Note from the Associate Editorial Director: Resources for hiring your next staff member

by Linnea Archibald

According to the 2021 CDI Salary Survey, the industry is in the midst of a bit of a hiring boom. Nearly half of survey respondents said that they were planning to hire new staff members in the next 12-months, meaning that opportunities to break into CDI abound and hiring managers are faced with the challenging task of sorting through the pool of applicants and choosing the best person for their open position.

Though the task can seem daunting, ACDIS members have access to resources to help you identify the traits you’re looking for and make their next hire a success.

First, you’ll need to develop a job description for the position. Head to the “Job Descriptions” section of the Resource Library and peruse the samples. You’ll find samples for staff positions, educators, team leads, managers, directors, and more in this section. Once you pick a sample, download it and customize it to suit your department and organization needs. You can also refer to the Salary Survey to determine an appropriate pay scale for the position.

Next, you’ll need to post your newly minted job description in a place where it’ll get seen by the right people. Sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. are great for casting a wide net, but you can also take a more targeted approach by posting to the ACDIS Career Center. Members get two free postings per year as part of their benefits. If you need help navigating the Career Center or getting your discount, feel free to reach out!

Once you have some applicants you like you’ll need to plan for your interviews and evaluations. In the January/February 2022 edition of the CDI Journal, you’ll find an article about what hiring managers are looking for that can help you narrow the focus of your interview questions. The Resource Library also holds some sample interview tools, such as a decision matrix for managers and for peer-to-peer interviews. Hopefully, you’ll only need to interview a small pool of applicants before finding the perfect fit for your open position.

The work doesn’t end with an accepted offer, however.  You’ll need to develop a plan to ensure your new staff member gets off to a smooth start. The entire March/April edition of the CDI Journal focuses on ways to make education fun that could be helpful when developing new hire education, but again, the Resource Library is your friend! Check out the orientation calendar for new CDI training (free for members and non-members), this onboarding panel discussion from one of our 2020 virtual events, and, for our outpatient friends, these outpatient CDI orientation and onboarding timeline plans. 

As your new staff member gets up to speed, we also have a number of samples to help you evaluate their progress and success. The Library includes a sample CDI specialist scorecard, audit tool, qualitative assessment, and an employee growth plan.

We hope these resources help you as you seek to hire and train your newest CDI staff members! Looking for something else? We’re always happy to help and point you in the right direction. Just reach out!

Editor’s note: Archibald is the associate editorial director of publications and membership. Contact her at larchibald@acdis.org.