How to Shift Your Staffing Strategy Before You Have an Urgent Need

Apr 27, 2022

Many healthcare facilities have a reactive approach to hiring providers. They don’t begin screening physicians until another one has left their practice. However, there’s a proactive approach to hiring that allows you to be prepared when facing unexpected gaps in your staff: building a pipeline of candidates.

What is a Candidate Pipeline?

By definition, a talent pipeline is a collection of screened candidates who are engaged with your facility and can be contacted when you have openings. This approach helps you build a relationship with the healthcare workforce, ultimately shortening the time it takes to find and hire new providers. 

The Benefits of a Candidate Pipeline

You may have heard about candidate pipelines but simply haven’t made it a priority to build one. However, the benefits make it clear that with the current provider shortage, every facility should add building a pipeline to their recruitment strategy.

1. Higher Quality Candidates

When you’re in a time crunch to fill an opening, you may sacrifice some of your job requirements to quickly hire a provider. However, when you build a pipeline, you relieve this pressure and can focus on screening top talent. 

2. You’ll Engage with Passive Candidates

The New England Journal of Medicine reports only 14% of physicians are actively looking for new opportunities. When you build a pipeline, you’re able to engage with the 86% of passive candidates. While these physicians may not actively be looking for a new job, you can take the time to present them with all of the benefits of working at your facility. 

3. Improved Candidate Experience

When building a pipeline, you have the time to build a relationship with candidates and have real conversations. Instead of urgently scheduling interviews to meet a tight deadline, you’ll learn the candidates’ priorities and what they want from an employer. Not only does this improve the candidate experience with your facility, it helps you find a provider who culturally fits your organization.

How To Build a Pipeline

From day one, The Inline Group’s focus has been building a pipeline of candidates for the facilities that work with us. As a result, we’ve built a seamless process that allows you to build a flow of qualified, engaged candidates.

Create a Candidate Persona

What does the ideal candidate look like at your facility? Look beyond job requirements and CVs. Why should a candidate want to work at your facility? What are their life goals? Does their lifestyle match up with the city your facility is located in? Speak with current, high-performing employees about why they work for you and what makes them stay—even ask them what they would change about your facility. These conversations will help you identify the next wave of employees you hire.

Fill the Candidate Pipeline

Once you’ve identified the ideal candidate’s characteristics, you can begin adding those candidates to your pipeline. Even once you’ve filled an open role, stay engaged with the “runner-ups.” Make them aware of your interest and let them know you’ll be reaching out about future opportunities. Occasionally checking in via email, even if you don’t have an opportunity, keeps your facility top-of-mind. These emails can be automated, but the important part is keeping these candidates engaged.

Getting Started

With the current state of the physician shortage, every facility can benefit from building a candidate pipeline. To learn more about how your facility can stay engaged with top talent, one of our recruiting experts can walk you through our process. Learn more about our unique pipeline building process here.

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