As the job market has gotten better, the pool of candidates has shrunk. It has become more difficult to find great candidates. In fact, a 2015 Talent Shortage Survey showed in that year, nearly 40 percent of the 41,700 hiring managers surveyed said they were having trouble filling jobs. Fortunately, with a few tips, you can still recruit the best people. And not only for the short term, but the long-term as well.

  • Know what you’re looking for. Science and research show that talented employees boost the performance of those around them. Plus “the top 20 percent [of the workforce] accounts for 80 percent of organizational output.” So, don’t just look for those who will boost their own careers, look at those who will promote the team. When referring to “potential,” you’re looking for overall success.
  • Focus on ability. This may seem obvious, but you need to know if the candidate can truly do the job. Interviewing gets you a good baseline. Yet the best way to judge ability is quite simple: Watch the person in action doing the tasks required on the job. Figure out tests and questions for cognitive ability as well. You need to know if the person can think and learn the skills to improve, as well as having the motivation to do so.
  • Focus on drive. Motivation must be evaluated by someone wanting to do more, learn more, be more. In other words, hire someone with a great work ethic who will do what it takes to get the job done. You can use standardized tests to measure ambition and drive to achieve. Behavioral tests can also tell you how hard a person works and their willingness to take on more responsibilities and make sacrifices to get the job done.
  • Social skills. If you want a candidate with high potential to improve the company, you need someone who can work well with others and communicate effectively. Someone with good social skills can handle both themselves and others. The first means they can deal with personal pressure, take criticism well and act professionally. The second means they are good at forming relationships, using and expanding their networks to create connections. They can influence and persuade because they know how to read people.

Recruit for these skills and you’ll find yourself with high-potential candidates. For the best medical staffing advice, visit Medical Professionals.


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