Working in medicine or health care is highly esteemed, but that doesn’t mean that all the people who apply for your open jobs are up to the task. Even if they have education, they might not have experience. If they have both, maybe they don’t have bedside manner. Whatever the position, there is an extensive checklist to use to determine who is the right candidate for the job. Whether you are a doctor hiring for a practice or a manager hiring for positions you don’t really know that much about, below are some tips for hiring health care workers.
Focus on Education
One of the most important things you should do when you are hiring health care workers is to focus on education. Where did they go to school? For how long? What did they study? Did they go to medical school? It doesn’t matter what they are applying for, it’s important to understand whether they have a passion for medicine and health care or if they are just trying to find a job that pays well. The education will reveal how passionate a person is about the position. Education is key, especially in health care.
Remember to Check Experience
The next thing you should always focus on is the experience of the person. Maybe they are educated in medicine or health care but have no experience. Perhaps they have no education in it but have garnered loads of experience through a job. There are all kinds of combinations that will lead to success, and there are many combinations that will lead to failure. When you are looking at a person’s education, it is pivotal to follow up on their experiences. Call their former employers and ask them about how they did. Ask them about their strengths and weaknesses. This should come after you have already asked the candidate about themselves.
Ask Tough Questions
When you are in the interview process, it is paramount to ask tough questions. Depending on the job, you should ask specifically what the person would do in a host of situations. Give them a scenario and see how they respond. Even if the person doesn’t have experience in that situation, ask them a similar question that pertains to their experience. The bottom line is you should come prepared with very specific questions for each candidate. Study their resume and find out what the right questions are for that candidate.
Use the Internet
Of course, you should always use the internet and its many resources to your advantage. It doesn’t matter what you are hiring for, you can utilize the online platforms that connect employers with employees. Based on your responses, you can alter your hiring requirements. Furthermore, you should use social media to alert the public that you are hiring, what positions you need filled, and how much experience is required. You should vet people on social media. Whatever your hiring process entails, the internet should be involved.
Run a Background Check
Running a background check is always a good idea for health care workers. Particularly, a caregiver background check is a good idea for new hires. Caregivers don’t need much experience, but have they been cruel to someone in the past? Whatever the situation, there are plenty of things to unpack with a background check. The main thing is that you will know if they’ve been lying to you or not. Whatever the position—even if you aren’t hiring for health care or medicine—it’s critical to run a background check. You might find something interesting that saves you and your business from a disaster in the future.
Health care is a dynamic business, but you know that. Employers around the country are struggling to hire new employees. Whether you are hiring a high-skilled worker or not, it is crucial to know who you are hiring and why. There are plenty of ways to vet employees and to make sure they are the right candidate for the job.
Taking the time to hire employees properly is worth it. Are you hiring a remote worker or someone to work with the sick? These questions matter. If you put in the hard work and due diligence, you will be able to find the right person for any position.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
