Taking the guesswork out of sourcing and hiring nurses takes some trial and error.
That is, unless you have the right recruiting tools in your toolkit.
Recruiters share the challenges they face and offer ideas about technology that would save time and create a better experience for job seekers with these seven “wish list” tools:
1 — One place to check all social media platforms
Keeping track of all the social platforms and job boards where recruiters advertise openings feels like a chore for many recruiters, said Megan Bailey, RN, BSN, MHA, product manager with the University of Utah Health, Regional Network LLC, in Salt Lake City.
Tops on her wish list is a single platform where she can check on all social media traffic.
“We use five to six places to find nurses, like Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and have to check in every day,” Bailey said. “If we had just one platform to log in and check all the platforms, it would save a lot of time.”
Recruiting automation tools are much needed, according to a 2018 trends report published by Entelo, an AI recruiting platform.
About 70% of survey respondents said “sourcing automation would increase productivity” because it helps reduce manual and repetitive tasks. Sourcing candidates for one job takes up about one third of the work week.
How many social media sites are recruiters using today? On average recruiters use 7.8 social platforms simultaneously, reports Entelo. They also report 81% of respondents use social media to source talent.
2 — Recruiting tools that identify experienced nurses
A question recruiters ask is, “Where do nurses look for jobs?” Bailey said.
With all the social platforms and job boards, Bailey said she would like a report that ranks top social sites for nurses. She wants to know which sites have the highest performance metrics to better assess ROI for advertising dollars spent.
“[I’d like] data to back up why a certain platform works better than another,” she said. “Let’s say I buy a banner ad with 4,000 impressions, I want to know I would get about four to five nurses. I want to know how successful my ROI will be from advertising, versus a banner ad with 45,000 impressions.”
3 — Artificial intelligence
Ever talk to Siri or Alexa to find a “restaurant near me” or check the latest thunderstorm activity? Then you already use AI.
Theresa Mazzaro, RN, CHCR, senior talent acquisition specialist at Suburban Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine in Bethesda, Md., wants more AI tools because they can improve the candidate’s job search experience.
Plus, it gives recruiters a new way to reach tech-savvy candidates.
“I wish we had the ability to use AI, like chat bots and virtual career fairs,” said Mazzaro, who noted the technology is a time saver compared to the traditional method of planning out a career fair. “With a virtual career fair, people can see the drop-in hours, and if you are a candidate looking for a job, you could literally pop in and have a chat with a recruiter.”
The chat bot helps recruiters connect with prospective candidates hanging out on the hospital website.
By the year 2024, about 55% of HR managers surveyed believe AI will become more integrated within their departments, reports Ideal.com — a company that worked with sources such as Deloitte, CareerBuilder, Alexander Mann and Undercover Recruiter to compile their AI findings.
4 — Mobile-friendly recruiting tools
Wouldn’t it be nice to have an app that lets nurses know which states are hiring — in their specialty — and which employers offer the best perks?
Whether it exists is hard to say. Bailey said this kind of technology would be a win-win for both parties.
“By using different filters like locations, perks like sign-on bonus and student loan reimbursement, the app would be for both the nurses and recruiters who have access to it,” she said.
App functionality that sorts and filters the right talent would be priceless.
Bailey said it would be helpful with travel nursing opportunities because some nurses relocate based on lifestyle requirements.
Plus, her organization recently created a nursing internship program that includes five states.
5 — Text recruiting
No doubt, email communication has its place. The problem is messages often get buried in inboxes.
When speed matters most, a text message is a quicker form of communication.
“When you send out a text, it’s easier to communicate with people because you get a higher response rate from a text compared to an email,” Mazzaro said.
6 — Easy applicant tracking system
Easy-to-use applicant tracking with mobile ability definitely made the wish list.
Mobile- and tablet-friendly recruiting tools give candidates an easy way to apply without having to download an extra app, according to Mazzaro.
“[A mobile apply option] gives candidates the ability to hit a button and apply, and then you can send them the link to apply for the job once they qualify as a candidate,” she said.
This is yet another time saver for recruiters.
7 — Crystal ball technology
If you dangle the right carrots under their noses, nurses might choose your organization over another.
If you knew the top five perks nurses cared about, Bailey said it could help recruiters with marketing efforts because you could offer perks that hold more value to them.
“Is it all about location and pay, or is it student loan reimbursement and loan forgiveness?” she asked.