Tips for Finding a Healthcare Worker that is Ready to Run
Sourcing in healthcare is incredibly important—and incredibly difficult. While many people are going into the healthcare field today, there are tremendous difficulties in finding qualified workers who don’t need training but can hit the ground running on their next job. How can healthcare employers find these candidates and make sure when the time is right, they’re ready to run?
Qualities to Screen for in a Job-Ready Healthcare Candidate
A healthcare provider that is ready to perform their necessary duties will have both on-the-ground experiences as well as the credentials and soft skills to do the job. To screen for these skills, start with the job requirements and build your questions around them. Given the healthcare worker shortage, it’s a good idea to create a set of must-have skills versus nice-to-have.
Your list should incorporate both hard and soft skills. Certifications and hands-on clinical experience are on the hard side. Soft skills speak more to the candidate’s ability to collaborate with others on the team. Consider what job skills could be taught gradually to allow the worker to contribute as much as possible while learning on the job.
Outline and screen for key job responsibilities. Then look for candidates that have similar experience in other roles. This could include team management, dispensing meds, direct patient care, billing, and more. Outlining key tasks for the job will help you find the candidate more able to hit the ground running from day one. There is another benefit to this exercise; it will help you write a more accurate ad.
Best Questions to Ask Healthcare Candidates
Screening for healthcare workers able to go to work from day one starts with a great ad. But step two is asking the right questions that will help you find the right workforce. Some great questions that can help you determine the readiness of your potential staff include:
- Screening for how quickly the candidate can adjust to new technology. A good question is, “Can you give me an example of the last technology you had to learn while on the job?” Follow-up questioning should include questions designed to find out how the candidate learned and how quickly.
- Also asking about the candidate’s ability to handle risk will help you gauge how they can adapt to the changing environment during COVID. Asking a question like, “How do you balance risk to yourself when treating patients?” is a subtle way to determine their maturity and experience level for the job.
- A follow-up question could, and should be, “How do you take care of yourself?” Experienced clinical teams should be able to share stories of their efforts to maintain their professionalism and self-care during what has been some of the most difficult years we’ve yet to experience. Look for candidates that can navigate a road to health despite the challenges we’ve faced recently. This speaks to exceptional skills that will keep this candidate on the job long-term.
The best way to find candidates with the experience to hit the ground running is to work with the Custom Group of Companies. We work with healthcare organizations to match them to our extensive list of thoroughly vetted candidates. Talk with our team when you’re searching for candidates ready to work. We can help.
