When recruiting NNPs and other healthcare staff, it’s critical to make sure you’re sending the right messages to candidates. While miscommunications can usually be cleared up quickly, in the early exchanges with prospective employees, impressions matter. Even a seemingly small misunderstanding could have a major impact on your candidates’ perspective.
To help maintain clear communications that get your message across effectively, here are some tips to consider.
1. Start with the right communication method.
Communicating in a way that involves as many senses as possible will minimize opportunities for misinterpretations. Consider having important conversations with candidates face-to-face, whether that’s in person or over a video chat. This will ensure both parties can hear the other person’s tone, observe their body language, and pick up on cues that may otherwise go missed on the phone or via email.
With that in mind, not all exchanges warrant face-to-face communications, and you must also be respectful of your candidates’ time. It’s therefore a good idea to ask your candidate if they have a preferred communication method early in the screening process.
You can also decide on the best communication method based on the nature of the information being delivered. An email works for a request for more information, while time-sensitive information may warrant a phone call. Some situations may call for multiple communication methods; for instance, when presenting a job offer, you may want to send the formal document via email and arrange a call for a formal review.
2. Proofread for errors.
Recruiters send many emails each day, so typing up messages to candidates is likely second nature to you. It’s easy to fall into a habit of hitting “send” before rereading emails when you have a long list of tasks ahead of you. Yet, taking the time to review your message to look for any errors could actually wind up saving you the time it would otherwise take to address a mistake later on.
3. Never assume.
If you’ve been in your role or with the same hospital for a long time, you probably have a lot of institutional knowledge, or the experiences and terminology that come with being in a group for an extended period. This comes in handy for internal communications, but it can be a barrier when you’re reaching out to candidates who are unfamiliar with the lingo. To avoid misunderstandings, make sure you’re avoiding phrases or acronyms that are used exclusively in the organization. Avoid figurative language, and instead be as clear as possible.
4. Don’t multitask.
Whether you’re drafting an email or having a video chat, always give your candidate your undivided attention. It may seem easy to cross off other items on your to-do list, but being distracted means you could overlook an important detail. Be an active listener and communicator by pausing all other tasks until the exchange is complete.
5 Anticipate questions.
A final way to be proactive in your communications is to put yourself in the candidates’ shoes and consider what questions they might have. This could save you time from having to field follow-up questions down the road and help you cut down on back-and-forth exchanges.
At Ensearch, we know that recruiting NNPs can be challenging, even with these communication strategies. To streamline your recruiting efforts, allow our specialists to match your hospital with the best candidates for your open positions. Contact us for a no-cost Comparative Needs Analysis so we can create a customized search plan for you.
