What is the second biggest factor in a decision to take a job or pass it up for something better?

Money is important. After pay, what is the second biggest factor in your decision to take a job or pass it up for something better?

In a poll we published on LinkedIn we gave respondents four options. They were: distance to work, benefits package, career advancement opportunities and something else.

It was interesting to see that career advancement opportunities were the most popular

I thought this was pertinent.?I wondered whether this means candidates are looking to the future and that a current role is just a steppingstone? I guess this is quite a conclusion to draw from just 250 votes, but it did cross my mind momentarily.

Understanding what makes people tick is a skill

However, as a recruiter in the Healthcare sector, I meet thousands of candidates and potential candidates. You can’t help getting a feel for what makes people tick. In addition, legacy practices where people could expect to spend the whole of their working life in one place have all but disappeared. If candidates are looking at their careers more holistically, it is likely that most health organisations are going to have to plan successionally. ?As we may be looking at even more change than we’ve experienced of late. This is just a hunch. ?But what I do know, is that retention and post hire strategies are going to figure more highly than they did a decade ago. Photo: Sigmund

Successional planning and talent pipeline management are key considerations

Organizations that don’t have these strategies in place, will always be more likely to be on the back foot if a member of staff should resign unexpectedly. Also, organizational needs can be transformed very fast. We only have to look at the epidemic impact to see that it’s worth expecting the unexpected. The ability to pivot fast is a game changer.

Career advancement can mean different things to different people

14 examples of career advancement possibilities

1.????regular continued professional development courses

2.????participation in professional organizations

3.????training program enrolment

4.????research that might help knowledge dissemination and improve job performance

5.????improved job performance,

6.????more complex or increased duties and responsibilities

7.????attendance at meetings, conferences etc. locally, regionally, nationally, and even internationally

8.????Conference presentations

9.????Charing, contributing or attending workshops and training

10.?Serving as an officer, board member, or committee member

11.?Coordinating organizational events

12.?Keeping up to date with systems, technology, and agile processes

13.?Further developing existing skills

14.?Having time to learn about new developments.

15.?Sabbaticals

Many people might see a sabbatical as their preferred manner of advancing their careers

For some, moving away from surgery to take on a more managerial, deskbound role would be an outrage. Therefore, becoming more skilled in their particular field would be beneficial to both the individual and the organization. What I am saying is career advancement isn’t always about promotion. However, knowing these kinds of opportunities are built into a job package can make it very attractive.

Training and Maintaining Key Staff has Many Benefits

Within a health organization, reputation is everything. Therefore, if members of staff contribute to research or are present on lecture circuits then they represent their organization and can become powerful ambassadors. Patients are reassured when they know their clinician is highly regarded by fellow professionals.

Retaining great staff can benefit a healthcare facility in a number of ways

Continuity, reliability, and institutional knowledge can contribute to the progress and well-being of a clinic or hospital for example. If people stay, it’s not always a sign that everything is fine and you should simply focus on current problems. Bringing people into the decision-making process or demonstrating that you sincerely value their work and loyalty can help an organization’s progress be more practical, knowledgeable, and based on specific need within the workplace not just based on theory or something that has worked elsewhere.

People that work in an area that might need ‘improvement’ may well be able to improve their professional and career development by working on this and learning by doing. These developments and/or improvements can be undertaken through skills-based training or even formal programs of study.

Certainly, we have seen how successful hospitals, clinics and other healthcare organizations have thrived when they assess, challenge and support. Our small poll demonstrated clearly that ignoring career advancement is not going to attract or retain staff.

What’s your experience? Has the career advancement aspect of a new role been your deciding factor?

If you need help i recruiting new medical staff do connect on LinkedIn.