According to a February 2021 report by Indeed, 28% of job applicants had ghosted a prospective employer over the past year. And due to the pandemic, the healthcare industry is experiencing a unique scenario – healthcare professionals are in extremely high demand and there is a shortage of these workers in a variety of settings, from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities. It is truly a candidate’s job market. 
 
The healthcare industry is projected to grow by 15% from 2019 to 2029 and will add 2.4 million new jobs to its existing workforce that consists of more than 15 million jobs already, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. 
 
In short, candidates have lots of opportunities to choose from right now. Creating a stellar candidate experience can set you apart from other potential employers and help you to avoid candidate ghosting. 

JOB DESCRIPTION - Write a detailed job description that is candidate-centric and will attract candidates who have a genuine interest in the position. Be transparent with the responsibilities and skills required for the role and include company perks, the mission and values, and notes about the culture. Creating a job description that is robust and includes information on all aspects of the organization will help weed out any candidates who may not be serious about the job opportunity. 

COMMUNICATION - Foster a transparent relationship; let a candidate know where they stand every step of the way. Many of us have been in a candidate’s shoes, where we suddenly don’t hear anything back from a potential employer for days or weeks on end. This can be frustrating and disappointing for candidates, and they could use this as the opportunity to look elsewhere for employment. Whether a candidate is moving to the final interview, or perhaps they weren’t the best fit, a quick phone call, text, or email to give them an update is common courtesy (and a best practice).

• The money. Bring up salary sooner, not later. Nothing is worse than when you have a strong candidate that makes it all the way to a final round interview, and they decline an offer because they were not informed of the salary. For both the candidate and the recruiter/hiring manager, it makes sense to provide a salary range early in the process – this saves both parties time and effort in the long run.
• The excitement. Take the extra 5-10 minutes to boost a candidate’s confidence. Let them know how excited you are for them to potentially join your team and let them know why they’re the most qualified for the job. This can be done in a quick email. A few sentences of encouragement can go a long way.
• The offer. When making an offer, don’t expect an immediate (verbal) response. Allow time for the candidate to think critically about this next step in their career. They may want to discuss it with a spouse or partner. If making a job offer over the phone, follow it up immediately with an email that includes the official offer letter and any supplemental documentation (breakdown of benefits, legal documents that need a signature, etc.).
• The next steps. Once the candidate accepts the offer, an employer may feel a sense of relief because the bulk of the hard work seems like it’s done. But don’t forget about onboarding!

ONBOARDING - Onboarding starts the moment an offer is accepted. It’s important to make a new hire feel like they belong, even before their first day on the job. Create a robust onboarding plan. Send an email prior to the start date with a warm, welcoming tone. Provide an outline of expectations for the first day, week and month, and be sure to gift your new hire some company swag on day one! 
 
Onboarding shouldn’t stop once a candidate is officially hired and has completed day one. When you think of a typical new hire orientation, what comes to mind? Do you picture someone alone at a desk, watching videos for hours on end with little to no interaction with colleagues? In the same way that it’s important for a newbie to make a good impression on the company, the company must also make a good first impression on the new hire(s). Successful onboarding allows the new hire feel welcomed and gets them excited about working for the company.  
 
Make your onboarding process fun by mixing it up. Everyone has a unique learning style. Consider a mixed onboarding approach by providing options: face-to-face, digital training, printed materials, interactive group learning, shadowing, etc. 

THE BOTTOM LINE - A plan that includes intentional, tailored communication from start to finish is the best way to avoid candidate ghosting. If any of the above steps are skipped, it could be an expensive lesson for the employer to learn. 
 
It costs employers an average of $4,425 and takes 35 days to hire a new employee, per a recent Society for Human Resource Management report.  
 
If your organization is looking to hire qualified healthcare professionals, LeaderStat can help! Contact us today to find out how our highly experienced recruiters can guide you and your team toward your next great hire.