When it comes to healthcare organizations, it goes without saying that everyone is scrambling to hire the same small pool of available candidates. The obstacles are difficult enough even without a nursing shortage – finding qualified candidates, finding people that have the required certifications, finding the correct education requirements, the right cultural fit, and finding candidates not seeking a payday with travel nursing during an ongoing pandemic. When we do find this rarer candidate, it is essential that we “bend the rules” and extend an offer in a timely manner. The old process of only accepting candidates that are immediately available and then expecting them to endure multiple interviews followed by an onboarding process that takes several weeks is obsolete.
Healthcare organizations across the country are holding onto an old model of hiring and need to make drastic changes to their systems to remain successful moving forward. Many healthcare organizations across the country are rapidly hiring associates. Others are dismal in their hiring attempts. After working with many such organizations, there is one clear factor to successfully hiring associates – the speed of the hiring process.
Case in point, I was recently working with a candidate that was looking to relocate. I had spoken with this candidate more than six months prior to her relocation date and advised her that we were a bit early to begin the search. When I submitted her to the facility three months prior to her relocation date, I was told that they would not speak to her until two months before her relocation date. We waited, sent in her submittal again, and proceeded with interviews. After multiple interviews the candidate was offered the job, but ultimately did not accept the position.
Her recruiter asked, “what happened?” All I could do was go over the process that we had just put this candidate through and remind them that we could have had an offer available to the candidate a month earlier. Instead, during the month that we had to wait, the candidate was interviewing with other facilities and was in a position where she had multiple offers.
What can we learn from this case? There is only one thing to take away from this. “Rules” and “required steps” in the process do not matter to the candidate. What matters to the candidate is clear and concise action that moves them toward the end goal of obtaining a new position. This process must happen at a very rapid pace.
Some healthcare organizations are interviewing candidates within 24 hours and extending verbal offers the same day of their interview. Other organizations wait a week or two for the first interview, then schedule a second or third interview, and then leave the candidate waiting for their offer for 48-72 hours. Which facility is hiring more qualified candidates? The answer here is clear.
Areas to look for improvement in the hiring process:
- If a pre-screen must be completed, it should be done immediately
- If the candidate is clearly qualified, forward to the hiring manager quickly
- Direct schedule interviews with the hiring manager within 24 hours when possible
- Include all hiring managers in the interview, eliminating additional interviews
- Virtual interviews are a must
- Empower managers to make verbal offers at the end of the interview
- Extend formal offers within 24 hours
- Never look past a qualified candidate and require them to wait for an interview
- Be clear about the interview process and timeline but make it fast at all costs
- Keep in constant contact during the process
- Send the candidate as much information about your company as possible while they are in process
- Treat the candidate’s time with respect
- Make your BEST offer first, do not make them gravel for it
- Clearly explain the onboarding process and walk them through each step
- Streamline onboarding
In the current market, the candidate is a very valuable commodity. It is time that the process reflects this. If the process is lengthy to hire a candidate and there is no ability to “bend the rules” for a qualified candidate, the competition will find a way to make this happen and will hire the candidate. The old process is outdated. If it has not yet been entirely overhauled and improved, it is likely that the competition has realized this and is taking advantage. Improve the process now to remain competitive in the current market and beyond.
For more information and to discuss how All Med Search can assist you to help your facility solve your nursing and other healthcare professional shortages, please contact Brent McKenzie, All Med Search Franchise Partner: brent@allmedsearch.com | 754-399-2161