It’s said, that on average there are approximately eight roles available for every candidate in the Medical Technology/Engineering space at any one given time. With such a candidate deficient market currently at play, what is it that’s motivating candidates to make the switch or, on the other side of the coin, what is it that’s causing them to stay.

In this article, we’re going to look at some of the key motivators around why engineers and scientists who develop medical devices ‘medical engineers’ choose a business and what your business needs to demonstrate to get them to stay.

Being Valued.

To start with, it comes as no surprise that being valued or not being valued is one of the main reasons why these individuals choose to make a change from their existing company. Whilst this could be said for any individual across any business or sector as one of the main causes to move companies, it especially rings true for those within the medical engineering space. A recent survey conducted by Global Web Index sites that 60.2% of professionals in the medical engineering space, cite being valued by their employer for their skillset as one of the most important qualities when looking for a position within a business – Given that these individuals are highly skilled in specific and in some cases unique tasks, it’s easy to understand why this is the case.

Being hands-on.

Most of the individuals that start out in an engineering profession, do so because they enjoy literal problem solving. Taking an issue that needs a solution and using their knowledge and skill set to develop a solution – a solution that companies usually benefit from in the form of a final product to be sent to market, making them one of the most valued assets to a business.

These highly skilled individuals thrive from learning and a challenge, with 41.4% of them claiming that the ability to constantly improve their skillset is one of the main motivators in choosing an employer. An idle engineer is usually an unmotivated engineer, but with the right support and opportunities to be creative and channel their energy to create solutions that benefit both the business and the outside world, the more impactful they will be for your business.

Environmental factors.

Interestingly, in a post-pandemic world, there’s a large portion of society that has become more environmentally aware, both in the choices we make as consumers and when choosing an employer. Engineers are no exception to the rule and results from our recent survey show that 45.1% of engineers in the medical space are looking for companies that can demonstrate sustainability in how they operate.

Having work that matters.

When choosing a career path to go down, there’s a wealth of opportunities which are available to engineers, as we mentioned at the start of this article, on average there are eight roles available for any one engineer at any given time and that expands even further when you consider the number of different industries available – So why the Medical Technology sector?

Well, when asked it’s usually because they want to make a difference, not just in their business but in the lives of the public. Developing innovative solutions is what they do best and there’s no greater reward than taking an idea from initial conception, through to full-scale manufacture, when they know that the work they are doing could dramatically improve a person’s life.

So what’s the takeaway?

If you’re looking for a medical engineer, they don’t want to necessarily hear why they should join your business, that’s for them to figure out. What they really want to know, is why you do what you’re doing and what your values are as a business. So when thinking about your job adverts, think about your story of why you’re in business and how you can communicate that to the talent that you’re wanting to attract.

Thankfully, with a background in engineering and over 20 years in recruitment our founders, Samantha Moore and Jamie are well versed in how these highly skilled individuals tick. With an established contact base, they can not only make sure your business stands out in front of them, but handpick the best candidates for the role you’d like to fill.

If you’re interested in scouting the best talent to join your business for a role you have now, or one you may have in the future, call Medical Engineers on 0161 2600 190 to speak with one of our team. Alternatively, fill out the contact form and someone will get back to you