Refreshing the candidate experience
Posted by Megan Trippi
Prior to the pandemic, health care was already seeing challenges due to the physician shortage, changes in billing and insurance, and other trends within the industry. Then COVID hit in 2020, disrupting the way physicians and nurses treated patients, increasing the demand for some providers while hindering the practice of others and creating a need for innovation in recruitment.
With the inability to book travel, meet in person and conduct face-to-face interviews, physician recruiters needed to adapt. Keeping up with technology and finding new ways to connect with candidates is part of being a successful recruiter, so what does the future of recruitment hold for the candidate experience?
Virtual
It seems the biggest shift brought by the pandemic was a more widespread adoption of virtual events. Career fairs, interviews and even some site visits switched to a digital setting, allowing more of the recruitment and hiring processes to be done behind the computer.
In-person events - like career fairs - may continue to see a decline with the convenience of virtual meetings, where you can still connect one-on-one with candidates and see if they are a good fit for your organization. The atmosphere of these events also takes pressure and stress off candidates since they can attend on their time without having to travel or commute to the event. Virtual events have seen growth in attendance because of the accessibility for both exhibitors and candidates, leading to even more conversation and connections.
Additionally, parts of the interview process have become increasingly virtual. There’s no replacement for in-person site visits but performing an initial interview virtually can help save both time and money for you, your organization and the candidate. This also helps the candidate get to know you and gauge the position before having to take time away from residency or practice to travel for a formal interview early in the process.
With more virtual events, it’s still about the candidate experience
This new digital wave during the pandemic has also made people much more comfortable on their computers. As a recruiter, this shift to virtual will mean a greater focus on:
- A clear, concise online presence as candidates research positions and organizations online.
- Digital communication when not meeting or talking to candidate face to face.
- Making strong connections with candidates regardless of medium.
Regardless of whether you’re meeting in person or chatting online, when you place value on a candidate and focus on their goals, they will feel appreciated and more excited about your organization.
You can also help them through the process by sharing tips and guidance, so they see you as a trusted resource and not just another recruiter. The candidate-centric approach to recruitment will decrease time to hire, increase candidate interest and improve retention if you continue to focus on your new hires even after they accept the offer.