Today on the Podcast: Hiring 101 for PT Owners
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About This Episode
Hiring is one of the BIGGEST problems for growing PT Clinics. I don’t have to tell you there’s currently a big shortage in physical therapists – and that shortage will reach over 8.2% in 2027, and higher than 15% in some markets!
And due to fewer PT graduates, it's only going to get more difficult.
On this webinar replay, you'll learn …
- How to use Google Jobs to appear ABOVE Indeed & Ziprecruiter
- Career page hacks
- How to dominate the competition and get the best staff
I presented this exact presentation at the Private Practice Section Conference in 2025.
You can also watch the full webinar here: https://go.practicepromotions.net/workshop-recordings
We're the PT Marketing Agency You'll WISH You Hired First. Book a PT Marketing Master Strategy Call & download more resources at PracticePromotions.Net!
Listen Above or Read The Summary Here:
Building Your Brand and Online Reputation to Attract Top PT Talent
Neil emphasizes that in today’s ultra-competitive hiring environment, your practice’s reputation and brand are directly tied to your ability to attract and retain top talent. “If you take one thing away today, it’s this: how are you building your practice’s reputation and brand in your community so you can really attract the best talent?” Neil states. He points out that the more well-known your brand is, the more interest you’ll get from both clinical and administrative candidates.
However, Neil cautions that as your practice grows and becomes more influential, you may also become a target for problematic staff. That’s why it’s crucial to strengthen your interview and vetting process as you scale. “You can’t just hire anybody that comes along with a pulse and a license. You really have to have that process in place,” he advises.
Your online presence is now a critical piece of your recruiting strategy. Prospective candidates—especially the top performers—are researching your Google reviews, Indeed profile, social media pages, and careers page before they ever reach out. Neil urges owners to showcase their culture and team activities online, stating, “You have to market and promote your culture. All those fun activities and things you do as a team—promote that out there. That really beats just job board listings any day.”
Recruitment is a Marketing Funnel: Attracting Active and Passive Candidates
Recruitment is no longer just an HR or admin task—it’s a strategic marketing funnel. Neil recommends thinking about your recruiting process just like your patient marketing: attract, engage, convert, and delight.
- Active job seekers are searching on Indeed, Google, LinkedIn, and social media. Make sure your postings are visible and compelling on these platforms.
- Passive job seekers represent about 73% of the candidate pool. These individuals aren’t actively job hunting but may be open to new opportunities if they see something inspiring. Neil suggests building your talent pool through university relationships, clinical internships, alumni networks, online CEU courses, and networking events.
He also recommends designing your careers page and job postings around the candidate’s journey, not just your immediate needs. Highlight career growth paths, mentorship programs, and your unique culture. “The goal is to paint that story of what it’s like working for you. Why is it going to be different than where they’re working now?”
Gathering testimonials and reviews from your current staff is another powerful tool. Just as patient reviews build trust with prospective clients, employee reviews give candidates confidence in your workplace culture.
Optimizing Your Website and Leveraging Google for Jobs
Neil urges PT owners to treat their website as a recruitment hub. Most clinics only have a basic careers page, but building out a multi-page recruitment center gives you control over the candidate experience and narrative. This approach allows you to funnel applicants from Google for Jobs, Indeed, LinkedIn, and social media directly to your branded job postings.
- Recruitment Center: Create dedicated pages for open positions, professional development, mentorship, lifestyle, and area information (especially for rural clinics).
- Job Posting Optimization: Use clear, engaging descriptions and highlight salary ranges, location, and benefits. “Don’t be shy, put it up there. When you put salary range in there for Indeed, LinkedIn, and Google for Jobs, it just helps you be found more.”
- Google for Jobs: Optimize your job posts with proper SEO and schema markup so they appear in Google for Jobs listings. This gives you free or low-cost exposure and allows you to compete with larger corporate employers.
Neil illustrates with real-world examples how clinics that built robust careers sections and optimized for Google for Jobs saw a measurable increase in high-quality applicants and hires. For instance, Elliot PT made 11 hires in two months after upgrading their recruitment center, with more than half coming directly through their website.
He also notes the rise of AI search (like ChatGPT), which now pulls in website-optimized job posts, further increasing visibility for practices that invest in their online recruitment presence.
Expanding Reach with Digital Marketing and Always Be Recruiting
Because Google search results are limited by geography, Neil strongly encourages the use of Google Ads and social media advertising to expand your reach for both patients and staff. Target ads by city, state, university, or even specific zip codes to reach ideal candidates.
- Keep ads short, emotionally compelling, and focused on outcomes and lifestyle.
- Leverage social media channels—especially Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn—to showcase your team, culture, and opportunities for growth. Use the right hashtags and geo-targeting for broader reach.
Beyond digital, Neil recommends running CEU workshops, online discovery days, and low-barrier events to attract passive candidates and build your talent pipeline. “Always be recruiting, never stop. Even if you’re full, one day you’re going to want that next location. It’s great to have people waiting in the wings.”
In summary, Neil’s advice for 2026 and beyond is clear: Recruiting top PT talent requires a proactive, marketing-driven approach. Treat your website as your recruitment hub, invest in your online reputation, leverage digital marketing, and always keep your talent pipeline full.
Common Questions Practice Owners Ask About This Topic:
- What are the best hiring strategies for physical therapy clinics?
- How can I find qualified physical therapists during a shortage?
- What is Google Jobs and how can it help my clinic?
- How do I make my clinic’s job listings stand out online?
- What are effective recruitment methods for healthcare professionals?
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See how the right marketing ideas can help you grow your Physical Therapy or Chiropractic clinic