WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
• Job fairs. Niche events, such as college job fairs, senior living expos, and on-site job fairs at a community are good ways to meet interested applicants. Brightview hosts onsite job fairs attended by invited applicants found through social media and online job boards. “We have infor- mation sessions, raffles, tours, and other activities planned for the applicants and it results in better and more targeted hires,” White said. Conversely, large conven- tion-center job fairs that include every em- ployer in town are often less effective for senior living communities. They provide little opportunity for quality conversation and often produce no prospects. “We’ve stepped away from them,” White said. “People are just going around, sort of collecting tchotchkes and we’re not able to really engage people in what we do. We usually end up with no candidates.” • School involvement. Engaging
in the
classroom with students in high school, college, and trade schools is a valuable way to catch their attention. “What we need to do as an industry is get in front of them, so they really get a good un- derstanding of what opportunities are available,” Loon said. “Because so many times, especially in the health care indus- try, they may only think of a hospital or a nursing home.” Legend CEO and found- er Tim Buchanan has been a frequent guest speaker at Wichita State University (WSU) and Loon is an adjunct professor there in the College of Health Professions. In addition, Legend provides two fellow- ships for WSU graduate students enrolled in the College of Health Professions. The students conduct research projects at Leg- end’s three Wichita-area communities.
• Internships. These are an excellent way to provide college students in the health care, management, and marketing fields with experience in the senior living industry. It’s important to offer them a flexible schedule and to provide them with meaningful work.
• Hosting community events. “All com- munities should take advantage of their location to host events of interest to the
62 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MARCH/APRIL 2018
larger community, such as holiday, art, and car shows, that provide opportunities for awareness and recruitment,” said Andy Carle, president of Carle Consulting, LLC and founding director of the program in senior housing administration at George Mason University. He once offered the use of his community’s lobby and baby grand piano for a children’s music recital. The event was a hit with the residents, children, and families, and left a good impression of the community on everyone involved. “This is what we should be doing to make sure that everybody knows what’s out there, not just driving by our building but coming inside,” Carle said. “Years lat- er if those kids are thinking about careers in aging, they may say, ‘Hey, I remember that beautiful assisted living community, I’d like to work there.’”
Reaching the next generation Ensuring a pool of talented and dedicated workers in the future depends in part on planting the seeds of interest now. This means engaging with youth of all ages, even as young as elementary school, to cre- ate goodwill and promote the rewards of working in the senior living industry. “Recruiting and awareness of the indus-
try can and should begin as early as grade school,” Carle said. Other industries are taking a strong approach to this tactic. The Women in Trucking Association created a trucking badge for the Girl Scouts, which requires the girls to learn about the trucking industry and familiarize themselves with the inside of a semi cab. Communities can also establish recip-
rocal volunteering relationships with area schools. Middle and high school students are often required to do community service hours as part of their curriculum. Senior
living communities can build relationships with guidance counselors, teachers, and administrators to make sure their commu- nities are on the list of places to volunteer. In return, staff members may volunteer at the school as another way to present kids with a positive view of senior living. Hosting community tours for local stu-
dents also offers a firsthand view of what it means to work in senior living—providing the potential for not only a new perspective, but also a possible portal into the relation- ships and rewards that come with the work. Carle does this with the students in his se- nior living program, but it can be effective for students of all ages. “One of the things we do the very first week of class in our first senior housing course is take the whole class on a tour of a beautiful Sunrise Senior Living community near campus,” Carle said. “A lot of them have never been in an assisted living community and when they see it, they can’t believe how beautiful it is.” The bottom line of using community
engagement tactics in recruiting is to start with a well-managed community and then to reach out early and often to the most likely demographics. Maintain recruiting efforts on a consistent basis and use a variety of methods to stay front and center in the minds of poten- tial employees. Above all, remain proactive. “I tell my hiring managers, ‘This is not
‘post and pray’ anymore,’” White said. “There are so many candidates that are passive, but are open to job opportunities. They’re not necessarily searching the job boards or out beating the streets. So, you have to think like a salesperson.” Getting out there and engaging with
candidates face to face is one of the best ways to reach high quality candidates who will provide years of quality service to the communities that attracted them.
Senior Living Works, an initiative led by Argentum, provides tools and resources to help you initiate an effective local engagement strategy for recruiting new employees. Visit
seniorliving.works today and take the first step toward becoming a Senior Living Works Ambassador!
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