As the average life expectation keeps climbing in most developed countries, it has made way for the rise of the home healthcare industry. Considering that this is a growing trend, more and more recruiting agencies have to re-access their healthcare recruitment strategies to fit.

The expanding market demands quick reaction from recruiters, so the first step would be good organization, knowing exactly what to ask from the applicants in order to be sure that you are recruiting the right kind of person for the job. Working in healthcare is quite demanding, but home healthcare takes it a step further since the employees actually enter the clients houses and sometimes even live there. This article is meant to help the recruiters with the hiring process by pointing out the things they have to look for in an applicant.

1. Documentation

It is important to have clear and accurate documentation from both sides. The healthcare providers need to provide a detailed job description, listing all the expected duties especially for 24/7 home healthcare patients. On the other hand, given the delicacy of this type of employment the applicants need to provide, apart from their CV and references, a detailed background information paperwork including security checks and psychological assessment.

For this type of recruitment process, hiring someone just based on their personal traits and education is not enough. The psychological profile plays a great role, and criminal record is not an option, regardless of the circumstances. 

2. The basic steps for recruitment

It is important to have a preset strategy outlining your recruitment process. This will ensure that there are no mistakes, and that you provide the healthcare provider with the best possible candidates.

1. Check with external recruitment sources in order to ensure that you are getting the top candidates
2. Do a comparative check, including cost per hire and time to hire
3. Calculate in the job response times into the recruitment strategy

It is important to have a highly effective system in place, documenting the whole procedure and storing all the paperwork in one place. Due to the nature of this industry it is quite often open to lawsuits due to under-performance of the staff. By having all the hiring papers in order you are shielding yourself from possible liability.

Conclusions

Whenever a recruiter works in a quickly expanding industry the time pressure is significantly bigger, and so is the probability for making mistakes. Good recruitment plan and organization can help avoid any potential problems and missteps that might occur in the process. The particular sensitivity of home healthcare makes it especially important for the recruiter to be on the lookout for any possible problems.