Thank You to all Recruiters!

 

 

For NAHCR’s December offering we would like to re-post an article from ERE (Electronic Recruiting Exchange) from recruitment Thought Leader Dr. John Sullivan. 

Hardworking healthcare recruiters – it’s been a challenging and exciting year.  Here is your virtual thank you note from all of your hires and hiring managers.

 

Please follow the link below:

http://www.ere.net/2008/12/22/a-christmas-card-for-recruiters-%E2%80%93-thank-you-for-all-that-you-do/

 

Shared with you on behalf of the NAHCR Social Media Committee

NAHCR Board – A Diverse Group on a Mission to Represent You!

The rigor in which your board works to make this association strong and sustainable is something of which to feel good.  

First of all, you should know that there is a diverse group representing, some new to the board providing fresh perspective and some that have been around for years’ with a legacy of insight.  Recently the board made a decision to have a former board member of long-time history to be a sort of legacy advisor, offering sage wisdom on by-law issues and strategy.  This board member helps to ensure we aren’t re-inventing the wheel every year and can weigh in on important concerns.

Who better to be that source but our recent honoree of the Distinguished Member Award, Janice Buehler, CHCR, MBA from Cedars Sinai Health System.  Janice is a staple of knowledge and integrity in the association and will continue to help guide us in a way that honors our legacy and takes heed of the future.  She provides a shining example of professionalism from which all of us can strive.

Four members of the board are sectioned into regions so that there is representation of demographic areas.  This helps each region to have a say and be acknowledged in how strategies are formed and ensures no part of the nation goes unserved.  While we tend to have the same challenges in healthcare recruitment everywhere (find me a state that doesn’t need strong clinical directors these days?), it’s good to know you have a respective leader that knows your territory.  It helps us all to feel connected and represented.

The board takes two meetings a year to plan the annual Image conference, review performance of the association, address concerns and trends in the industry, consider financial aspects and commits to putting together a strategy with thoughtful intention.  This includes educational offerings to keep the members up to date in the profession, taking into account what other industries are embarking on in Talent Acquisition.    They also provide guidance to chapter concerns.  Supporting our chapters provides growth and sustainability keeping us on top of our game.

While faces come and go every year or so, you can feel secure in knowing the board you’ve chosen forges ahead with a passion for healthcare recruitment and a guiding mission.  Making your jobs easier in this high-touch, customer service expectation environment while minding the technology advances as they come whizzing past us all is no easy feat.  With your help, we’re all on the job!

Laura Roybal, Talent Acquisition Manager and NAHCR Western Regional Chair

Justify to Your Emplyer Why You Should Attend IMAGE 2012!

The time for the 2012 NAHCR IMAGE Conference is just around the corner. Can you sense the excitement? For those that have to justify with their organizations why they need to be there (not just because they need to get away), here are some things to share with your manager or other leaders:

- CEUs offered. The conference is approved for HRCI (PHR/SPHR) credit as well as continuing education for RNs and other licensed professionals. This is a great way to get several of those hours packed away in a single setting.

- Review conference sessions ahead of time and show your leadership which ones you would plan to attend and let them know you plan to report back on them.

- Networking. Learn best practices from colleagues around the nation and be certain to share that information with others at your company. You will also gain contacts so you can be the "go-to" person in the office.

- CHCR exam offered at the conference. Obtaining certification shows your leadership team that you have the basic competencies for the role and helps build confidence.

- Coming away with ideas on how to tackle the changing landscape of healthcare.

- This is one of the kindest conferences to your wallet, or the company bank account. The speakers and value of the conference for the cost alone make it worthwhile.

- IMAGE is the one conference that closest matches what we do on a daily basis and pertains to what concerns us the most.

- Gain new ideas on products/systems to help make for a more productive team back home.

- Learn about legal updates to help keep your organization out of hot water when it comes to employment law and related matters.

Click here for justification sample letters.

Time is running out, so please use this information to help show why you need to beat IMAGE in July.

-Derek Cunningham, PHR, CHCR-

Secretary, NAHCR

5 Reasons to Attend IMAGE 2012

Click here to view FIVE reasons to attend IMAGE 2012

Where do we go from here?

I am relatively new to the recruitment world, but even in my short career, it seems like so much has shifted. The emphasis on job postings seemed to primarily be on major job boards such as CareerBuilder and Monster, but these job boards (as hard as they try to up sell all the fantastic upgrades to drive applicants to your website/job opportunities) are not enough by far. They just aren’t as effective, at least in the capacity they used to and now is the time to think outside of the box and reach candidates in ways that never existed before such as social media, and niche websites.

