When we asked your peers in healthcare and senior care what steps they used in the recruitment marketing process, these trends emerged, as reported in our eBook, Recruitment Marketing Paradoxes and Benchmarks in Healthcare and Senior Care:

Step 1: Define the Position and Requirements

Clearly outline the role, responsibilities, qualifications and experience required. Include expectations, work environment and company culture. We also recommend you develop an ideal candidate description to focus efforts and a job ad to entice people to apply to your openings over competitors’ jobs.

Step 2: Build a Strong Employer Brand

First, showcase company culture using social media, the company website and employee testimonials to highlight your workplace environment, values and benefits. Then define and communicate your Employer Value Proposition (EVP) to differentiate your organization from competitors.

Step 3: Leverage Multiple Channels for Job Postings

Go where your future employees go. Consider conducting a survey to understand better which online job boards and social media platforms your ideal candidates frequent. Do they spend more time on Indeed, LinkedIn or other industry-specific platforms that can further target your reach? Uncovering this data first can save time and money. Our study participants also recommended posting on company social media profiles and leveraging both organic and paid strategies to increase visibility. Be sure to feature job ads prominently on your career page.

Step 4: Engage in Active Recruitment

Gone are the days of idly posting an opening and landing a star team member. Our survey respondents rightly suggested direct outreach by using LinkedIn and other platforms to directly connect with candidates who match the qualifications but have yet to apply. They also recommended attending job fairs and professional networking events to meet potential candidates. Consider establishing relationships with colleges and training programs to recruit upcoming graduates, keeping in mind that a college degree may not be required. (Learn how Delta Airlines refocused their recruitment marketing efforts on improving talent acquisition, thereby eliminating a college degree requirement for 94% of non-executive roles.)

Step 5: Screen and Interview Candidates

Review applications against your ideal candidate description and create a shortlist of candidates to move to the interview phase. Conduct initial phone screens followed by in-person or video interviews. Consider involving team members with whom the candidate will closely work. For certain roles, practical assessments can help evaluate skills and fit.

Step 6: Offer and Onboarding

Extend offers to select candidates, clearly outlining compensation, benefits and any conditional requirements like background checks. Ensure a smooth onboarding process, including orientation sessions, training and integration into the team.

Step 7: Analyze and Optimize

Collect feedback from candidates and new hires about their experience with the recruitment process. Regularly review the effectiveness of different recruitment channels and strategies, adjusting tactics based on performance data.