Every employer in the job market is trying to gain a competitive edge. That’s because there is a severe shortage of workers and talent in the employment marketplace and just about every employer has a need to hire more employees.
The situation is just as severe in the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession. In fact, it’s even more severe in the Veterinary profession, where the unemployment rate is nearly non-existent. I have been an executive recruiter and search consultant for 25 years, and I can say with certainty that it has never been more difficult to identify, recruit, and hire veterinarians than it is right now.
So, what can employers do?
Become an Animal Health and Veterinary hiring expert
Hiring veterinarians in the current job market requires more time, energy, and effort. There are no shortcuts to success. The days of posting an open position on the Internet and waiting for a flood of job seekers to apply for it are long gone. Employers must put more effort into the process, not less. In fact, considering the current circumstances that exist in the employment marketplace, Animal Health organizations and Veterinary practices must become Animal Health and Veterinary hiring experts.
Becoming a hiring expert is about more than just making an offer with a big enough starting salary or the right benefits. It is even about more than making sure the offer contains a flexible work schedule and an enticing work-life balance. Do not get me wrong: you still must have ALL of those things contained in your offer, especially when dealing with top candidates. But that is not all you must offer. There are other things, as well, and they revolve around the experience that you provide to candidates during the hiring process.
Below are seven steps for providing a great experience to enhance your Animal Health and Veterinary hiring efforts:
#1—Streamline the process (go faster).
As the employer, time is definitely not on your side. That is because the candidate could be interviewing with multiple organizations and/or entertaining multiple offers. In addition, there is always the risk that they will accept a counteroffer from their current employers. If they are a top candidate and especially if they are a veterinarian, they’re going to receive a counteroffer. You can almost count on it.
The longer your hiring process drags on, the more likely the candidate will accept another offer or accept a counteroffer.
#2—Know the role inside and out.
Go beyond the job description and familiarize yourself with the day-to-day activities of the person who will fill this role. Know what is expected of them, what tools and resources they will be using, and even the lingo and jargon associated with their duties and responsibilities. Not only will this allow you to assess the candidate more effectively, but it will instill confidence in the candidate that you actually know what you are doing. That is not a given in today’s job market.
#3—Get to really know the candidate.
The more you know about the candidate, the more you know about their true motivation for exploring other employment opportunities, specifically your opportunity. And once you know their motivation, you can “sell” to that motivation throughout the interviewing and hiring process. Are they looking for more professional growth and development? Then you can highlight what your organization can offer in the way of that development. Show what you can offer that will match up with what they want and be as specific as you can.
#4—Be earnest, sincere, and authentic.
Being considered trustworthy is rare, both in life in general and within the professional realm. It takes a long time to build trust and it can take little time to destroy it. While you certainly want to “sell” your employment opportunity to the candidate, be sure not to overstate your case and make claims that you can not back up if the person accepts your offer and becomes an employee.
This is something I have addressed before: the “validation of experience.” If you brand your organization a certain way, then your organization must be able to live out that brand. In other words, if you “talk the talk,” then you must “walk the walk.”
#5—Keep the candidate updated and share positive feedback.
Communication is at a premium during the interviewing and hiring process. Candidates, especially those from the younger generations, want to know what is happening and where they stand at all times. If there is a lack of communication, the candidate is going to think that they are no longer a serious candidate for the position. Therefore, they are more likely to drop out of the process in search of other opportunities and options.
At the same time, while you are providing updates, also share positive feedback from other members of the interviewing team with the candidate. Not only will this keep them engaged, but it will also make them feel wanted, and both of these emotions are ultimately needed for offer acceptance.
#6—Utilize the experience and expertise of a recruiter.
Becoming an Animal Health and Veterinary hiring expert is not easy. As mentioned above, it requires a lot of time, energy, and effort. However, that is what is required of employers in today’s job market. Unfortunately, many organizations and practices are extraordinarily busy and have been for the past 18 to 24 months. There is great demand for Veterinary services in the economy at the moment, and that demand has pushed many employers to the limits in terms of their personnel and resources.
The VET Recruiter has 25 years of experience helping organizations with their Animal Health and Veterinary hiring efforts. We know what it takes to identify, engage, recruit, and hire the best candidates in the employment marketplace. And we can help your organization, as well.
The current job market is as challenging as it’s ever been. Take the steps necessary to become a hiring expert . . . or partner with one to acquire the candidates you need to impact your business in a major way.
You can click here to find out more about our services for employers. Click here to learn more about our recruiting process.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping Animal Health and Veterinary professionals to find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping to recruit top talent for the critical needs of Animal Health and Veterinary organizations. If this is something that you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.