Every few months or at least every year there seems to be a new “it” social media. We now have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and most recently Pinterest. Although I am not sure just yet how to use Pinterest in the healthcare recruiting field, I’m sure it will evolve soon as it is already evolved to retail companies. The longer these networking sites are around the more they have adapted to cater to recruiting. For example, Facebook has recently teamed up with Monster for the “Beknown” app, where you can post jobs or even create an RSS feed to your job board. Things like this are making social networking a growing resource for applicants to search for job opportunities.

Many recruiting efforts have recently been placed on using niche sites for different healthcare groups, and job fields. I am finding myself doing a search at least once a week for new sites and looking into all those advertisement emails with new websites to reach executive candidates, new graduates and everything in between. I’m sure the rest of you are familiar with this same sort of situation, trying to realign and reach out in any way to reach those that may not have been reachable a few years ago.


Anyone have any new outlets they have been finding success with lately, either social media or niche sites?



Posted by Natalie Speece
Vibra Healthcare

The Relevance of Conferences and Job Fairs as Recruiting Tools

I was recently assigned to attend the AACN/NTI Conference in Orlando, FL as an exhibitor for my company in the career opportunity section. I love attending these things as personally I enjoy meeting all the new people. In addition it’s a bit like a family reunion, meeting up with many of the other recruiters I know from around the nation (and will hopefully see at IMAGE in July). However, while handing out the high volume of kitschy give-aways, I also had time to think about the effectiveness of attending such conferences. The main question for ROI that used to be asked was regarding how many hires came as a result of our presence. I have long given up on that one. Many companies now require applicants to go online prior to being considered for any positions and there are other assessments to be considered as well. The conferences are not a place to conduct interviews or do any hiring. Rather they are to get the word out as to who we are and conjure interest in our organizations. That’s certainly a paradigm shift, but still makes attending the conferences worthwhile, though the results (as in hires) may not be seen for some time. I wonder what others thoughts are on attending the conferences, both national and those on a more local basis. Do you find them valuable?

posted by Derek Cunningham, PHR, CHCR

Keeping in Touch

It’s that time of the year again. I was reminded of this when I received my membership renewal notice from NAHCR. This will be my 2^nd year of membership in the association. Whatever your specialty or area of practice in the health care industry, it’s a fact that professional memberships need to be renewed. It’s the same approach with our business relationships. We keep in touch to remind our colleagues that we are here and still involved.
         
The same premise extends to our personal lives. We call, text, email, skype, yahoo, facebook, tweet or google talk our family and relatives as we try to keep up with our busy lives. Touching base seems like a mundane matter but it is what binds us. It reminds us that small things do matter in the bigger cycle of life. Be it in the workplace or our daily lives, the drive to keep in touch takes up a good portion of our time. And time is a commodity that does not have a rewind button. Once you have said something, emailed or published it, the deed cannot be undone. Once it’s out there some information takes on a life of its own and is no longer yours to keep. It is the same way with our professional lives. Once you disseminate information or inform an applicant as to why she/he was not selected for the position, what has been said can no longer be deleted, recalled or removed. That’s why staying in touch with my professional association keeps me informed and grounded. So yes, I will be renewing my membership in NAHCR. And by all means I will continue to keep in touch with my friends, family and colleagues.

Belinda Rosales, RN, MSA, CHCR
NAHCR Social Media Committee Member

How Did I Get Here and What Do I Do Now?

Did I ever see myself working in human resources? The honest answer is no. As a registered nurse, I expected to be in the clinical setting throughout my career. My current position became available at a time when family responsibilities required a shift in roles. Suddenly, I found myself sitting on the opposite side of the interview table more nervous than the candidate in my office.

As a clinician, the recruitment field was a whole new ballgame. It was necessary to create new relationships and quickly identify leaders and role models within the profession. One familiar tool from nursing that I sought out was professional association membership. The Greater New York Association of Health Care Recruiters was a goldmine of recruitment experience and leadership. In any new role, mentorship is vital to success and retention. Attending meetings introduced me to experienced recruiters, hot topics in the profession, employment trends and ultimately introduced me to membership in NAHCR. This opened my eyes to opportunities for advancement and the true impact of professional recruitment on our nation’s health care system.

This spontaneous career move has altered my future aspirations immensely. I have not only developed my recruitment skills but identified a new passion for career coaching and education. I have found that many of my NAHCR colleagues also made unexpected ventures into recruitment but found a niche and a passion that has lasted for years. This camaraderie and support was instrumental for success at the start of my recruitment career.

What was your most valuable support as a new recruiter? How will you pay it forward?

