The application process for health jobs is a famously arduous one. It ought to be. For employers, it is imperative that the very best and most resilient staff are hired while for recruits, it is important to learn everything possible about the job before beginning – all to ensure that there are no nasty surprises down the line. Sometimes though, those nasty surprises are surprises because they are well concealed at the earlier stages of the process. Yet the application process is a long one; there is trawling the healthcare jobs boards, sending an application, attending an interview, attending a site visit, and so on. So there should, in theory, be ample opportunity for every potential recruit to vet their prospective employer just as they are vetting them. 

The nightmare scenario is that you move into a new healthcare job, which could involve a change of residence and the complete uprooting of your life, only to discover that working with your new employer is a genuine nightmare. Accordingly, if you are currently at the job-seeking stage and have come across a potential employer, it is wise to know the red flags that indicate a position is best passed over. 

A Competitive Talent Market  

Currently in the U.S., there is a competitive talent market, which can be both a good and bad thing for those looking for a healthcare job. On the one hand, there are all manner employers out there competing for your talent, which allows you to be discerning and find the best possible position. However, it also means that certain employers running a sub-standard institution might try to conceal this fact from you at the earlier stages of the application process. Health Jobs, a jobs board advertising physician and nurse practitioner jobs, advise that the job notice will rarely reveal everything that is wrong with an employer. Therefore, it is on you to actually learn how to be properly discerning.

Red Flags 

In order to find the best possible employer then, a sound strategy is to learn how to weed out the bad ones. And for that, a knowledge of the red flags is essential. Here follows a few of them, courtesy of Health Jobs: 

A High Turnover of Staff 

When it comes to healthcare jobs, resilient staff are key. And the only way an employer can secure resilient staff is to offer opportunities for career growth at their institution. This will encourage employees to stay for a long time and help create a solid healthcare team at the same time. If you notice that an institution has a high turnover of staff, this is a very bad sign as it shows that these staff simply didn’t see much of a future for themselves at that institution. 

Bad Reviews 

It is possible to find independent reviews of any given healthcare institution. These reviews can be from patients, or they can be from current or former employees. These are not difficult to find; if they are, this is another red flag. Research these reviews and study them well. Peer-supplied information from fellow professionals is invaluable. 

Disorganization 

You might not be able to fully appraise just how organized an institution is before you join it, but you can look out for signs of disorganization in their conduct during the application process. If you receive letters with mistakes or encounter interviewers who turn up late or who reschedule at the last minute, you have a definite red flag on your hands. 

Ultimately, a reputable healthcare institution will hold its employees to a high standard, but don’t forget that you should hold employers to similarly exacting standards.