Recruiting caregivers has never been easy — and in today’s competitive market, it can feel downright overwhelming. You work hard to grow your agency, referrals start coming in… and suddenly you don’t have enough caregivers to take on new clients.
Sound familiar?
In this Go Care Pro Mastermind session, Dawn Fiala of Approved Senior Network shared proven strategies for attracting, interviewing, hiring, and retaining exceptional caregivers — especially during seasonal hiring slumps.
Let’s break it down.
Why Caregiver Hiring Slows Down in the Spring
If you’ve been in home care for a while, you may have noticed a recurring trend:
- February, March, and part of April often bring a dip in caregiver applications.
- Existing caregivers may pull back from work.
Why?
Two main reasons:
- Tax refunds provide temporary financial breathing room (often $2,000–$3,000).
- Spring break and family priorities shift focus away from work.
The result? Fewer applicants and reduced availability — right when your business may be growing.
The solution? Hire ahead of the slump. Build your caregiver bench now so you’re prepared when demand increases.
Strategy #1: The Job Fair That Creates Urgency
Job fairs aren’t just about attendance. They’re about momentum.
Even if only a few caregivers physically show up, promoting a job fair creates urgency. When applicants see:
“On-site interviews during our 2-day job fair!”
They don’t want to wait. They ask:
- “Can I interview now?”
- “Do I have to wait until the event?”
That urgency compresses your hiring timeline.
How to Structure It:
- Schedule for two consecutive days
- Promote via:
- Text
- Social media
- Job boards
- Offer on-the-spot interviews
- Highlight flexible schedules and benefits
Key Insight:
It’s not about turnout. It’s about driving immediate action.
Strategy #2: Streamline the Recruiting Process
Caregivers will choose the agency that makes it easiest to get hired.
If your competitors require fewer steps, and you require multiple office visits and long applications before interviews, you’ll lose the best candidates.
Here’s a high-conversion process that works:
Step 1: Post the Ad
Use Facebook, Indeed, and other job boards.
Step 2: Short Pre-Screen Form
Just 4–5 key questions, including:
- Availability
- Location
- A deal-breaker question (e.g., felony history)
Keep it short. No full application yet.
Step 3: Immediate Interview Scheduling
Ideally via text.
Caregivers job hunt at all hours — even midnight. If they can schedule themselves immediately, they stop looking elsewhere.
Step 4: Phone Interview (45 minutes)
Ask:
- Availability
- Experience
- Situational and behavioral questions
- Logistics
Do NOT require full paperwork yet.
Step 5: One In-Person Visit for Orientation
While they’re in orientation:
- Complete application
- Drug test
- Collect documents
- Run background check
- Conduct skills training
- Assign shifts
Critical Rule:
They should not leave your office without work assigned.
Even if it’s just a few hours to start — give them something. If they leave empty-handed, they often feel defeated and may ghost you.
Recruiting Is Sales
Every person in your agency is in sales — including when recruiting.
You must sell caregivers on choosing your agency.
The 5-Step Selling Framework:
- Warm Welcome
- “We’re thrilled you’re considering working with us.”
- Lead with community and value.
- Discover Their Needs
- What hours do they need?
- What schedule works for them?
- Provide a Solution
- Match availability with immediate shifts when possible.
- Close the Sale
- Schedule orientation immediately (tomorrow or next day).
- Never a week out.
- Follow Up
- Weekly communication during first 90 days.
Interview Questions That Reveal the Right Caregivers
Use three types of questions:
1. Open-Ended Questions
Reveal personality and motivation.
- Why do you want to be a caregiver?
- Tell me about a time you turned a negative situation positive.
2. Behavioral Questions
Predict future behavior.
- How did you handle a client who refused care?
- How do you manage stress?
3. Situational Questions
Test problem-solving and ethics.
- What would you do if a client forgot who you were?
- What if you noticed another caregiver taking items?
Always End With:
“How do you like to be recognized for going above and beyond?”
The most common answer?
“Communicate with me.”
Caregivers want to feel heard.
Writing Caregiver Ads That Convert
Stop leading with requirements. Lead with benefits.
Caregivers don’t buy features. They buy outcomes.
Instead of:
“Weekly pay.”
Say:
“Get paid more often with steady income you can count on.”
Other examples:
- Flexible schedules → Choose shifts that fit your life.
- Bonuses → Earn extra money for great performance.
- Free training → Build skills at no cost to you.
- Immediate work → Start right away — no long waiting period.
The Headline Formula That Gets Clicks
Your headline matters more than your job description.
Use this format:
Caregiver – Make a Difference in a Senior’s Life – $15–$17/hr
Important details:
- No “Caregivers” (plural moves you down alphabetically).
- Use: Caregiver [space] – [space]
- Always include a pay range.
- Change your headline weekly to refresh your ad ranking.
The Hiring Funnel Math
If you need:
- 5 hires → You need:
- 10 in orientation
- 20 interviews
- 40 applicants
Each stage cuts roughly in half.
Plan accordingly.
Retention: The 90-Day Rule
If you get caregivers past 90 days, they’re much more likely to stay long term.
During First 90 Days:
- Weekly communication (not about shifts)
- Ask:
- How are you doing?
- How was your first shift?
- Are you happy?
- What can we do better?
After 90 Days:
- Monthly check-ins
- Birthday and anniversary recognition
- Caregiver newsletters
- Shout-outs for great work
- Caregiver appreciation events
Community is everything.
Remember:
Caregivers work alone in clients’ homes. They crave connection.
Final Takeaways
✔ Hire ahead of seasonal slumps
✔ Create urgency with job fairs
✔ Remove unnecessary hiring barriers
✔ Move fast — tomorrow, not next week
✔ Lead with benefits in ads
✔ Sell your agency with heart
✔ Over-communicate during first 90 days
✔ Build community intentionally
Without caregivers, there is no agency.
When you treat them as the backbone of your business — because they are — recruiting becomes easier, retention improves, and growth becomes sustainable.
If you implement even a few of these strategies, you’ll start seeing a shift.
And that’s how you become the agency caregivers choose.
