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Virtual to Real-Time Nurse Networking

May 8, 2007
This article is part of a series called News & Trends.

One company is offering new ways for nurses — among other professionals — the chance to network.

CareerTours is an Internet-based recruiting resource that allows career seekers to experience companies through profiles, video, and audio clips. These tours let career seekers learn about a company’s culture, career opportunities, and a way to experience a “day in the life” of a job all from their computer.

Nurses can then make a career decision based on an experience, rather than from a static job advertisement, according to Aaron Bare, CEO and founder of CareerTours.

In addition, his company also offers “Real Tours,” which are typically onsite, multi-day events that let companies engage out-of-state candidates with information on the company and city.

Bare explains that one of his clients in Phoenix had a hard time recruiting local nurses, so he helped them create a “Real Tour” for out-of-state RNs interested in relocating to Phoenix.

“Everyone wants to go on these Real Tours. The magic was getting the attention of nurses. It comes down to our core philosophy on friction-less recruiting. There’s so much friction in the recruiting process. A resume, an interview, having to call; these are all friction points,” he says.

“Nurses know they are in demand but don’t have a good way to market themselves. We took out those friction points and said, ‘sign up!’ We asked a few questions, but we didn’t ask for a resume. We called back to build a profile,” he says.

His company’s niche is focused on word-of-mouth recruiting and helping people tap into their own connections, he explains. In addition to the traditionally hard-to-fill nursing spots, his company works with numerous industries. These include accounting, engineering, and transportation, among others.

“Monster and ad networks are a step in the right direction. They’ve done TV in the past and broadcasting network; I think we’re right in the middle of it. We have a unique advantage in the name of tours,” says Bare.

This article is part of a series called News & Trends.