One of my ‘top 3’ care worker recruiting tips is – speed of response.
Prospective care workers are applying to several vacancies at once, yet they don’t actually want to visit every business they applied to. They don’t have the time.
So the more enthusiastic and motivating you are as a prospective employer, the better. The onus is on you to be quick off the mark.
Are you and the whole team ready to be highly responsive to your applicants?
Have you built a ‘low friction’ path that leads applicants easily to your welcoming and rewarding front door?
Could you advertise a role on Monday and make a job offer on Tuesday?
The good news is that the prep you need to do saves you time in the long run too.
Check your recruitment process
- Have clear roles, responsibilities and KPIs in your team for each recruitment activity
- Have pre-prepared, easy to complete templates for the entire recruitment process
- Have a bank of persuasive job adverts ready, that emphasise the benefits of choosing a career in care and with your business
- Know the right place to advertise each of your roles (at the right price). Not just on Indeed
- Review and call all applicants immediately, don’t wait for the job ad end date (and don’t judge someone by their CV alone)
- Screen candidates for their behaviours and values (not previous or potential roles and responsibilities)
- Signpost the next recruiting step and help candidates prepare for each stage, so there’s no nasty surprises for either of you
- Keep in close contact with candidates until decision time. And be kind
- Process critical paperwork immediately
- Arrange welcoming interviews
- Have up to date employment contracts for each role at hand
- Arrange well organised and welcoming onboarding, training and shadow shifts
Questions to help you tune your recruitment process
- Does a qualified team member set aside time two to three times a day to call, screen, shortlist and hand-hold interested applicants to interviews?
- Do you encourage applicants to follow you on your inspirational Facebook page, so they feel connected to you while waiting?
- Do you schedule frequent interview slots to help easily arrange meetings with applicants?
- How will candidates know that you really want them?
Recruitment is a structured process that, now more than ever, needs to be driven swiftly and consistently to a high standard. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on the best people.
Systemising your recruitment will free up your time too.
There are more tips in our ebook.
But if recruitment is an urgent issue for you right now, don’t wait. Book a call with me here.
