Health Board Takes Job Opportunities To Super 14s
One of New Zealand's largest district health boards is today taking an innovative approach to filling the many clinical
and medical jobs on offer in its region by placing a giant advertisement on the halfway line of a Super 14 rugby field.
Waikato District Health Board's website has a fresh new look going live later today to coincide with an advertisement
painted on the pitch at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium during the Chiefs vs Sharks Super 14 match tonight.
"Health professionals, work in Waikato! www.waikatodhb.govt.nz"
is the message Waikato DHB Media and Communications Director Mary Anne Gill hopes will guide South African, Australian,
European and New Zealand rugby fans to the site so they can see what jobs and lifestyle are on offer in the Waikato.
Waikato is understood to be the first New Zealand district health board to take such a novel approach to recruitment. At
$4000 the campaign is a cost effective way to reach thousands of people, she said.
"We're always in the market for dedicated health professionals at Waikato DHB.
"In recent times we've scoured the world for health professionals and as a result of some innovations to our website
last year, we now know they scour the web for us."
The website gets more than 100,000 a hits a month from all around the world. But converting those hits into job
applications via the Waikato DHB website is always a challenge.
Relaunching the website to show the benefits of working, living and playing in the Waikato region was top of the list.
People from Australia, United Kingdom, South Africa, United States, Philippines, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Europe and
India are among regular visitors to the jobs' section in the Waikato DHB site.
But the city that always shows the most interest in the Waikato DHB website is Auckland, just 90 minutes north up SH1
from Hamilton.
"Not surprising really. There is life on the southern side of the Bombay Hills and it's pretty good," said Mrs Gill.
Until now visitors had a couple of clicks to go before they got there - now the message is right there on the front
page: "Work. Life. Balance. Waikato."
Waikato DHB is the region's biggest employer with more than 5500 staff.
But it's not just work that should bring people to the Waikato and a further focus of the website is to illustrate
what's on offer after hours - swimming, fishing, surfing, skiing, walking, biking, caving - it's all there.
"We also want young people to have a look at the site too to see what a rewarding career health can be," said Mrs Gill.
"There's never been a better time to consider health and we're hoping career advisors have a look at the site and help a
whole new generation appreciate what a wide variety of jobs are available in the health profession."
ends