In Morgan White’s 10 years working at Parkview Health, she’s never seen a job market like this one. With more than 13,000 co-workers, Parkview is the largest employer in Northeast Indiana, and right now, the health system has a record number of open positions to fill.
Input Fort Wayne asked White, a supervisor on the Talent Acquisition team, to offer some insight on what’s happening in the world of recruitment.
IFW: Describe the current job market. What’s it like from your perspective, as an employer right now?
MW: For employers, it’s become a very competitive market. There are so many jobs out there right now, from entry-level to professional career opportunities. Employers have to get creative on what they can offer candidates.
Remote work interest has also increased competition among employers, so we’re not only competing with local employers, but employers all over the country. Because of this, I think candidates have more opportunity right now to step into a new role.
IFW: What’s Parkview doing to be competitive?
MW: In order to stay competitive, we have adjusted the pay ranges for all our positions and increased our minimum hourly rate. We’ve also enhanced our sign-on bonuses for market-sensitive positions, especially nursing. Many of our candidates come from co-worker referrals, so we have enhanced our internal co-worker referral bonus program, as well.
Parkview also offers competitive education benefits. Co-workers who want to continue their education are eligible for tuition assistance and certification reimbursement, as well as student loan payback for certain positions. We also partner with
Ivy Tech on its Achieve your Degree program, where Parkview covers the tuition costs up front, removing a significant barrier for co-workers looking to further their education.
Outside of compensation, we are offering more remote work opportunities and flexible scheduling for positions that can’t be remote. Our internal travel nursing program, for example, allows nurses to take 13-week assignments and work in different areas of the health system. Nurses who live outside the local area may also qualify for hotel accommodations during their assignment.
In the last 18 months, we’ve also focused on providing more support resources for our co-workers, such as back-up childcare benefits with
Care.com, free subscriptions to the
Calm app and additional mental health and well-being resources.
IFW: We know every health system needs nurses. What are other roles people might not realize are also in high demand?
MW: We have a variety of clinical positions open throughout the health system, including lab scientists, phlebotomists, radiologic technologists, respiratory care practitioners, diagnostic medical sonographers, echocardiographers, occupational/physical therapists, athletic trainers, medical assistants, paramedics, EMTs, caseworker/therapists, and others. All of these positions are offering an enhanced sign-on bonus.
We also have several non-clinical positions, including coding specialists, pharmacy technicians, financial coordinators, cooks, registered dietitians, environmental services technicians, scheduling/patient access representatives, insurance collectors, multiple roles in information technology, and many more opportunities. Many of these positions are offering an enhanced sign-on bonus, as well.
IFW: What do you look for when considering potential candidates?
MW: Our goal is to get the right people in the right roles doing the right work. First, we look to ensure they meet the minimum qualifications of the position. We like to see longevity in candidates’ work history and that their experience matches the position they are applying for. Typically, we’ll do a phone interview to screen candidates, and we look for people who reveal attributes of compassion, customer focus, flexibility/adaptability, teamwork, and work ethic. Essentially, we want people who share Parkview’s values and want to provide excellent care for every person every day.
IFW: What advice would you give someone applying for jobs right now?
MW: Be mindful of the details. Include a resume with your application. Be available by phone, email, or text message, and respond promptly. Have your voicemail set up to receive messages. We cannot give you an opportunity to interview if we cannot get a hold of you!
Also, apply for all of the positions you’re interested in. With tracking systems, your application may only go to certain recruiters or hiring managers. By applying for multiple positions, you can make yourself more marketable in the recruitment process.
Parkview’s interview process includes an initial phone interview with Parkview Talent Acquisition, an initial interview with the department leader, and a peer interview with team members in the department.
If you’re looking for new opportunities, now is the time to see what Parkview can offer. Visit
parkview.com/careers to apply.