Recruiting Nurses (With No Recruiting Budget)

by Dr. John Sullivan Aug 6, 2001

Reprinted from www.ere.net

As the economy winds down, many organizations have severely curtailed their recruiting. owever other organizations are still !ighting the war !or talent, in s"ite o! the economic downturn. os"itals and healthcare !acilities, !or e#am"le, !ace a continuing struggle to !ind nurses. Some have a""roached the nursing shortage with advanced strategies and e#ce"tional recruiting teams $%enet ealthcare, !or e#am"le, is an industry leader& while others are still struggling. '(ve done a great deal o! wor) in this area, so i! you need to recruit nurses but have only a minimal budget, here are some no*cost suggestions and ti"s+ 1. Top performer referrals. As) your to" nurses individually to increase their re!errals $give them a target o! !ive a month&. As) them to re!er their ,mentees,- !riends, and !ormer colleagues References of candidates. .hen chec)ing the re!erences o! candidates who loo) e#ce"tionally "romising, as) them, ,.ho else do you )now who(s also good/First day of new hires. As) all new hires on the day they start who else is good at their !ormer !acility. As) them to hel" you recruit any targeted individuals who they )now. Ask during the inter iew. As) interviewees !or the names o! other good nurses that they )now. !o" descriptions. 3ewrite your 4ob descri"tions to ma)e them more li)e mar)eting "ieces. 'denti!y the .5. !actors that you have and the !eatures that e#cite your current em"loyees. 6ut them in your 4ob descri"tions. #romotion$awards announcements. %rac) other !acilities( announcements o! "romotions and awards. %hen identi!y and target those that to" candidates as well as those that are li)ely to be !rustrated because they didn(t get the "romotion. %Find you again& profile. As) your current nurses how you would !ind them again. As) them what healthcare and social events they attend, magazines and 4ournals that they read, %8 shows that they watch, etc. 9se this in!ormation to identi!y the sources that are the most li)ely to "roduce results.

2.

0.

1. 2.

6.

7.

www.apartmentsN'W.org
%he A"artment Directory :or os"ital ;m"loyees

<.

Name the fi e people. As) your better nurses to list ,the !ive nurses that have im"ressed you the most during your career- $!ormer classmates, bosses, colleagues, and mentors&. %hen as) them to call the !ive. 9se the !ive !or direct hiring or !or re!errals. Almost (ualified. %a)e another loo) at the !inalists !rom "revious hiring e!!orts and see i! they are more >uali!ied now or i! you are willing to give them a second loo). #romise them an inter iew. ?uarantee "otential recruits an interview. @onsider giving them a reward $A20& or a !ree meal i! they show u" !or an interview. Turned you down. 3evisit !inalist who, in the "ast, re4ected your 4ob o!!ers. %ry a new a""roach and try to resell them. Boomerangs. @all nurses that le!t your !acility and as) them i! they would li)e to return. Also as) them to be re!erral sources. )entioned in$wrote tech article. ave your best nurses written articles in nursing 4ournals/ Being written about !or your best "ractices is an e#cellent re!erring tool. Ask customers. As) "atients, strategic "artners, vendors and su""liers to be re!erral sources $when there(s no con!lict o! interest&. *+' calls. ave your !acilities @;5 call the candidate directly and encourage them to sign on. @;5 calls are incredibly e!!ective. When a competitor is in trou"le. .hen a com"eting !acility is undergoing cutbac)s, sta!! reductions, or other labor turmoil, increase your recruiting e!!orts at their !acilities. As) your current nurses to hel" you recruit away their best. 3ecruit outside their "ar)ing lot i! you mustC ,elect a hiring team. Some managers 4ust aren(t good sales"eo"le $recruiters&. 'denti!y the nurses who are good recruiters and sales"eo"le and let them do most o! the hiring. ?ive them recruiter training and reward them !or their e!!orts +mployee referral program. %he most e!!ective recruiting tool o! all is the ;36. 3evisit it and reenergize its mar)eting "rogram. @onsider holding a ra!!le !or a !ree tri" to an e#otic "lace !or all o! those that made re!errals during the >uarter. ,eminar on site. S"onsor a technical seminar and hold it on your site. 5!!er attendees a tour and "rovide a mechanism !or them to mingle with your current sta!!. %his is an e!!ective tool when your name isn(t that great but your "eo"le and !acilities areC

=.

10.

11. 12. 10.

11. 12. 16.

17.

1<.

1=.

www.apartmentsN'W.org
%he A"artment Directory :or os"ital ;m"loyees

20.

