Healthcare IT hiring managers face a host of unique challenges when it comes to identifying candidates who have real staying power. Sourcing, hiring and retaining talent is both a science and an art. Technical skills are extremely important, but there are other important traits that managers should look for when evaluating a potential new hire. Requirements will always vary, but here are three character traits your organization should seek in healthcare IT candidates.
An Eye for Detail
Virtually every IT job posting requests detail-oriented applicants. But in healthcare IT, the importance of detail orientation cannot be overstressed. One simple error can disrupt operations for an entire EHR system, which can have long-reaching impacts from both a compliance standpoint and a life-or-death standpoint.
Assessing detail orientation can be a challenge in an interview. One way to weed people out early is to include an instruction in the job posting. Ask candidates to send a cover letter that addresses specific things about themselves that would help you make a hiring decision. Applicants that leave this portion out of their letter – or send no cover letter at all – will have missed or purposely ignored that detail. Hiring managers can also include a detail-oriented task in the interview process that is representative of the work required of the position.
Exceptional Problem-Solving Skills
Your organization needs IT employees who have the ability to see beyond the symptoms of a problem and drill down to the root cause. They must think creatively when solutions are not obvious, and they should have the ability to get buy-in from other team members when implementing a solution.
You can assess problem-solving ability in an interview by asking candidates to describe a situation in which they faced a complex problem and outline the steps they took to solve it. You may also ask about a time when they were personally unable to solve a problem, which will provide insight into their ability to think beyond themselves in order find solutions.
Patience and Effectiveness Under Pressure
Given the unique challenges and pressures in the healthcare IT field, your employees should have the ability to be patient while analyzing data and situations under pressure. Additionally, they should be able to come up with solutions efficiently, regardless of the external forces bearing down upon them.
You can identify efficient, yet methodical employees by asking candidates to share examples of times they were forced to think and act quickly in order to achieve a deadline in the face of extreme pressure and/or resources gaps. Hiring managers can also present a real-life scenario the IT team has faced in the past and ask them to describe the way in which they would approach a solution.
Hiring for healthcare IT isn’t easy in today’s market. If you are looking for strong talent for your staff, work with Buffalo’s leading healthcare IT recruiting team. The experts at Systems Personnel can match you with professionals who have the hard and soft skills you’re looking for. Contact us today to learn more about the ways in which we can help you achieve your recruiting goals.
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