Healthcare Recruiting, Human Connection, and the World of AI

In a world where AI significantly benefits me in my work as a healthcare recruiter, I've recently been reminded of the importance that human connection has in an AI world.

I received an unexplained bill from my internet company, which I will keep nameless, and let's just say the bill was not small. As we witness layoff after layoff, being a talent acquisition professional can be a worrisome career. As you can imagine, I wasn't too happy about this bill.

When I called the customer support number, I was greeted by an AI-generated responder asking me to share a short description of my issue. My anger boiled as I repeated the same phrase for the sixth and seventh time. I said to myself, "If only I could talk to someone real…"

As a healthcare recruiter, I’ve had similar experiences. I work hard to create, maintain, and restore candidate experience as we enter year three since the birth of COVID-19. A large part of my current project is researching what my candidates have already experienced. I’ve unfortunately noticed many applicants in the healthcare industry were either sent AI-generated emails to reject their candidacy or never contacted at all, despite the shortage of healthcare workers. 

BONUS: [On Demand Video] Improving the Employee and Candidate Experience for Distributed Workers

AI Can Miss The Mark In Personal Communication

While AI saves recruiters lots of time and can give candidates faster updates, the personalization that gets lost is extremely detrimental to the organization’s brand and candidate experience, furthering the problem of staff shortages.

According to an article from UrbanBound, 70% of candidates accept an offer based on candidate experience, and in the healthcare industry, that percentage is 10-12% higher. In the healthcare industry specifically, the 25.6% turnover rate in 2022 (an uptick of 6.4% from 2021), paired with poor candidate experience, leads to the endless cycle of understaffed healthcare facilities and jaded candidates. These findings clearly show each interaction counts, both automated and manual.

I fully acknowledge the way the recruiting industry has been forced to adapt for the last three years, especially in healthcare. More than ever, folks are overworked, and organizations are understaffed. It makes perfect sense that personalization would slip through the cracks as AI allows us to get recruiting done more efficiently.  

The Role of Personal Connection While Using AI

An obvious benefit of AI is the significant reduction of human error. The consequence is that without the element of human error, human connection can easily be lost. There are many scenarios in which this can play out, but one of the most detrimental can be when rejecting a candidate. 

BONUS: [Guide] The Ultimate Guide To Candidate Outreach

I'm sure we've all seen interesting resumes come across our desks during our time as recruiters. I have many times wondered why someone applied for a position that doesn’t resemble their current one or one they don't have the qualifications for. 

I would argue, absolutely, yes. I would say that, more than ever, human connection in recruiting is exceedingly necessary.

Activating Human Connection As A Recruiter

So, how can we make that happen, even in the smallest way?

A great place to start is a personalized email. While it's not always possible to share interview feedback with candidates, any information you can include will show the candidate you care and that you’re attentive to their candidacy. Not only does this improve candidate experience, but benefits your company's reputation as you display the intentionality of your hiring process, especially in the fast-paced healthcare environment.

A simple acknowledgment of schooling or skill can be a game changer with candidate experience, even in a rejection correspondence. One of my favorite ways to improve candidate experience is to clearly define potential future steps or opportunities if I’m not able to move them forward for my specific role. 

Rather than a blanket, "We will reach out if other opportunities arise in the future," offer to connect on LinkedIn, share potential jobs coming down the pipeline or even share skills and experience that could make them a more competitive candidate. Fully acknowledging the high-pressure, deadline-heavy environment we sign up for in the healthcare recruiting industry, I believe that just as we use AI to help us work faster, the addition of human connection can have a long-term effect of making our jobs easier, more meaningful, and more effective. 

To give a personal example, I’ll conclude with an email I recently received from a candidate thanking me for her application experience.

"It's this "personal touch" that will make all the difference. Just as an example, I had completely given up on even considering [organization.] Your communication to me changed my "feeling" about possibly working there. Honestly, thank you." – Healthcare Candidate.

This email sparked the impactful reminder of Human Connection and AI and how they work together in the world of recruiting. In an automated world, remember one of the most simple and cost-effective tools of all, human connection.

See how we can work with your team to build lasting, impactful relationships with healthcare candidates. Get started with IQTalent today!