I recently went through the process of recruiting a receptionist for a client.
I have advertised for dental team members for many practices over the years. And, as many of you are aware, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find great candidates.
This recent experience, though, was different.
Within a few days, we had four strong candidates.
I called each of them and was impressed by how well-spoken they were, their years of experience and their level of competency.
It reminded me of ‘the good ol’ days’ when practices routinely received great resumes from lots of eager applicants. It wasn’t an enormous challenge to find the right person for an organisation.
Being aware of the battle that recruitment has become over recent years, I wondered “what was different this time?”
My conclusion is the Facebook page of my client’s practice.
My client, like many practices out there, has a friendly, supportive and caring team. They regularly post on their Facebook page the celebrations, fancy dress and fun they have.
Now, let’s admit it. When we have applicants send their resumes in for a position we have open, we do a little stalking. We look at their Facebook profile, maybe their LinkedIn profiles and go to the websites of practices they have worked for in the past. We do this because we are gathering data to assess whether they will be a good fit for our practice.
The applicants to your advertised positions are no different. They, too, do a little stalking. They look at your Google Reviews, your website, and your social pages. Applicants, like practices, research and gather data to determine whether your practice will be a good fit for them.
Each of the four candidates with whom I conducted telephone interviews each commented on how caring and fun the team appeared on the Facebook page:
“I thought to myself, I’d like to be part of that team.”
“Your team seem so happy.”
“Everyone appears so lovely.”
Many practices use their Facebook page to educate the public about dental health and promoting their practice. I suggest you add another element to your posts: Promote your practice as a great place to work.
There is a theory that organisations should always be recruiting, even when they are not currently hiring. Being conscious of the environment you create for your team and fostering a culture that people love working in can help you attract great people when you are hiring in the future.
If you are not already doing so, start posting the evidence of your great team. Birthdays, anniversaries, team-building events, staff member profiles, pictures and videos of everyone having fun together.
There are two ideal times to start using your Facebook page to appeal to potential candidates. The best time was a few years ago, so you have a history of posts for potential candidates to scroll through. The second-best time is right now.
