses, leading to lost sales, can all contribute to high employee turnover, having larger impacts on positions of high importance.

The effects of high employee turnover can result in low workplace morale and a considerable rise in workload due to a lack of skilled professionals. This lowers the motivation of employees and makes it difficult for a business to attract and retain top MedTech talent.

Ways your business can reduce employee turnover:

• Improve communication channels within your business to address issues
• Prioritise employee engagement and satisfaction - consider implementing a positive work culture and employee benefits
• Provide training and development programmes
• Conduct exit interviews to understand reasons for high employee turnover and identify solutions

Limited internal resources within an organisation can slow down recruitment and may hinder your business in finding the right talent needed to drive innovation and success in MedTech. Many companies feel the need to seek help from recruitment agencies who specialise in MedTech, with the knowledge and expertise to quickly find and attract talented individuals to a business that aligns with their needs. MedTech recruitment agencies like ourselves, have specialists who know the best recruitment methods and strategies to source the required talent for your company.

Here is an idea of how a MedTech recruitment agency could help: 

• Writing compelling job descriptions
• Interviewing candidates
• Screening candidates
• Assisting in contract negotiations
• Negotiating the market for the best MedTech talent using extensive networks

4. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Approximately 74% of staff members say that company investment in diversity, equity and inclusion is either “somewhat” or “very” important when considering a new role. Internal hiring teams must prioritise and demonstrate devotion to diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives to attract top MedTech talent. 

Candidates do not find job roles and businesses lacking diversity, equity and inclusion innovations appealing. Organisations that possess a well-rounded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy take advantage of innovations and unique perspectives. However, companies with diverse leadership teams in terms of ethnicity and gender outperform their competitors by as much as 36%, based on the most recent McKinsey report.

How can your business promote diversity? 

• Make ad descriptions more inclusive and avoid discriminatory language
• Embracing diversity referrals from current employees 
• Work with expert MedTech recruiters to source diverse pools of talent
• Implementing internship and mentoring programmes to collaborate with diverse teams
• Train hiring managers on how to source DEI and avoid bias
• Having diverse interview panels to prevent bias in the recruitment process
• Set DEI goals and track progress 
• Use various recruitment channels, such as attending job fairs aimed at unrepresented groups and social media, to reach a broader audience

By implementing these strategies, recruiters can effectively promote diversity, equity and inclusion within the MedTech industry, ultimately leading to a more diverse and innovative work environment, which will attract top talent from all backgrounds.

5. MedTech Professionals Seek a Quick Recruitment Process

It is essential for hiring managers to keep up with the fast pace of the recruitment process. MedTech professionals seek a quick recruitment process and are sure to have several job offers to choose from, as their skills and expertise are in huge demand within the MedTech industry. 

Candidates find quick recruitment processes appealing, and it is essential to ensure a quick hiring process, especially if there are limited resources within your business, to avoid candidates pursuing other opportunities and losing top talent to your competitors.

According to recent data from Jobvite, 56% of hiring managers explain that the most significant setback is hiring managers moving candidates through the recruitment process too slowly. Ensuring your business has an efficient and experienced hiring manager is essential to optimising the recruitment process and attracting candidates. 

Many businesses feel the need to turn to recruitment specialists for help, as experts within the field have the knowledge to source suitable candidates and streamline the recruitment process. 

Here's how a recruitment agency like us can speed up the hiring process: 

• Create a clear job description to attract the correct candidates from the start
• Use an extensive network to increase visibility and source suitable candidates 
• Keep the number of interviews to a minimum and keep the length of time consistent, avoiding prolonged interviews
• Staying on topic, keeping to MedTech-related questions during the recruitment process
• Conduct follow-up interviews within a few days
• Come to a final decision as soon as possible, taking a one week maximum

Challenges of MedTech Recruitment - Key Takeaways

MedTech recruitment challenges are tricky, but with strategic adaptation and innovation, businesses can overcome these hurdles and secure the top talent needed for success in the MedTech industry. To address talent gaps in MedTech careers, such as medical device jobs, maintaining retention in a competitive environment is essential. Businesses must tap into non-typical talent pools, build a strong employer brand, cultivate professional networks and offer competitive benefits to promote a positive company culture.

As well as talent gaps and retention, the challenge of high turnover, influenced by limited recruitment resources, requires proactive measures such as improving communication, prioritising employee engagement, and investing in training programs.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are ethical imperatives and crucial for innovation and success in MedTech. By promoting inclusive language, embracing diversity referrals, and collaborating with expert recruiters, businesses can create a workplace that attracts diverse talent and benefits from unique perspectives.

In the fast-paced world of MedTech, streamlined hiring procedures are essential. This involves creating clear job descriptions, leveraging extensive networks, and minimising the time involved in recruitment. Recruitment agencies specialising in MedTech are vital in expediting the process and ensuring a timely acquisition of top talent.

Embracing these strategies positions businesses to thrive in attracting, retaining, and developing the best talent as the MedTech industry continues to evolve.

Power your Business with MedTech Recruitment Support

Our specialist recruitment consultants have the facilities to connect your business with top MedTech talent. As your go-to MedTech recruiter, we will work closely with your organisation to streamline the recruitment process and find the talent your business needs. 

With our unparalleled global network and deep industry expertise, we have the expertise to fill talent gaps in MedTech careers and drive your business towards innovation and success.

Contact us today to discover how our MedTech recruitment services can help you overcome recruitment challenges in this competitive market.