4 tips for caregiver recruitment

In an era of rising senior populations and growing need for caregivers, we're covering recruitment essentials.

"Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for the love of it." - Henry David Thoreau

Caregiving is a challenging career, and it’s not for everyone. It takes a special type of person to care for others day in and day out – and the difficulties of caregiving can make it hard to find qualified personnel. For many caregiving organizations like yours, these hardships make recruitment a top concern. But one thing we know is this: the jobs are available and the focus needs to be on the recruitment process. So, when you’re on the hunt for new team members, there are a few things you don’t want to forget. We’re giving you a run-down of the top tips for caregiver recruitment.

1. Hiring for a myriad of positions

At all times, you’re filling a variety of positions – all with different expertise levels, education levels and needs. When you begin the recruitment process, remember that what matters to your home health and personal care aids may not matter to your registered nurses or social workers and vice versa.

When you take a public speaking course, one of the first things you learn is to always know your audience. This is one lesson you don’t want to forget when it comes to recruitment. Each of the members of your team has a vital part in keeping your organization running smoothly. So when you begin to look for new members, you want to keep that in mind and anticipate any concerns they may have. For some, it may be continued education or extensive training that will allow them to grow and improve their skills. For others, it may be job security and flexibility. Depending on the positions you’re hiring for, you’ll want to cater the recruitment process to their specific needs.

2. Hiring the right person

Recruitment efforts should start with a detailed vision of who you imagine the new team member to be. Your vision for this person should encompass their past education, experience, unique skills, and specific personality traits. Much of hiring the right person lies within the personality traits aspect of the search. Many people will have the education and experience you’re seeking, but personality is a variable part of the process.

We’ve talked about how challenging it can be to find the right person to fill the role of a caregiver. It’s not an easy career and it requires a special type of personality. So what are some of the traits you should be looking for? According to HomeCare Magazine, you should be searching for someone who is resilient, adaptable and compassionate. HomeCare also mentions that empathy, common sense, confidence, patience and respect also play a huge rule in the everyday tasks of a caregiver.

3. Addressing your recruitment program with your current team

Your recruitment and retention efforts can only be improved by obtaining the opinions and concerns of those who have experienced the program. This is your chance to ask for a candid review from your team – those who leave and those who end up staying long-term.

Everyone who has worked with your organization or who has gone through the hiring process will have ideas regarding what improvements can be made. You may have to sort through some interesting ideas to find actionable improvements, but if your organization is making the effort to ask current employees for their opinion and then following through with their suggestions, it will speak volumes to everyone involved.

4. Where you recruit new team members matters

Your new team members won’t always know where to find you. They could be the perfect candidate for your available position, but if they can’t find any information about the opportunity, your position will continue to sit unfilled.

What are you currently doing to promote your facility’s career opportunities? Maybe you’re spreading the word to friends, family and colleagues. You might be sharing the positions on social media or posting jobs on your website. But you need to reach your potential team members where they are. This is another example of how the recruitment process needs to be tailored to the people you’re seeking.

Depending on the experience levels and previous amount of education you’re searching for, you’ll want to recruit at events that will attract the appropriate audience. This can mean recruiting at career fairs for those who can attain the training they need through your organization but may not have a degree yet. For some positions, a social media campaign and LinkedIn efforts can help you find the right fit. Word-of-mouth is a great way to pull in potential candidates and you don’t want to forget the power of an open house. HomeCare Pulse shares a few ideas that can help you find your candidates where they are.

Don’t let recruitment get the best of you this year. Tackle it head-on and address your current program to update any processes that may not be working. Talk to your team, respond to your candidates’ concerns and reach them where they are – it might just help you stock your team with a full staff of caregiving rock stars.  

How has your team found recruitment success? Your story and ideas could help other organizations!