1. Build your professional network 

This is especially important if you have relocated to a new area or country. Make use of professional meetings and conferences, whether virtual or in-person to build your network. Linkedin is also a valuable platform for networking with referring physicians and allied health professionals. Update your Linkedin profile to showcasing your training, experience and achievements. 

2. Develop your website and online visibility 

For healthcare providers the website is the new front door, as it is often the first thing potential patients see. Even if you are listed on an employer’s website, your own professional site will give you the chance to establish your reputation and online presence. 

Website development or restructuring should focus on user experience as much as just aesthetics. Check your website speed and make sure that the site is optimised for mobile-view. Contact options should be clearly visible and include online queries and appointment scheduling, as well as phone numbers. Invest in search engine optimization (SEO) or search engine marketing (SEM) to ensure that your website has a high visibility to potential patients. Terms relating to symptoms and conditions are most frequently searched for. Get your profile listed on local guides, physician search platforms and popular review sites. 

3. Content marketing 

Content marketing, for example blogging, is an effective way of building your online reputation as an expert in your specialty. Consider whether it is preferable to find the time to write articles yourself or find a marketing company or medical writer to do this. A well maintained blog on your website also acts as a resource library of educational content for prospective patients.

Blog articles may focus on relevant health educational information and answer potential questions which patients may have. You may also include stories of successfully completed treatments, as long as you have permission from patients to share these. Content for the general public should be easy to read and avoid using medical jargon. Blogs may be shared and promoted on social media platforms. 

4. Develop a Social Media Strategy

Your social media strategy should focus on maintaining a steady flow of communication rather than a blitz campaign. Social media not only connects you to your existing clients but can grow your influence and reach new patients, and can be more effective than traditional marketing efforts. Social media is best suited to impactful visual content. In addition to blog articles and testimonials, you may share details of special offers or health campaigns. Paid advertisements may be used to supplement organic social media growth which occurs through sharing and networking. 

5. Create more impact with video content

Visual content, and especially video, has been shown to have more impact online. Video also helps to improve search engine rankings, as video content is 50 times more likely to rank on search engines than text. 

Content for video could include introducing yourself or your practice, patient testimonials, procedure and treatment overviews, or frequently asked questions. 

6. Ask for reviews and testimonials

Reviews from satisfied patients can be especially beneficial. In a recent survey, 90% of patients said they use online reviews to evaluate physicians, and 71% reported using online reviews as the very first step to finding a new doctor. 

Automated feedback requests or online surveys following consultations or treatment can be a valuable resource for requesting testimonials and understanding how to improve patient experience. Follow-up on any negative feedback by addressing patients’ concerns, while being mindful of confidentiality and data protection.

7. Reach out to the community through traditional media and other outlets 

Establish yourself as a trusted expert in the community via traditional media outlets, as well as online. Offer articles or interviews to newspapers, radio and TV stations. As well as increasing your reach, backlinks from high-quality media outlets can help build your authority over time with Google. 

Therefore, when applying for job opportunities in Dubai you have to meet employers halfway; you need to show that you are committed, loyal, driven and willing to be very proactive and invest your time and efforts to make the hiring collaboration successful.

Dubai is an extremely attractive place for many expats from all over the world from various cultures, backgrounds and religions, so the hospitals are never short of applications of job seekers looking to relocate here.

As we have been specializing in recruiting healthcare professionals to Dubai for over 6 years now we feel that we have an extremely in-depth understanding and awareness of the salary scales and earning potential in the market.

We would say that Dubai is more suited to highly driven confident people with an entrepreneurial spark, who enjoy the game of working hard and reaping the rewards and who are comfortable taking responsibility for their results.