Best Practices for Job Postings
Hiring for healthcare jobs is stressful. Like any business, the wrong hire hurts the bottom line. A staffing mistake in healthcare can affect the quality of patient care. Hospitals must find and hire candidates that specifically fulfill healthcare job requirements.
Yet, according to Becker’s Hospital Review, more than 30% of hospitals can’t find enough qualified candidates. While some of this stems from general hiring challenges, part of the problem lies with vague job requirements.
Job postings should provide applicants with the specific information they need to understand the role. This article outlines the best practices for writing job requirements to ensure you find the best candidates.
What Are Job Requirements?
Job requirements are the qualifications and skills necessary for a certain position. For job seekers, the requirements help them decide whether they’re qualified to apply. For employers, a well-written job posting attracts the right candidates in terms of their skills, but also for organizational culture.
Best Practices for Determining Which Qualifications Are Needed for a Role
Your recruitment efforts will be more successful if the job requirements are specific, well-communicated to candidates, and aligned with your organizational culture. Use these tips to get it right.
· Distinguish Between Essential Requirements Vs Desired Qualifications
Every healthcare job has essential requirements that are mandatory for the role. A nurse, for example, needs to be licensed in the state where they work. Each position also has desirable skills that aren’t mandatory, but will enhance the quality of the candidate. Years of experience often falls under this category.
Organizations need to distinguish between essential and desirable qualifications. Existing HR documents can be a good starting point, but don’t rely on them alone. Job roles change over time. For an accurate picture, check with current employees about their day-to-day activities or do some on-site observation.
It can be tempting to deem everything essential. Resist the urge or you’ll lose out on some great candidates. Avoid a laundry list of qualifications and instead hire for diversity.
· Be Specific and Concise (Bullet Points Are Your Friend)
Most applicants look at multiple positions in their job search. Candidates don’t want to read lengthy descriptions in the same way employers dread sifting through resumes from unqualified applicants. Being specific and concise solves both these problems.
How do you achieve this? Bullet points can help. Staffing experts recommend limiting your job requirements to six to eight bullet points. Is there something magical about this number? No. There’s obviously some leeway. But this guideline leads you to prioritize the key requirements.
If there are more than six to eight skills requirements, the best practice is to split them into ‘Required’ and ‘Desirable’. Categories to consider include:
- Work experience
- Skills (including soft skills that are commonly required for healthcare jobs, such as communication, empathy, and time management)
- Education
- Professional licenses, accreditations, or certifications
- Physical requirements
- Languages spoken
- Requirements around shift work or travel
· Highlight Your Organizational Culture
Bad hires often stem from a mismatch between personality styles – not from a lack of skills. When candidates have similar qualifications, the best choice will be the person whose personality fits your organizational culture.
Some organizations invest in a section at the end of a job posting which states their mission, vision, and values. Make sure your job requirements reflect your organization’s values.
If teamwork is important at your organization, it’s not sufficient to simply state ‘Must be a team player’. It’s more effective to paint of picture of the day-to-day working atmosphere. For example: ‘Decision-making about patient care is made with input from all staff members.
The Requirements You Need For Healthcare Jobs
Once you know the job requirements needed for a role, it’s time to hire. Lakeshore Talent has a bank of talented healthcare workers, and we focus on matching your requirements with the right candidate. We’ll help you prepare a job posting that attracts the best. Contact us today to discuss your organization and its recruitment needs.