When hiring for your healthcare simulation program, finding candidates with direct medical simulation experience is difficult but not impossible. Previously I have written a few articles covering the topic including What To REALLY Look For When Hiring a Sim Tech, New Simulation Program Webinar, and How To Increase Lab Staff Without Increased Budgets, and of course the entire HealthySimAdmin event, to name a few.
The goal with hiring for your simulation-based positions is to not necessarily find candidates with the most simulation experience, nor even the most medical experience, but rather the person who has demonstrated the most passion for the position. No matter how strong the core of your simulation program is, we are talking about a technology and methodology that will continue to evolve and disrupt your training program. Thus, finding individuals who are comfortable with change and go to work everyday looking to “learn something new” will far far better serve your program than someone who a) knows it all or b) cannot deal with continual change.
Finding the right fit for your program should consider experience, but weigh more heavily the fit of the individual into the controlled chaotic world of simulation and your pre-existing team. And to give your program the best opportunity to find the best person, you should consider the serious benefits of working with an outside staffing firm.
Why it makes sense to use an external recruitment firm.
More than ever there is increased pressure to work quickly and efficiently. With the advances in technology we have become an “on-demand” society that expects answers and results at short notice. There are pressures from external sources such as shareholders, consumers and partner organizations that then drive internal pressure at board level to hiring managers, internal human resources and recruitment teams. Added to those pressures are the increased workload many employees have undertaken since the great recession and there is very little time for hiring managers to actively recruit new employees. Even internal recruitment teams are typically stretched working on multiple assignments that allow very little time for proactive recruitment. Many internal recruiters are so busy they are only able to “post and pray” – an industry term for posting jobs and hoping they are seen by a wide enough audience to attract the right candidates.
These scenarios make it necessary to use external “third party” recruitment firms who are engaged to find suitable candidates. Recruitment / Staffing firms’ entire business model is designed to find the right people for clients – often at very short notice. A typical assignment is initiated when all other internal methods to find candidates has proven unsuccessful and there is an immediate need to hire someone to fill an empty “seat” or a program is unable to start without the key employee.
Reduce risk and Save costs
Utilize an external firm to ensure your hiring managers are productive. A well briefed recruiter should be expected to produce no more than 2 or 3 highly qualified candidates for review. Eliminate unnecessary downtime for your management team!
Utilize an external firm who has to the ability to increase time to hire – making sure your product/ service is delivered and you are not missing other opportunities!
Utilize guarantees! A reputable firm will give guarantees with any hire and replace a hire if necessary – something you can ill afford to do. If they can’t replace they will also give you your money back!
Reduce potential cost and risk by using temp to hire opportunities. You can trial a temp before you make a long term commitment.
10 Tips for successfully using an external / third party recruiter:
1) Develop a partnership with a firm who understands your short and long term needs.
2) Choose a firm that has a systematic process and a proven track record in your niche
3) Describe your potential hiring needs so your partner can continuously identify candidates.
4) When you are hiring – don’t leave it to the last minute – engage early for best results.
5) Describe the outcomes / key indicators you want from the role – don’t just copy and paste the last job description.
6) Agree on how you want to proceed and set expectations.
7) Once you see resumes give quick and detailed feedback on non selected candidates.
8) Give specific post interview feedback that helps candidates and your external recruiters.
9) If you amend the Job Description tell your external recruiter so they can be effective.
10) Treat the recruiter as your partner – they will be more vested in your needs.
To Get Help With Your Simulation Staff Hiring
Be sure to visit the HealthySim Job Listing’s Page to see what’s out there or to post your open medical simulation vacancies.
