Following these best practices will help you attract and hire the talent you need in today’s market.

Hiring new staff has always been labor-intensive, but in today’s market it is especially difficult. While the situation was initially instigated by the pandemic, it has continued to escalate due to burnout and workers reassessing their jobs and what they are willing to tolerate.

This shift is requiring all employers — especially those in health care — to think differently about their recruitment process. An important but often overlooked aspect is the candidate experience. Like it or not, it’s still a candidate’s market, so creating an experience that makes someone want to work in your organization must be a top priority.

RETHINK YOUR APPROACH.

To help you create a candidate experience that is pleasant and efficient for prospective hires and successful for the practice, we’ve compiled eight recruitment best practices. These are based on our own experiences overseeing BSM’s recruiting services during the past few years.

1. WRITE CLEAR JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

Candidates want to know what job they are applying for, what duties they will be responsible for and, just as importantly, what the company is about (eg, mission, vision and goals). So, in the job description, you should:

• Share what makes your organization unique and worthwhile. Candidates are looking for a great company first and a great job second.
• Provide specific details about the role, including expectations and responsibilities.
• Keep it concise. No one will read a three-page description.

2. CREATE AN EFFICIENT PROCESS.

Gone are the days when candidates willingly jump through hoops. Creating an efficient, barrier-free process that allows candidates to apply easily and move through proceedings quickly is the way to go. To facilitate that, you should:

• Utilize hiring systems that allow for short applications and the ability to upload/parse resumes into your system, so candidates do not have to manually enter their work experience. While you may not have your own system, platforms such as Indeed.com give you this capability.
• Avoid requiring cover letters. While there are arguments for and against cover letters, requiring one only puts another obstacle in front of candidates, decreasing the likelihood they will apply.
• Ensure candidates receive an automated confirmation that their application was received, along with a time frame of when they will hear back (ideally, no longer than 24 hours).

3. COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE.

Candidates who receive prompt and frequent communication from a potential employer are more likely to accept a new role with that organization. Excellent communication can be a decisive differentiator, so use it to your advantage. With that mind, you should:

• Respond to candidates within 24 hours of receiving their application.
• Initiate messages from a unique email address to personalize the experience. A “careers@company” email address can give an impersonal impression that may turn off great candidates.
• Send frequent updates on the process and timelines to candidates.

4. SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS.

Candidates want to know what to expect. This includes understanding how long it may take to complete the process and what each step will entail (eg, virtual vs in-person interviews). Don’t leave them wondering. Instead, be proactive and:

• Provide information such as the number of interviews, with whom, length of time, etc.
• Discuss interview formats and ensure candidates have virtual interview capabilities, if needed. Don’t assume everyone can sign on to your preferred platform.
• Supply clear in-person interview details in advance, including the address, where to enter, who to ask for upon arrival, etc.

5. MAKE INTERVIEWS PAINLESS.

Interviewing is a critical step in the recruitment process and can help you win top talent if well organized.

To facilitate a smooth process, you should:

• Train all interviewers to enhance their interview skills (eg, ensure they understand what questions they can and cannot legally ask; help them prepare relevant questions and budget time for interviews; and discuss etiquette such as putting candidates at ease, actively listening and not multitasking during interviews). Consider having them practice how to answer common candidate questions.
• Share information about each interviewer with candidates prior to the meeting (eg, their role within the company and how they are involved with the open position).
• Structure your interview process so it has a specific purpose and each candidate has a similar experience. This helps you avoid repetitive and overlapping questions, and it may even aid you in making quicker decisions.
• Utilize behavioral-based interview questions that challenge candidates to give examples of past experiences that align with your role. For example, if you are interviewing someone for a front-desk position, consider asking the following question: “Can you share an example of how you managed an unhappy patient, including what you did and the outcome?”

6. EXPEDITE DECISIONS.

Delays in making decisions will cause candidates to move on to other opportunities. Your process must move quickly to secure the talent you need. For this reason, you should:

• Regroup with your team and debrief on interviews within 24 hours of completion.
• Let candidates know immediately if they are excluded from consideration for the job.
• Extend a job offer as soon as you reach a collective agreement that you have found the right candidate. Ideally, this is within a few days of that candidate’s interview.

7. KEEP APPLICANTS ENGAGED.

Creating a robust pipeline of interested candidates is the key to quickly filling roles. With that in mind, you should:

• Thank all candidates for applying and going through the process, regardless of the outcome.
• Create a database of candidates who may not have been selected for the current role but who could be an asset to your organization.
• Send out updates on new opportunities, so candidates in your database are kept abreast of roles that may be a good fit.

8. BE OPEN TO FEEDBACK.

Receiving feedback from candidates about their experience with your recruitment process is the best way to improve. To solicit that feedback, you should:

• Send a survey either at discreet steps of the process (application, interview, etc) or at its conclusion.
• Seek input from recently hired candidates who may be comfortable sharing an honest assessment of their personal experience with you.
• Put yourself or a team member through your recruitment process if you don’t receive candidate feedback, identifying what works and what could be done better.

MAKE A POSITIVE IMPRESSION.

Many factors influence the candidate experience: the application process, your communication and interview procedures, and your decision-making efficiency. Each step in the recruitment journey is an opportunity for you to make a positive impression. By investing in a thoughtful, candidate-focused approach, you show applicants why they should want to work for you and your organization.

When you can appeal to candidates, you’ll be more successful in attracting and retaining top talent! OM

Laura Baldwin, CPC, ELI-MP, RN, is a senior consultant at BSM Consulting with more than 25 years of experience in health care. Her focus is on the most valuable asset in organizations — people. She supports clients through executive and leadership coaching, culture and team development, and recruitment strategies to bring talented team members into organizations.

Betsy Gratner is the operations manager for recruitment services at BSM Consulting. Her focus is on creating and supporting a seamless recruitment process that provides client and candidate satisfaction.