An unprecedented recruitment challenge
They’re not new. In fact, contact tracers helped defeat SARS in 2003-2004, and are used regularly by health departments to combat HIV, measles, H1N1, and even Ebola.
However, the incredible size of the contact tracing workforce will be the new normal as experts say that the Covid-19 Pandemic has created an explosive need for an army of these health detectives. Where now there are approximately 2,000 contact tracers across the nation, it is likely we will be needing a total force of 200,000 to 300,000.
This is an astounding number for a job that up until now has not been researched by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a major recruitment challenge for our 50 states, 16 territories and thousands of local health departments – not to mention large corporations that may want their own to ensure the safety of their employees.
Experts believe that contact tracers will be integral to preventing a second wave of the invisible enemy. That is why the CDC says, “The time to start building the trained workforce is now.”
If you are not familiar with contact tracing (and we bet you are not) here is how it works. The positive person is interviewed by an investigator who then reaches out to those contacts suggesting 14 days of isolation and collecting information on others who have been within six feet for 10 minutes or more of the contact.
Some of the states are getting a head start on putting together an effective contact tracing team. Massachusetts is looking at a team of 1,000, New Jersey could have as many as 7,000 while California is putting together a team of 10,000 contact tracers. This is while many states are looking at creative ways of filling these critical roles.
If you are a Government Health official, Healthcare Administrator or Talent Acquisition professional with an urgent need to hire high-demand individuals as contact tracers, there is one way you can stay ahead of the hiring curve. Contact SCG.
As a valued client of SCG, you will have the power of an award-winning company with 60 years of experience in public relations, research, advertising and association management.
More importantly, we have extensive experience in Recruitment Marketing – handling millions of jobs in all industries including extensive experience in health care and government. By using the PESO model of Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned media, we have the tools to work with your marketing and HR departments to scale up quickly and deliver results.
The bottom line is, we have the tools and the experience that equip us ready to hit the ground running to meet your Contact Tracing recruitment challenge. Contact Mike Gatta, Vice President, National Development at mgatta@scgadv.com or call (856) 795-7391 ext. 149.
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One of the key tools to developing a successful recruiting program is the ability to pivot on a dime and stay in front of our ever-changing environment. Right now, we’re facing a pandemic of sizable proportions. People are scared. Professional conferences are cancelled. Job fairs shuttered. But some essential personnel positions need to be filled – and you still have an applicant pipeline to populate.
