So you’ve heard it’s a Candidate’s Market?
But what does that mean? A candidate’s market implies that it is the employee, NOT the employer, who sets the pace in the hiring process. Due to the continuing effects of the COVID-19 virus, labor markets across the globe are impacted in a variety of ways. Not least of which includes a “talent shortage,” or a shrinking in the available pool of individuals qualified and equipped to perform a certain job.
This global trend in the job market has not left the healthcare industry untouched. The Great Resignation - the dramatic name assigned to the mass exodus of workers who are dissatisfied with their position - has hit the healthcare industry hard. Forbes notes that close to 1.7 million healthcare workers have left their positions - 28% citing burnout as the cause of their resignation. This has led to a shortage in workers at all levels within the healthcare industry - and recruiters may feel the pinch.
With what seems like fewer workers to fill positions, potential candidates are able to set the rules, and they do not want to settle for anything less than the best.
You want to recruit successfully
Recruiting is more than simply filling in a role. Hiring the wrong candidate can have irrevocable impacts on your infrastructure, your finances, and your team dynamics. But, when the available candidate pool seems small, it can be frustrating to interview over and over again, so it is vital that your company is providing a quality work environment for potential candidates.
Here are some ways you can ensure that you are providing the best job for the best candidates
Craft a quality Job description
You may have heard the adage: Clear is Kind - Unclear is Unkind. There is nowhere this is more true than in a job description. When a position opens up, it is the perfect opportunity for you to evaluate what you are selling to clients. Here are some things to consider:
Company Values and Mission: Now more than ever, individuals want to work places that align with their own values. Be clear and consistent about your values and you will attract individuals who naturally align with what you are all about.
Transparency: If you are vague about benefits, salary, and opportunities for advancement within the company you will lose out on quality candidates. Remember: Clear is Kind. Do not hide behind ambiguous language when it comes to the salaries and benefits you are able to offer.
What skills does a candidate need to succeed? - In your job description you should be clear about what success looks like at your company. Talk with your most successful employees - what do they do to thrive? What attitude do they bring to work? How do they fit into the culture? Craft these elements into your job description and the interview process to ensure you are only attracting candidates who already possess these skills.
You are hiring someone into your company - not just the job they will fill. Craft a job description that highlights who you are as a company. Be clear and consistent in your messaging and you will find that qualified candidates will be more willing to engage with you and the job you are hiring for.
How Cygnet Can Help
Here at Cygnet Health Recruiters, we spend the time to get to know your company. We make it a priority to figure out what you are all about, and then we use our extensive network to find both passive and active candidates that will fit perfectly on your team as well as in the job you need filled. If you need, we can help you hone in a job description that speaks to who you are as a company and will be appealing to the ideal candidates. We know how vital it is that you start off on a good foot in front of candidates
Make the Process Personal
Now more than ever, people are asking to be seen within their jobs. The Manpower Group has found that workers are placing a higher priority on workplace settings that value them as holistic beings. You can prove to potential candidates that your company will value them even during the hiring process by providing an engaging experience.
Include personal touches - things like hand written thank you cards and remembering details mentioned in the interview process are great ways to show a candidate that you care and that your company will go above and beyond for them.
Go to Them: Do not have the candidate come to you during this process - go to them! If travel is a part of the interview process, you have a chance to prove to the candidate that you see their time as valuable. Host the interview in their town rather than expecting them to rearrange their life for an interview. In a candidate’s market you are bidding for their talent - take the extra step and show you are willing to work for them as well.
How are you different: The workplace culture that you are hiring a candidate matters. Be transparent about your company’s culture. Be sure you are honest here. If you hire a candidate on false promises about “great culture” the chance of turnover increases dramatically.
Which leads us to our next point:
Engage the Candidate
One way you can show that your culture is truly healthy is by inviting the candidate to interview a successful employee, shadow someone in a similar role, or spend some time in the office with those who work there. Not only do you show that you trust your employees and your company’s culture, you help the candidate get a better feel for what working there might be like. Some ways you can engage the candidate are:
Let them interview with a successful employee - this will allow them to ask questions about what it takes to be successful at your company.
“Tag alongs” (if allowed) - In healthcare, this is not always possible, but if possible, letting a candidate shadow an employee in a similar role will help them understand the day to day details of the job. They can see how your company works from a realistic perspective. This lets them experience the job rather than just hear about the job, and this can make all the difference when recruiting in a candidate’s market.
Roll out the red carpet - And we don’t mean take them to expensive dinners and give them gift baskets. Show that you value the candidate’s time. Do not wade through the interview process, take a long time to get back to them, and bog them down with unclear language and expectations. Communicating often and frequently with a candidate helps them feel like a priority and that you are not wasting their time. This is huge because it will help them know that you will not waste their time on the job.
How Cygnet Can Help
Because we have taken the time to know your company and what you are looking for in a successful employee we can find you the perfect employee every time. As recruiters, we are able to take the time to get to know each candidate, their skills and what they value in a workplace before we send them to you. Essentially we vet each candidate for you so that all you need to do is cross your “t’s” and dot your “i’s” with them! You will be able to confidently move a candidate through your interview process quickly because we have already done the heavy work of engaging them and making sure they are a fit for your business.
When interviewing a qualified candidate, one of the biggest mistakes companies make is not have a Hiring Plan: you do not want to lose out on a stellar candidate simply because you did not have a process in place to bring them onboard! Here are some things for you to consider:
Don’t be distracted by other work - often a hiring manager without a plan will be pulled by every little thing that tugs at their attention instead of prioritizing the candidate. This shows the candidate that you do not truly value them, and before you know it you can lose them. Make sure you have your priorities in place when hiring.
Have interview questions planned out - you would be surprised by how hard it is to ask the right questions. Do not rely on you social charms alone; go into an interview knowing what questions you need the answers to. Not only does this help you discover if the candidate is a good fit, it will help you keep the interview on track–another way to show the candidate that you value them!
Have an interview strategy - know who will be a part of the interview before it happens. Will you have an interview panel or multiple interviews? Who does the candidate need to meet with before being offered a position? Knowing these things will help you plan out your timeline and prevent any lags in the time to fill the position.
Let us help you!
In a candidate’s market, it is vital that you are attracting the right prospects to your company. Cygnet Health Recruiters will help you with this by offering our expansive network of qualified and talented individuals as well as our team's expertise. We will make sure that the position you need filled gets in front of the right candidates so that you can interview each individual confidently and without wasting any time.
We know that it is vital for you to fill positions with speed so you do not lose out on revenue. Do not waste your time sifting through unqualified candidates. Let us funnel only the right people to you.
Reach out to us today at Alison@cygnethr.com to hear more about how we can help you reach your hiring and retention goals.