Why Every Clinic Owner Needs a Recruitment Bench (and How to Build One)

G'day, Pete here from Clinic Mastery. Today I want to talk to you about something that might just change the way you think about recruitment forever: building your recruitment bench.

Now, we’re not talking sport here, this isn’t about your soccer, softball, or baseball team. I’m talking about your hiring bench. The 1, 2, 3, or even 5 people you’d love to hire next, just waiting in the wings for the right opportunity.

And here’s why that matters.

The Pain of Missed Opportunities

Earlier in my business journey, we hit a period of incredible opportunity. But we couldn’t take advantage of it because we didn’t have the right people ready to go.

So what did we do?

We panicked. We threw an ad up on SEEK, scrambled through interviews, and hired whoever we could. And sometimes, yep, I’ll admit it, we hired the wrong person out of necessity.

That stung. But it taught us something valuable.

If we want to grow, adapt, and move fast, we can’t wait until we’re desperate. We need a bench of A-players ready to jump in when the opportunity arises.

Here’s how we built ours, and how you can too.

1. The One-Coffee-a-Month Rule ☕

Once a month, schedule a coffee with someone in your network.

It might be a lecturer, a past student, or a colleague who knows great people. The point is simple: build and nurture meaningful relationships.

People do business (and careers) with people they like. If you want to be top of mind when someone’s thinking about their next move, invest in those connections now, before you need them.

2. The Two-Minute Praise on LinkedIn 🙌

I get it, LinkedIn can be a bit of a circus. But it has its uses.

Spend two minutes a day (or a few times a week) engaging with people you'd love on your team one day. Leave thoughtful comments. Go beyond the generic thumbs-up. Show them you’re paying attention.

It’s not just about being visible. It’s about being meaningfully visible.

3. Open-Door Fridays for Students 🎓

This one’s a game-changer.

On the last Friday of each month, host an open clinic afternoon. Invite students or new grads to shadow, tour the clinic, and ask questions. Put some snacks on, make it welcoming, and let them get a feel for your team and your culture.

Pro tip: Run this February through July, when final-year students are starting to think about their future but aren’t overwhelmed with placement or exams just yet.

4. Keep an Alumni File 🗂️

Anyone who connects with you, through an event, a PD session, or a job application, should go into your alumni file.

This list becomes gold.

You might even have 2–3 past applicants who weren’t the right fit then, but could be perfect now. Stay in touch. Reach out every few months. Keep those relationships warm.

Because when the time comes to hire, you’ll already have a shortlist of semi-warm leads.

5. Say Thank You for Referrals 🙏

When someone sends a great potential hire your way, say thanks. Not with cash necessarily, but with something meaningful, maybe a book, a handwritten card, or a thoughtful gesture.

Make it personal. Make it memorable.

And while we’re at it...

BONUS: Turn Your Team into Recruiters 💸

Recruitment agencies can be useful, but they’re not cheap. If you’d happily pay an agency $15k for a great hire, why not offer your team an incentive for referring the right person?

Physios know physios. OTs know OTs. SLPs know SLPs.

Structure the incentive smartly: half on sign-up, half after 12 months. That way, they’re motivated to bring in great people, not just any people.

Why It Matters

Team members will come and go. Life happens, maternity leave, interstate moves, career pivots.

But the clinics that thrive are the ones prepared for it. The ones who have a bench of A-players ready to step in. That means you’re not scrambling, you’re not settling, and you’re building a high-performance team that’s ready to grow with you.

So, how’s your recruitment bench looking?

If it’s empty, start today. One coffee. One comment. One open-door event. It adds up.

And if you’d like some help building a recruitment strategy that attracts top-tier team members, we’d love to chat.