getting onboard
Jul 07, 2023 1:16 pm
Today, I thought I'd share my thought process as I develop a clear and replicable recruiting and onboarding process for the rescue squad, a responsibility I have taken on as the vice president.
Now, before I dive in, let me clarify that while I've often shared advanced processes and automation techniques in the past, my aim has always been to inspire rather than have you simply mimic my actions. What I really want to convey is how I think about building processes. So, don’t necessarily think of this as a rescue squad example; think of it as a mindset you can use to build any organizational process.
Let's get started!
The current recruiting and onboarding process hasn't yielded high-quality recruits despite receiving many applications. Therefore, I've decided to revamp the process, and I'll walk you through my thought process as I do so.
Firstly, we have been alternating between two and three recruiting cycles throughout the years. I intend to streamline it to two cycles, excluding the summer session, due to difficulties in scheduling and the tendency to attract primarily high school students. This change might pose the risk of losing potential candidates who don't want to wait, but I'm willing to take that risk.
To begin, the application process itself is already quite thorough, with extensive questions and uploads. However, to further screen candidates, I am considering adding a one-minute video submission where applicants talk about themselves and their interest in joining.
This additional step has proven effective in weeding out individuals who may struggle with communication or lack confidence, which are crucial qualities for our team.
Moreover, there are different categories of applications, including cadets (under-18 high school students), EMS and rescue members, as well as associate and full members. Clarifying the requirements and implications of each category in the application is essential to ensuring candidates understand their roles and commitments.
Additionally, interviews play a vital role in our selection process. Candidates for rescue membership ought to go through extensive rescue experience-based interviews. Coordinating these interviews, along with scheduling the mandatory lift test, will require collaboration and advanced planning. I'll need to gather availability from squad members and set specific interview blocks to minimize scheduling conflicts.
Furthermore, establishing dates for application deadlines, notification of acceptance, interview schedules, and recruit class sessions is crucial. I want to provide these dates upfront, ensuring transparency and allowing applicants to plan accordingly.
Once candidates pass the application and interview stages, they will undergo background checks and physical examinations. They will also be required to complete online courses on topics like HIPAA, incident management, and workplace harassment.
These requirements should be clearly communicated to candidates.
Next, recruits will attend the three modules of the recruit class. Module one focuses on organizational logistics and can be delivered through a video and an online test. Modules two and three cover ambulance and stretcher operations and vital sign measurements, respectively. Each module requires testing to ensure comprehension and proficiency.
Upon successful completion of the recruit class, probationary membership begins. Cadets become "ones," while members over 18 become "twos." During this probationary period, members can schedule their EMT classes independently. Additionally, they will complete the remaining modules, demonstrating their skills and knowledge through testing. Once they pass all requirements, they attain "threes" status and become junior members eligible for riding.
In summary, my plan is to streamline the recruiting and onboarding process to two cycles, enhance the application process with a one-minute video submission, clarify the different categories and requirements, establish transparent dates for all stages, coordinate interviews and lift tests efficiently, communicate background checks and online course requirements clearly, and structure the recruit class with testing for each module.
I hope you've gained some insight into my thinking process. And that it helps you think through your own systems and processes. And if you ever need this kind of help, I'm a Vox away.
Make it an effective day.
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