When you’re hiring for nurses, what kinds of things you do consider? First, you need to know they have the right skills and abilities based on their education and experience. But what else? Have you considered the personality fit? And is personality fit more or less important than their primary skills? Hiring can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to drive you crazy. Here are a few ways you can weigh fit and skills to make the best hiring decision.
The Effect of Soft Skills
Soft skills are the non-tangible skills that people bring to the table. Sometimes these are inherent traits like a positive personality, but sometimes they’re learned like organizational skills. Soft skills are an important trait in being successful in nursing. Be sure to look at communication, behavior, and willingness to learn.
The Necessity of Secondary Skills
You have a wish list for the skills you need in a nurse. They must have a certain level of experience, of course, but when you wrote the job description you probably included some skills that would be nice to have. Be sure that you’re not ruling qualified candidates out just because they don’t have the secondary skills.
What About Your Current Staff?
What traits do your current nurses have in common? These things can help you determine how to hire the best possible candidate for a new open position. Try to find common traits that will help you decide whether someone will be a good fit for your department or facility.
What Can You Teach?
Of course, some skills are teachable so it’s okay to hire for potential. If someone is a good fit for your organization, there are plenty of things you can teach them if they possess the necessary qualifications to match your job requirements. This isn’t just about your ability to teach but about your candidate’s potential to learn.
What Are Your Must-Haves?
Lastly, know what are the must-have items on your checklist. What skills do they absolutely need to bring to the table to succeed? But keep in mind, if they have these skills but are otherwise not a fit for your environment or team, they still may not be a great hire.
Do you have trouble finding enough qualified nurses?
NRI Healthcare Staffing Agency, a leading staffing agency in the DC area, can help you find more qualified nurses for your team. Contact us today.
