There continues to be huge demand for social workers. Most local authorities have a current advertisement out for experienced social care professionals.
The market is saturated like never before. So, how do you stand out from the crowd?
In our experience, the better organisations demonstrate a deep understanding of the real wants and needs of social care candidates.
They have done their research and tested their offer to ensure it's strong; they recognise the market is competitive with passive, rather than active, candidates. They use targeted attraction and direct outreach approaches.
We advocate for regular benchmarking of employment value proposition. Post-COVID it is essential. How does your offer stack up in the new normal?
Social workers want to know:
- Details of the specific team they will be working within.
- A clear commitment to diversity and inclusion; strong values and vision.
- Culture of the team, the caseloads, the supervision and support offered.
- Pay and reward information.
- Training and development plans and succession opportunities.
- Levels of agile, flexible working and IT kit.
Social workers want to be personally engaged and have an easy-apply process, not reams of forms. They want to send their CV and be done. Speed of process is essential.
A council that moves fast on a great candidate's application will often secure them. A tailored, personal approach gives you an edge.
Thinking and acting differently works – from virtual engagement to try before you apply – our clients are seeing the benefits.
Sonia Tanda is resourcing strategy specialist at Penna
Sonia.tanda@penna.com
