By: Shari Dalton
I recently read an article published by Staffing Industry Analysts and it really caught my eye. They completed a survey with over 5,700 temporary workers in the US and cited 5 ways that a recruiter can do better. One of the top 5 responses was, “Do a better job of preparing recruits for interview/assignments.” I couldn’t agree more! Preparing our candidates for not only the interview, but the assignment once they’ve accepted, should be a top priority!
Let’s talk about the interview first.
Recruiting is not an easy job, but I can’t imagine going through the entire process of sifting through candidates, making calls, building relationships, and finding the right jobs, only to completely drop the ball during the interview. Now I understand that gathering all of the information for a position has become more difficult than ever. We live in a heavy MSP world and we are left pitching positions with nothing more than location, pay, and shift. BUT, that doesn’t mean that we can’t prepare our candidates for that.
If you know that your candidate is only willing to work every other weekend, make sure you coach them to ask about weekend requirements during the interview and to discuss their concerns with the manager. If you know that your candidate is interested in picking up overtime, encourage them to ask about opportunities for extra hours during the interview.
In fact, each recruiter should have a list of interview questions that they send to each of their candidates before an interview and you should coach your candidate on how and when to ask these questions. To take it one step further, consider asking your candidate to complete the questionnaire during the interview and snap a picture of it and send it to you afterwards.
Time kills deals and if we can alleviate the need to go back and forth about time off, shifts, etc., then we will have a greater chance of locking in a signed agreement sooner and with greater ease.
Now what about the assignment?
If you know historically that a hospital, specific department, or even a manager can be difficult to work with, prep your candidate. Always give them the good, the bad, and the ugly about an assignment!
If you know that you receive 1st day instructions on a Friday before a Monday start, let your candidate know so they aren’t worried about it. Be proactive and share any info you know about the area or places to check out housing.
Consider creating a “Things To Know About Your Upcoming Assignment” sheet that you can send to travelers anytime they sign a contract with you. Include information about timesheets and payroll, benefits, travel tips, things to pack, etc.
The most important thing you can do when a traveler is on assignment with you is to make it a point to connect with them at least once per week. Ask them how the assignment is going or perhaps things they’re looking to do on their day off. It’s crucial to know how things are going while on assignment so that you can be proactive if/when something comes up.
Thanks for reading! We would love to hear what you’re doing to help better prepare your candidates for the interviews and assignments.
