Thrive Human Connections - Our Story | Thrive Human Connections

Bringing Care to Allied Health Recruitment

By Robyn Lee

Often the most exciting ideas come from unexpected places. This was certainly the case with Thrive Human Connections. It was a conversation over dinner between friends that sparked the idea for a new approach to allied health recruitment that we are thrilled to be launching into the market now.

Today I want to take a moment to share our story here and connect with those of you looking for a breath of fresh air in the sector.

Thrive Human Connections is all about bringing care to allied health recruitment. That means changing the approach from a numbers game to one where people are front and centre. Our focus is on listening to clients and candidates. Taking the time to understand what they need and want, then adopting a customised approach to find the ideal match for both. It’s not a revolutionary concept. Simply one based on integrity and trust. We do what we say we will and work to create a positive recruitment experience for everyone involved.

So why does the allied health sector need Thrive?

Late last year Thrive’s Co-Founder Mark Medelis and I met with a friend for a well overdue catch- up. Great food and wine led into business conversation, including his frustrations at trying to find good candidates for his busy disability support practice. The high demand for candidates across allied health meant recruiters were taking little care to put the right candidates forward. Any candidate seemed to do. He wasn’t getting the results his significant investment of time and money warranted.

We left that dinner inspired to find a solution. With over 30 years in the recruitment industry between us, Mark and I knew his experience wasn’t how it should be. We put our heads together because we wanted to help. We began brainstorming ideas, using our knowledge and long history of matching clients and candidates. For us, there is nothing more enjoyable than that moment you find that right match. It never gets old. Thrive Human Connections was born as the ideas flowing through that session took shape. Our name reflects the deep desire to help those, who are constantly supporting others, to thrive themselves.

We realised very quickly that allied health is a growing market that isn’t being served well. Many practice owners report the same struggle finding and securing talent. Candidates are also frustrated. They often feel like a number. Rarely is a recruiter taking the time to help them evolve their career or understand their skill set and how it fits with the next role they are seeking.

Our sole focus here at Thrive is matching the best physiotherapists, occupational therapists and rehabilitation consultants with the sector’s leading roles. This level of specialisation gives our clients and candidates the edge they deserve. Our experience also sets us apart.

Mark’s career spans over 20 years in engineering and construction recruitment, including the past 14 as a business owner. This puts him in the rare position of genuinely appreciating both sides of the recruitment equation. On one hand, he has the knowledge and expertise to effectively evaluate candidates. On the other, he knows the pain a business faces when a match doesn’t work out. Mark has developed a proven system for assessing and matching candidates that has a long history of success. We are very excited to now be bringing that system to allied health.

This unique matching system is based on a detailed understanding of what a successful match looks like. Every element from a candidate’s experience, training and work history is analysed in conjunction with their soft skills, personality and career goals to find the ultimate pairing. For me, the soft skills are just as important as work history and references.

During my 10 years recruiting in the education and care sector, I've found those moments invested in getting to know someone a little better or uncovering their story are often the ones that reveal the key to finding the best-fit match.

We are clear in our commitment to bring care into allied health recruitment. It's not just what we say, it's in everything we do. It's certainly an exciting time for us to see the ideas behind Thrive coming to life today. We look forward to connecting with you over the coming months and offering a fresh approach to your recruitment experience.