There are hundreds of medical staffing agencies on the market today and they all want your business. While hiring one of these firms is a no-brainer, given the intense competition for healthcare talent and the looming shortage of qualified workers, finding the right firm is a challenge. Picking wrong can stall your recruitment efforts at a time when every newly qualified worker is more important than ever before.
We’ve compiled some suggestions for selecting the best partner to help you staff up for the future state of healthcare. What are the questions you should ask these firms and how will you pick the one that delivers what they promise?
First, Reputation Matters
Healthcare providers now understand the competitive nature of our profession and how consumers look closely at online reviews of our services – just like any other business. Word-of-mouth reputation is particularly important when you’re hiring a recruiting firm to represent your healthcare organization. They are, literally, the first line of contact for doctors, nurses, staff, and other clinical teams considering working for your organization. That is exactly why healthcare providers considering a medical staffing firm should look closely at the quality of the partnerships the firm has established in the marketplace. Take time to do some online research of your own to determine what’s been happening with the recruiting firm. Get a list of client references from the firm along with clinical references. Ask hard questions to determine which medical staffing company will make the best partner. Good questions include:
- What is their average time to fill specific positions?
- What are their bench strength and how many recruiters will work on your projects?
- What other parts of the recruiting process can they handle? Will they provide benefits? Can they offer per diem or traveling teams?
- What is their strategy for building a pipeline of potential talent for your organizations?
- What types of healthcare roles do they have experience filling?
- How does the agency train their recruiters?
- How can their technology benefit your candidate search process?
- What is their process? How will they screen your candidates?
- What will you receive for the cost?
But as you’re considering the firm’s reputation, consider if their brand fits within your own. Since the staffing agency is an extension of your healthcare facility, ask yourself if the representatives of the firm you’re engaging with will do a nice job selling your organization to potential healthcare workers.
What are the Benefits of This Partnership?
One of the biggest benefits of outsourcing to a medical staffing agency is that they spend all day working on the passive candidates you simply do not have time to cultivate. Given the historical record unemployment levels, nurturing relationships proactively by working with medical students or networking with clinicians that are currently employed, are important value-adds that a medical staffing agency can provide.
When it comes time to select a medical staffing agency, consider MAS Medical. We have the proven track record of success you’re looking for. Call us now.