,earch engine$"ot search. Do an 'nternet search !or nurses( resumes. S"eci!ically target $by their zi" code& those that live within a short commuting distance o! your !acility. -irect mail. Also consider using "ro!essional association and nursing magazine mailing lists $sorted by local zi" code& to mail out recruit "ieces. Trade fairs. ave your best nurses attend and s"ea) at trade !airs and industry con!erences. aving them discuss your best "ractices is an e#cellent recruiting tool. ,ocial e ents. 'denti!y the ty"e o! social events that nurses attend o!ten. Set u" a booth there and use it as ,so!t sell- recruiting tool *hat rooms. ave your best nurses !re>uent nursing*related chat rooms and list servers. ave them answer tough >uestions in order to build your image and brand as a great "lace to wor) Bring a friend to work day. old an invited o"en house on your site and encourage your nurses to bring !riends $who are also nurses&. Free training. 5!!er to" candidates whom you have "re*identi!ied any vacant seats in your training classes in order to build a relationshi" and to assess their ca"abilities. #rofessional association officer referrals. As) association o!!icers to be re!erral sources and to hel" you identi!y any ,u" and coming- nurses. ,ell sheet attached to your application. Attach a ,sales sheet- to your hard co"y a""lication !orms that highlights the best "ractices and !eatures o! your !acility. )arket research to identify triggers. @onduct !ocus grou"s among new hires and college students in order to identi!y their 4ob acce"tance criteria. 9se these criteria to im"rove your o!!er letters. ,ide."y.side offer sheets. 6rovide your hiring managers with a single sheet that shows how your o!!er com"ares !avorably with o!!ers !rom com"eting !acilities. %his hel"s im"rove both retention and o!!er a acce"tance rates /ncreased retention efforts. S"end some time with each o! your to" "er!ormers. As) them what !rustrates them and what would ma)e their 4ob more e#citing. 't(s chea"er to )ee" them than to recruit new onesC 'ne year ahead %hit& list (pre.(ualify). 'denti!y the nurses you really want to hire long be!ore you have an o"ening. 9se that time to "re>uali!y and to "re*sell them.

21. 22.

20. 21.

22. 26.

27. 2<.

2=.

00.

01.

02.

www.apartmentsN'W.org
%he A"artment Directory :or os"ital ;m"loyees

00.

%#ush& 0o"s to top prospects. Develo" an email mailing list that ,"ushes- announcements o! 4ob o"enings to individuals that you are targeting $or that have e#"ressed an interest in receiving "osition o"enings&. Weekend hires. @onsider hiring nurses !or a wee)end or during their vacation !or a ,tryout.- 5nce they(ve wor)ed with your team they are more li)ely to say yes to an o!!er. 1old a contest. @hallenge your nursing sta!! to s"end a month identi!ying the best nurses within the region. Da)e it a !riendly com"etition $with a "rize& and encourage each nurse to scour their emails, and address boo)s !or the names o! "otential hires. ;ncourage your nurses to ,as) around.1ire them "oth. 5!!er a "rogram where you will hire a nurse and their best !riend $colleague, s"ouseE"artner& at the same time. 5!!er an e#ce"tional nurse an o""ortunity to commute together or to wor) together with their best !riend. 'ffer them pri ileges. Some nurses are reluctant to leave because they will have to start ,at the bottom- at a new !acility. 5!!er the very to" candidates ,shi!t choices etc. - !or si# months and continued "re!erences i! they "er!orm on the 4ob $ran) among the to" 20F&

01.

02.

06.

37.

@ollege 3ecruiting %i"s 0<. /nterns as on.campus reps. As) your college internsE"art*time sta!! to serve as recruiting re"resentatives when they return to cam"us. As) them to visit nurse related events and to "rovide you with the names o! the best and what it ta)es to convince them. Two.years.out college hires. %here is a lot o! com"etition !or nurses graduating !rom school. 'nstead, try re*contacting those you wanted but couldn(t get $be!ore& two years out o! school. Gou might !ind recruiting them now is a lot easier as their "re!erences change when they become more e#"erienced. 2se last years hires as sourcers$recruiters. As) last year(s college hires to hel" you identi!y and recruit this year(s cro" Ask college professors. As) college "ro!essors and graduate assistants to be re!erral sources. 'denti!y the best and begin selling them more than a year be!ore graduation. 3rad assistants$student leaders. 3ecruit o!!icers in student organizations to act as talent scouts !or you.

0=.

10. 11.

12.

www.apartmentsN'W.org
%he A"artment Directory :or os"ital ;m"loyees