Meet Megan Halsch, Healthcare Recruiter Communicates for Success
“Placing an allied health clinician in a new setting to gain the type of experience they want can really make the difference in the life of a jobseeker,” says Megan Halsch, senior recruiting manager with AMN Healthcare. “Many times clinicians want to diversify their résumé, and contract positions offer the perfect opportunity because they allow for 13-week experiences in a variety of settings, with different patient populations and therapy teams.”
Halsch has worked as a healthcare recruiter since 2014. She works in AMN Healthcare's New Jersey office where she focuses on short-term assignments for allied healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, imaging professionals and others.
“We staff a variety of settings to include schools, hospitals, rehab clinics, home health agencies, nursing homes, and long-term acute care. I am an advocate for my clinicians--from the early stage of providing background information about AMN Healthcare, to current contract opportunities, and on through the submission, interview, and placement process.”
Providing allied staffing to ensure quality care
Megan has always had a general passion for the healthcare field, having served as a personal trainer and a peer health educator during her undergraduate years.
When asked what led her to a career in professional recruiting, Halsch said, “Throughout my education I learned about healthcare staffing and the importance of maintaining adequate levels of providers within healthcare facilities to ensure patients are receiving quality care. Maintaining these levels is what allows for continuity of care and ultimately leads to patients progressing to more independence and better quality of life.”
Halsch started with AMN Healthcare as a recruiting consultant, then progressed to senior recruiter, and now serves as senior recruiting manager. She thoroughly enjoys mentoring new recruiters and has been recognized for placing a record number of travelers in allied healthcare jobs.
Advocating for her allied clinicians
Halsch says being a strong advocate for her clinicians requires understanding them as people, their expectations and motivation for traveling, and why particular settings might hold appeal.
“I approach it from both ends--identifying both the best candidates and the facilities that can offer them a supportive environment. I encourage candidates to ask questions that will reveal how the facility functions and what their experience will be like. I also keep future travelers in the loop--even if they are not quite ready to start--so they can monitor trends in settings and geographical openings.”
Megan establishes rapport with her clinicians through routine, open communication. She says, “I aim to be completely transparent when discussing pay expectations, my knowledge of the facility, or the job outlook within a specific geographical location. Once submitted for a position, I provide a daily update regarding any feedback from the client, how many submissions there are, how the clinician's profile compares to other submissions, and, of course, any new openings that may be of interest, to keep options open.”
Keeping current with healthcare developments and trends
When she’s not working hard to help allied health clinicians find professional opportunities in exciting new places, Halsch is hitting the books at Rutgers University where she is pursuing a master of science degree in healthcare administration. She plans to complete the program in 2016.
“While working toward my master's degree, I’ve learned which settings suffer the most from staffing shortages, as well as geographical areas where it may be harder to recruit or maintain staff. The knowledge gained in my coursework enables me to relate to issues clinicians actually face on a day-to-day basis.”
Halsch, a New Jersey native, also enjoys going to the beach, working out and traveling with her family. She often uses the knowledge and insight gained during personal travel to complement her role as a healthcare recruiter.
“Through my familiarity with different geographical areas, I have learned some of the issues allied travelers may face with regard to housing or weather during certain seasons. I also love receiving feedback from travelers after their contract ends so I can pass that knowledge along to future travelers.”
Send Megan an e-mail or give her a call at (201) 577 5852, to find out about the current jobs she has available for allied health travelers with AMN Healthcare.
Additional Allied Travel Resources
While you continue your search for the perfect allied healthcare position, AMN Healthcare provides great resources to keep your career moving in the right direction. Begin the application process now, and then learn more about how AMN Healthcare can help you keep your career on the move.
- EAP: Our allied travelers gain access to a valuable set of Employee Assistance Program benefits.
- Allied Travel Jobs by Specialty: Explore allied jobs and learn about hourly salaries and the benefits of working in travel jobs.
- Search All Allied Jobs: Uncover new possibilities in your allied career by exploring both short and long-term options.
- Allied Healthcare Jobs: Learn how we can help move your career in amazing directions, both professionally and geographically by exploring opportunities by each state.
- More Allied Resources: Use the content here to learn everything you need to know about our allied recruitment process, including information on salary and benefits.
