We live in a fast-paced society. From fast food to express shipping – there are countless examples that show the importance we place on efficiency and speed. Furthermore, our attention spans are at an all-time low (a mere eight seconds, on average), with our minds constantly wandering from one thing to the next. Trends like these are spreading beyond the realm of entertainment and have become vital factors in the job market, so learning how to adjust and navigate in response is a must.
Specialized candidates are always looking for the next best position with companies that are prepared to offer more than the last. With a generation accustomed to instant gratification soon to be the making up the majority of the job force, how can you as employers keep prospective candidates interested and happy? Everyone is constantly looking for the next bigger and better offer. So ideally, you have to offer the biggest and best deal! Easier said than done, right?
We know that when hiring for a specialized position, you want to ensure that you are taking all the necessary steps to hire a good fit – and more importantly, one that lasts. However, the average hiring process takes 44 days from start to finish – for today’s generation, that may just be too long to wait. But try not to look at the talent as impatient and entitled, but rather eager and efficient. Yes, it is frustrating to try and rush the hiring process – but in a competitive and ever-changing market, employers have to adapt to the current trends to not lose top talent to other facilities. Your time as an employer is valuable, but in today’s changing market, it is crucial to know how to manage that time in order to lock in and retain top talent. As the saying goes: time kills all deals. But time management can save them.
At Radius Staffing Solutions, it’s our job to line up the brightest and best candidates to fill specialized healthcare jobs. We don’t – and we’re sure you don’t – want these top talent candidates slipping away due to slow hiring processes or a poor candidate experience. So, how can we work together to ensure this happens?
A Candidate-Driven Market
Over the past few years, the job market on a grand scale, and especially the healthcare industry, is proving to be not only highly competitive, but also increasingly candidate-driven. This means that there are more open positions than there are specialized candidates – and this means those candidates have more options, and therefore more leverage, than ever before. Many job seekers report a lot of stress and lack of interest resulting from slow hiring processes, making it more and more common for candidates to look elsewhere as the hiring process could be more efficient and desirable somewhere else.
Ghosting
Another current phenomenon from everyday life that is presenting itself in the professional world is the concept of ‘ghosting’. Not interested in that guy you met last week anymore because you met someone new? Instead of having that awkward conversation as to why you aren’t interested, it is just so much easier to cease communication altogether and pretend like nothing happened. Similarly, it is becoming increasingly common for candidates, when overwhelmed with multiple offers and while investigating different avenues, to outright ignore all communication from employers when they lose interest in a position.
Ideally, applicants shouldn’t be ‘ghosting’ at all – but the same goes for employers. If a lack of urgency is demonstrated on the employer’s end, such as long wait times between interviews or missing critical follow-up windows, it is completely reasonable for an applicant to look elsewhere. By the time you’ve gotten around to contacting your favorite applicant to offer them a position, it could be too late.
A recent Forbes article puts it bluntly: “It’s easy to point the finger at talent for the recent rise in no-shows, but longer and longer hiring processes and a lack of urgency from hiring managers are just as responsible.” While it isn’t fair to blame one group or another for this shift in hiring culture, it is important to understand that in order for a union to be successful, all parties need to work together.
The Best Candidate Experience
Making the overall candidate experience as positive as possible is another way to try and secure current and future employees. According to a report of healthcare recruiting trends in recent years, a positive candidate experience is a likely way to sway potential candidates towards your facility over a competitor. This doesn’t just mean speeding up your hiring decisions (though this is arguably the most important factor), but placing importance on engagement and communication play a role as well.
Imagine being in the candidate’s position to understand how they are navigating through the job hunt and treat them how you would like to be treated. Your time is valuable – but so is the candidate’s! Having an open line of communication with the candidates that you are considering for a position has never been a bad idea, but, now, it is more important than ever to retain interest and respect among all parties. Being honest is one of the biggest pillars of Radius’ mantra, and we think it transcends into all aspects of the hiring process.
At the end of the day, we want to work in a partnership with our clients towards the same goal – finding the best person for the job! If you are keeping up with best practices, but still need help finding quality candidates, then reach out to us here. We hire healthcare professionals across a wide range of specialties and experience levels, so let us help you find your perfect candidate today!