Melissa Marrero RN-BC, BSN

Employment grows solidly for third straight month

Bring on the Madness

I love college basketball, and this next month is what is also dubbed “March Madness.” This is the playoff tournament where an annual champion is crowned and the intensity is at its peak. There are upsets galore and things happen that are unexpected. For some, the excitement is too much or they just don’t get it, and for others still they thrive on it.

In recruitment, February and March are often peak times for hiring (as in some cases the fall season). Disclaimer: Not every year is the same and not every healthcare system holds the exact same patterns. It’s a new year and early enough before departments worry too much about going over their budget. Also many candidates look to this time to find a job so they can prepare to move as we approach summer. During this time, stress for recruiters can be high as the demands to hire people quickly and in large numbers hits its climax for the year. For some, it makes them wonder if they should remain working in the profession or question if they signed up for this when they started in recruitment. For others, they thrive on it. It’s the action that they like and enjoy the fact that there’s never a dull moment. While the hiring increases, so does the number of unexpected events. This could be hiring for positions we haven’t worked on before, people not passing their backgrounds/physicals, or other things that make for stories we can share over the years.

I prefer the intensity and opportunity to do some creative thinking. The hectic pace and zany circumstances may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s also just a part of the “Madness.” Have you noticed this is the case at your organization, and if so do you look forward to it or dread it?

-Derek Cunningham, PHR, CHCR-
Talent Manager
Scripps Health

“Now You See Me- Now You Don’t”

Picture this scenario: Your great candidate has arrived for his interview, and you escort him to the hiring manager’s office. The hiring manager opens the door with a puzzled look on her face and says “I don’t have an interview on my calendar today”. She continues, “It’s not a good time right now, so you need to re-schedule” and rushes off. This dialogue occurs in the presence of this excellent candidate that you have invested valuable time sourcing, screening, and selling on your great organization. Do you think he will re-schedule or will he just interview at another facility and potentially accept an offer there? We all know that you only get once chance to make a good impression. In this scenario, you may very well have lost this candidate (hence the title of this post).

As healthcare recruiters, a scenario like this is certainly not best practice. However; the unfortunate reality is that it does occasionally occur. I have had this experience in my recruitment career, and it was very awkward. Fortunately, I was able to do some service recovery in that situation, re-schedule the candidate, and ultimate make a hire.
Does anyone else have a similar experience to share?

Angela Pointer,
Nurse Recruiter- Duke University Hospital
NAHCR Social Media Committee Chair

Twesumes – what are they and will they work?

In 2011, 89% of companies used social networks for marketing, including NAHCR. Social media is clearly becoming a mainstay in the health care industry, especially for those recruiting for it.

Recruitment has come a long way from paper applications, mailed-in resumes, and having face time with each and every applicant we interviewed. As our world becomes more social media friendly, so does the world of the candidate.

Twitter users across the world have started using what has been dubbed a “twesume” – a resume in 140 characters or less. Twesumes are “flexible, living documents” that can change with you as you change tasks, change job titles, or even change career fields.

In the world of health care recruiting this can be revolutionary, even for the naysayers of social media. If a physical therapist or surgical nurse tweeted at your hospital or health care facility, “@HealthCareInstitution: 20-year OR nurse with 6 years in CVOR. Current ACLS, BLS, CVOR certifications. Excellent work history. Relocating to your area.” That candidate is no longer a name in a database – they are an active follower of your institution and have reached out to you in a very direct way.

Candidates who have not caught on to this trend yet can be encouraged to by your company. Tweet to your followers that you are having a twesume contest. Explain what a twesume is and see what valuable candidates you may have been missing.

Not everyone who drafts a resume knows how to best present themselves. By limiting the applicant to 140 characters or less, you are really getting to their skill set and what they want to be known. While this may not be a complete work history on the person contacting you, it does give you a place to begin a dialogue.

Health care recruiters can begin utilizing this avenue for recruitment before the trend really hits, and we will be on the forefront of this wonderful new recruiting tool.

Try it for your facility and post your results!

Social Media Awareness

Whether it’s checking your Facebook wall, tweeting about your day, connecting with like-minded professionals on LinkedIn, or watching a news story on YouTube, many of us are connected via social media. Like you, NACHR is also heavily involved in social media and wants to share itself with you, the member. Now is a great time to take advantage of all of the great information that NACHR has to share through its social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

As part of the new Social Media Committee for NACHR, it is part of our mission to make you aware of all the ways NACHR helps keep you informed. This blog is just one way we would like to start reaching out to you, our valued NAHCR members, and encourage you to become more involved, not just in providing feedback through our blog, but follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Become an active participant and encourage other members to do so as well. Together we can grow our social media connections and awareness of what some of our local chapters have on the horizon.

Become more involved in social media with NAHCR and other organizations today! Share your wealth of knowledge and build strong network!