A home care agency’s success depends on its ability to attract and hire quality caregivers. To succeed at this challenging task, agencies should focus on the entire candidate experience – from the first contact to hiring and retention.
A strong candidate experience can also boost your agency’s overall brand reputation, which can increase referrals. Here are some ways to make your agency’s caregiver recruitment process easier and more successful:
Start with the best job descriptions
The most qualified applicants won’t apply if they don’t understand what you need from them. It’s important to create detailed job descriptions that include what an in-home caregiver does, as well as information on scheduling, training opportunities, incentive programs, and any other employee benefits you offer.
Post your jobs on several platforms
Online job boards, such as Indeed, Monster, CareAsOne, myCNA, and Facebook business profiles can help agencies find candidates who are searching for home care work in their area. Agencies can also advertise jobs in print and on radio, and use social media to connect with potential employees.
Consider a recruiter
A good home care agency recruiter can help you hire workers faster and more effectively. They can help you set up a process that ensures applicants receive timely feedback and are always informed about your needs. They can also help your agency build a strong team and keep current caregivers happy, which is key to keeping your agency’s bench filled with the right people for each job.
In addition, a good recruiter will be able to identify caregivers who don’t meet your agency’s requirements and help you weed them out quickly. This can save your agency time and money, as you don’t waste time screening applicants who can’t perform the duties of a particular job.
Track your hiring velocity
The speed with which your agency extends offers to caregivers is a critical factor in your agency’s overall productivity and quality of caregivers you hire. If your process takes too long – longer than two weeks or 10 business days – you’re moving too slowly for top talent and will likely lose quality candidates to other agencies who can move fast.
Metrics for your agency to track
To improve your agency’s hiring velocity, you need to monitor three key metrics: the percentage of applicants reviewed and how much time it takes your team to review them. These are intricately connected because a high percentage of applicants reviewed and a low time to review them indicate your agency is slowing down rather than improving.
1. Hiring a full-time recruiter
A recruiter can help you fill your agency’s needs for qualified caregivers by identifying and contacting prospective workers. They can also help you set up an interview process that ensures your caregiver applicants are being screened and interviewed in a timely manner.
2. Prescreened, experienced workers
Caregivers who work for an agency typically have passed a background check and relevant training. This ensures they’ll be able to provide the level of service and quality you expect from your agency. They’ll have worked with clients before and know how to handle certain issues or complaints that may come up. caregiver agencies