By Mitch Miller and Tony Recalde
The pandemic put a significant damper on hospital hiring budgets, but over a year later, we are finally starting to see an uptick in new job openings. So, we’re sharing three tips to effectively staff new healthcare roles in 2021 as well as a few best practices that will set both talent and employers up for success.
TIP #1: GET THE JOB DESCRIPTION RIGHT
When we’re on the hunt for the right talent, our search oftentimes begins with an inquisitive conversation between our staffing team and the hiring manager to develop a well-crafted job description. There are a few critical items we like to resolve from the get-go: the price range/rate, type of employment (e.g. short-term, long-term, travel) and required skillsets and experience. For biomed tech positions, we’ll dig deep to understand the specificity of machine experience needed, as well as the exact makes and models of equipment that would be used in that particular role.
The list of equipment we look for experience in to staff these BMET (Biomedical Equipment Technician) roles ranges from the general basics like Defibrillators, Patient Vital Monitors, Infusion Pumps and EKGs, to more specialized equipment, such as Ventilators, Ultrasounds, X-Rays, Sterilizers and Anesthesia Delivery Systems. When defining the ideal candidate’s experience, it’s important to be specific on your expectations.
Once the job description is complete, the outreach can begin.
TIP #2: BUILD UP A NETWORK OF TALENT
Our team at Far West Staffing Services has decades of combined experience in hiring for the healthcare industry, and even before then, many of us were working in the same roles that we staff for now. Because of this, we have a solid network of folks to connect with when getting the word out about these (sometimes niche) opportunities. By maintaining relationships with a pool of qualified candidates, we can help our clients fill positions quickly and effectively, and referrals are a big part of that. Bottom line: never underestimate the power of networking.
TIP #3: KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY SOFT SKILLS
After sorting through resumes to identify candidates with the necessary technical skills, our next step is to connect with the candidates. This correspondence gives us a better idea for the kind of person we’re talking to, and that’s because we’re paying close attention to their soft skills.
Soft skills are the intangible traits such as attitude, flexibility and personality, and while they have always been an important part of the vetting process, they’ve never mattered as much as they do now in a heavily virtual recruiting regiment. In these biomed roles, for example, a candidate may seem great on paper with all the necessary experience and certifications; but if they aren’t a team player, lack good communication skills or don’t have enthusiasm for the role, they’re likely not a good fit. Working in a hospital environment requires building a good working relationship with the staff, as well as self-awareness and respect while performing work real patients. The Far West team takes pride in our ability to identify and nurture those soft skills in our candidates.
At Far West Staffing Services, we are ready to get working with you to staff your next open position, be it a biomed, IT help desk, construction project manager, or other non-clinical healthcare roles. If you’re a healthcare employer ready to grow your team in 2021, give us a call.
