4 Secrets to Recruiting Top Talent in Today’s Competitive Market
There are officially more open jobs than there are people to fill them. And of those that are on the market, many are inexperienced and/or underqualified. Add to this the fact that the veterinary industry is currently experiencing a serious staffing shortage, and hiring managers have quite the challenge on their hands. With everyone vying for the attention of available veterinary talent, how can you rise to the top of the list and land those rock stars for your own team? Let’s take a look.
Generate brand awareness.
If you want to attract top talent in the veterinary industry, you have to position your clinic as a leader and, more importantly, a great place to work. Start by asking yourself what makes your practice unique. What do your employees get by working for you that they wouldn’t get elsewhere?
Beyond a competitive compensation package, focus on differentiating yourself from others in your space. Once you’ve identified your unique value proposition, get the message out through every means necessary – including your website, social media channels and job descriptions. You can also tap into your existing employees to see if they have any good candidates in their own networks.
Develop and cultivate a strong culture.
These days, employees value culture just as much – if not more than – salary and benefits. Why? Because people want to enjoy the time they spend at work. Nobody wants to waste away in a toxic atmosphere where everyone is constantly complaining and they are surrounded by non-stop negativity.
Pay attention to the work environment you have created. Is it positive and energetic? Is it conducive to learning and personal/professional development? Does your team genuinely enjoy coming to work every day? If not, you need to spend some time working on developing and nurturing a better company culture. This will help you attract (and retain) today’s top talent.
Optimize the candidate experience.
The days of the three-month-long interview process are all but over. If your hiring process isn’t properly optimized to create the best possible candidate experience, you will inevitably lose the best players to your competition.
We’re not saying you can’t take your time and properly screen your candidates. We’re just saying you need to make the process of doing so as efficient as possible while also doing your best to keep your applicants engaged through each and every step. This will shorten the process and keep the momentum going in your direction, improving your chances of landing the prospects you want to join your team.
Find a trusted partner.
Perhaps the best way to recruit top talent in today’s competitive marketplace is to find a partner who can do all the legwork for you. Working with an experienced veterinary recruiting firm takes the hassle out of sourcing qualified candidates. They handle the screening, based on your criteria, and supply you with a shortlist of applicants from which to choose. Best of all, seasoned veterinary recruiters understand the challenges of hiring in our competitive, specialized field and already have established networks of relationships so they are able to execute quickly and efficiently.
Despite the talent shortage and fierce competition, top veterinary talent is out there and they are ripe for the picking. All it takes is the right approach and a little bit of secret sauce to capture their attention and position your practice as the ideal employer.
If you could use some assistance building your dream team, don’t hesitate to contact us. It’s what we do!
