Sometimes this job can get the best of us. Mmm, maybe more like at least once a week this job can get the best of us, right? Somehow, we get to this point where we feel like we’re going 100 miles per hour and the roof is caving in, and there’s nothing we can do about it. If this is you, or when this is you in a few days, I urge you to STOP, collaborate, and listen. Kidding! But seriously, stop and take a deep breath.
I have worked with recruiters for almost 20 years now. And I’ve found that 9 times out of 10, it is the tiniest tweaks of the dial that make the biggest impact. But you have to take inventory to figure out what that tiny tweak is. So pause, take a deep breath and follow these steps:
- Reflect. Look back over the last 30, 60 or even 90 days if you need to and create a list of your wins and losses. Most closely look at who you had completed full profiles, submitted to positions, or signed deals with, but they didn’t work. Maybe they accepted a position with someone else, took a job with you then backed out, or went rogue somewhere in the process.
- Find the pattern. Where are the wheels falling off? What part of the process is consistently not-working for you? Did a majority of your signed deals fall through when they got to the compliance phase? Is every single nurse you’re talking to only looking for a crisis rate that you don’t have? Maybe you’ve been able to get a ton of paperwork in on nurses, but never able to reach them again after that. Really try to pinpoint where the wheels are falling off. Make a list if you have to or a sweet fishbone diagram if you’re a real go-getter. I should mention that as you’re doing this, don’t overthink it. Don’t get all angry and worked up about the nurses that let you down. Try to do this as objectively as possible-leave the emotion out of it.
- Evaluate. Once you find the pattern, it’s time to ask yourself “what can I do differently or better.” We can’t control other people, but we can control our choices. This is where the tiny tweaks come into play. Oftentimes, all it takes is an extra question during your intake, or an extra step when setting expectations. For example, if you find that many of your losses come during the compliance stage, then consider adding a statement/question like, “once our nurses accept an assignment, they must complete our credentialing process, will this be an issue for you?”
- Reevaluate. Once you’ve tweaked the dial, start keeping track. Spot-check your progress and hold yourself accountable. If you don’t start seeing success within the first 30 days, take a step back and re-evaluate your process and tweaks. Did you address the right issue? Maybe not? Are there additional areas of opportunity that need to be addressed?
This job is tough. Be sure to check yourself when you start to feel like the world is falling apart around you. Take a deep breath and start evaluating what you can do to tweak the dial and get back on track.
