Skills-focused recruiting can reduce workforce shortage

Skills-focused recruiting can make the best possible use of available labor capacity in care and welfare. Whereas the focus in recruitment and selection is currently on diplomas and the right CVs, the Utrechtzorg employers' organization is focusing on matching on the basis of skills. This is currently done in Utrecht, but will probably soon be done nationwide.

Over eighty regional health and welfare organizations are affiliated with Utrechtzorg. They are increasingly taking a centralized approach to recruiting new people. Together they ensure that they end up in the right place in the right organization.

This is done through the platform Jouwzorgbaan.nl. There, people who want to work in healthcare or want to move on can now do four different skills scans. On Zorg & hr, program manager Monique Barten and project leader Danique van Steenis tell all about it.

Labor Market Capacity

Barten: "We try to focus on the labor market capacity that is still available. We do that by working skills-oriented. At the moment the main focus is still on the right CV. Care organizations know that this is no longer a solution, but they continue to do it. We try to show how things can be done differently. Even someone who does not have the right diploma can do something for you. Or for another care organization."

Van Steenis: "Anyone who completes one or more skills scans on Jouwzorgbaan.nl will receive the results in PDF form. And so can see which professions and jobs might suit them in care and welfare."

Physical appointment

Those who want to proceed with the results can make a physical appointment at the Ik Zorg Shop in Utrecht. There are career coaches there who go through the results of the skills scan with the candidates and can then help them further. Together they look at which position in which organization someone could work and then contact is made.

Danique van Steenis: "Attached to the skills platform is a candidate tracking system. Anyone who reports to us, has a career interview and is referred to an organization, we add to that. That gives us insight into the path someone is taking. And should that run aground, we can sound the alarm.

Only in the region

"We are still a pilot now, and we only work in the Utrecht-Amersfoort-Hilversum region. A while ago there was an item on a national program about us. Then we got responses from all over the country. It is very unfortunate that we cannot help people further if they do not live or want to work in our region."

Collaboration easier

Twenty care organizations in Utrecht are currently participating in skills-based recruitment. Barten: "They are increasingly looking for opportunities together if they have a candidate they cannot place themselves. With skills-based recruiting you can see exactly what the similarities are between certain positions, even if they are called differently. That makes collaboration increasingly easier."

"Suppose you are a residential supervisor in the VVT sector. Then you could also easily be a supervisor in the disability care industry. That doesn't show up in traditional job postings. But if you look at it based on skills, it might fit nicely. This person could also pursue another career path, perhaps in mental health care. Because you make it more insightful what someone has in his or her package of skills, you know better what someone brings."

Monique Barten and Danique van Steenis are hosting a session on skills-focused recruiting in the Care & hr Theater on Tuesday, April 8, at 1:45 p.m. on Care & ict.