How to hire better: the top 5 mistakes Care Homes make when looking for staff

Hiring the right caregiver isn’t just about filling a shift — it’s about protecting your residents, maintaining quality care, and supporting your existing team. Yet many providers find themselves stuck in a cycle of high turnover, missed shifts, and under-qualified hires. Why?

Because even the most well-meaning care homes often repeat the same avoidable hiring mistakes.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll go beyond surface-level advice and walk you through the root causes behind common hiring problems in the care industry. You’ll learn how to design a sustainable, human-centered hiring process that improves retention, reduces risk, and strengthens your overall care environment. We’ll also show you where technology fits in — but never at the cost of good judgment.

1. Relying Only on Last-Minute Hiring

Caregiving is unpredictable. A caregiver might call in sick, a resident’s care plan might suddenly shift, or new admissions might require immediate attention. It’s tempting to rely solely on last-minute job posts or agencies — but over time, that creates stress, burnnoout, and bad hires.

A care team under pressure is more likely to:

• Accept candidates without proper screening
• Hire based on availability, not compatibility
• Leave current staff unsupported, increasing their risk of burnout

What You Can Do Instead:

• Build a talent pipeline. Maintain a rotating list of pre-qualified caregivers who have expressed interest.
• Use "evergreen" job listings to attract passive candidates — those not urgently searching but open to work.
• Encourage current caregivers to refer others and reward them for doing so.

Proactive hiring leads to proactive care.

2. Not Screening for the Right Certifications and Soft Skills

Credentials matter — but they’re not enough. Some caregivers may hold licenses but struggle with communication, punctuality, or emotional sensitivity.

A strong caregiver needs both:

• Hard skills: CNA/HCA/NAR licenses, transfer techniques, medication handling
• Soft skills: Patience, empathy, clarity, resilience, listening

Best Practice: Design your interview process to test both. Ask scenario-based questions, check references, and observe their tone and professionalism in written and verbal interactions.

Also: Make sure your team knows which certifications are required for your facility type and state laws. Avoid compliance risks by confirming training history and background check results.

3. Using Outdated or One-Channel Hiring Approaches

The days of bulletin boards and word-of-mouth recruiting are over. Caregivers — especially younger and more tech-savvy ones — are searching for jobs on their phones, during breaks, or between shifts.

Yet many providers still rely on:

• Facebook groups (unreliable)
• Craigslist or general job boards (oversaturated)
• Phone calls with no follow-up system

Modern Strategy: Use platforms tailored to healthcare — and specifically to caregiving — that streamline:

• Filtering by availability and credentials
• Direct messaging or contact sharing
• Notifications for job posts and follow-ups

Smart systems don’t replace human hiring — they just remove the friction.

4. Overlooking the Human Element in Fit and Follow-Through

Hiring isn’t just about filling a slot. It’s about relationships. Caregivers are often the emotional glue in your facility — and mismatches affect morale, retention, and resident trust.

Here’s what many providers skip:

• Personality alignment (are they calm, upbeat, soft-spoken, assertive?)
• Cultural fit with residents and team
• Onboarding check-ins during the first week or month

Simple Fixes:

• Let trusted team members participate in the interview
• Don’t ghost candidates after an interview — follow up even with rejections
• Offer trial shifts or shadowing when possible

The caregiver you hire today may be the one your residents depend on tomorrow. Choose with care.

5. Limiting Your Pool by Being Too Inflexible

You may have the perfect job description written out — but if it demands one narrow shift time, only full-time availability, or fixed schedules, you’re likely shrinking your candidate pool.

Top-tier caregivers are looking for:

• Flexibility in shift types (evenings, weekends, part-time, live-in)
• Transparent expectations around workload
• Respect for their boundaries and preferences

What to Do:

• Offer a mix of roles if possible
• Let candidates express preferred shifts on applications
• Promote jobs with realistic expectations — not just ideal scenarios

Flexibility doesn’t mean compromise — it means retention.

Designing a Better Hiring Process

Hiring in the caregiving industry doesn’t have to feel like firefighting. With a clearer system, better candidate engagement, and stronger alignment on values, you can build a team that isn’t just qualified — it’s stable, motivated, and proud of their work.

Key Elements of a Healthy Hiring Strategy:

• Ongoing recruitment and talent nurturing
• Balanced focus on both qualifications and character
• Respectful candidate communication
• Creative scheduling to accommodate the right people

Streamlining the Process Without Losing Control

Modern hiring in healthcare can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re juggling regulations, expectations, and limited time. That’s why some providers turn to simple, tech-enabled tools that ease the administrative burden while keeping the decision-making power in your hands.

Instead of sorting through scattered resumes or chasing referrals, imagine having access to a pool of licensed caregivers filtered by shift type, availability, and credentials — and the ability to contact them directly. No gatekeeping. No long waits. Just a more efficient way to do what you’re already good at: recognising the right fit when you see it.

Smart platforms don’t replace relationships. They just make it easier to start them.

Final Thought: You Deserve a Team You Can Trust

Hiring better doesn’t start with a job post — it starts with knowing what makes someone a great fit for your community. Take the time to think beyond credentials. Build a hiring process that feels as thoughtful as the care you provide.

And when you’re ready to reach caregivers who are qualified, available, and nearby — you know where to start.

👉 Start Hiring Smarter on KinsCare