Hiring any candidate poses risks, which is why it’s so important to know how to find the best allied healthcare match. With so many people vying for new jobs, filtering through a pool of potential candidates can be a daunting task.
Knowing what type of candidates will be the best fit for your allied healthcare opportunities is essential in ensuring positive hiring outcomes. In fact, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has found that the result of poor “culture fit” due to turnover can cost an organization between 50-60% of an employee’s annual salary. Simply put, making the wrong hiring decision can be quite costly.
As you seek a great allied healthcare match and evaluate your recruitment practices, it’s critical to make sure that potential employees align with the values and mission of your organization. One of the best ways to retain talented employees is to evaluate them initially for their individual skill sets and capabilities in addition to assessing their understanding and passion for your mission.
To get started, you’ll want to pay attention to these three traits in every allied healthcare candidate you consider.
Communication Skills
Any viable allied healthcare professional should possess strong communication skills – both verbal and non-verbal – no matter their experience level or background. Because patient care is a top priority of any thriving healthcare organization, all candidates should be able to communicate effectively with their colleagues, managers, and patients – especially when challenging situations arise on the job.
Professionalism
Professionalism is not just necessary for the corporate world – it’s a trait every allied healthcare professional should demonstrate. An ideal allied healthcare match will have a respectful demeanor and a high level of proficiency. A candidate with professionalism puts the interests of their patients over their own interests, and always shows proper manners and decorum even in high pressure circumstances.
Knowledge
Though healthcare certifications and degrees are important, truly qualified allied healthcare professionals are those with knowledge and experience that go beyond their credentials. Candidates who have worked in a variety of settings have likely acquired a significant degree of knowledge that can help them in tough situations and enable them to overcome obstacles on the job. Always evaluate candidates not just for their qualifications on paper, but for the knowledge they’ve acquired over the course of their work experience. Understanding the candidate’s interest in additional training can also be a key indicator of their capacity to continue adding value long term to your organization.
Recruiting allied healthcare candidates who possess the traits above will likely have the potential to fit within your culture. Over time, you’ll see how hiring candidates based on communication skills, professionalism, and knowledge will help you build a work environment in which both your organization and employees can thrive.