all articlesJune 20, 2009
4 Steps to Hiring Quality Dental Employees
They’re the people you work with every day, the pay cheques you meet every month, and the cornerstones of your practice’s success at every moment. That’s right: I’m talking about your employees.
In my last article I talked about the same topic, and that’s because this is an area which so many dentists get wrong. Hiring isn’t just about filling up positions – it’s about creating a smoothly-run, effective team built on the diverse range of talents, personalities and perspectives your dental practice needs.
Getting the right, quality employees isn’t easy, but it is seriously important to your business. It can be made easier, too, by following a few simple steps.
1. Get Good At Knowing What’s Bad
When most people apply for jobs, they don’t look at their weaknesses – and why should they? If you there was a chance you could get a position you wanted without needing every qualification listed in the job description, wouldn’t you take it?
It doesn’t cost people anything to take a shot. Unfortunately for you as the employer, it can cost you a lot of time and money if you’re not prepared for it.
The best way to handle unqualified applicants is to go through their applications. If someone’s experienced and able, this will shine through in lots of concrete examples. If they’re taking a chance, everything will be a lot vaguer.
Experienced with…
BAD: “I’m experienced in selling treatment plans.”
GOOD: “I’ve consistently sold more than $60,000 of Dentistry each month.”Excellent with…
BAD: “I’ve got excellent communication skills.”
GOOD: “I’ve improved patient retention by 15% over a period of six months.”Team Player
BAD: “I work well with others.”
GOOD: “I’ve collaborated with staff members to organise morning huddles and monthly meetings.”Successful in…
BAD: “I’ve successfully done X.”
GOOD: “I’ve negotiated and reduced overall laboratory expense by 15%.”Responsible for…
BAD: “I’ve been responsible for internal marketing.”
GOOD: “I’ve improved patient retention through implementation of effective and ongoing internal marketing campaigns.”
2. Rethink How You Do Your Homework
If you phone your applicants’ former employers, I can pretty much guarantee you two things: a standard commentary and no valuable information. From their point of view, bad-mouthing is risky legal territory that it’s best not to go anywhere near. In short, it’s really just best not to bother.
Great, 21st century alternatives to calling are these three sources: Google, MySpace and Twitter. Go to these sites, type in the applicants’ names and use their profiles to get to know each of them a little. You never know – you might turn up something far more interesting than you’d ever thought possible…
Worried about the ‘invasion of privacy’ implications? Don’t be. These sources are all in the public domain, so whatever you uncover is yours to take. Happy sleuthing!
3. Make The Interview Count
When it comes to interviewing, the main things you need to be on the lookout for are integrity, reliability, a strong work ethic and diversity. The best way to find the applicants with these is by asking behavioural questions, which Brian Libby of BNET defines as those which “require candidates to give examples from their past experience and describe how they used specific skills that are relevant to the job”.
Getting people to think on their feet really isolates your serious contenders, so a series of behavioural questions common to all applicants is the best way to make your interviews count.
It’s also really important to keep the interviews objective: it’s great if an applicant shares one of your passions, hobbies or experiences, but that doesn’t make them a useful asset to your dental practice. As Charles Handler of Rocket-Hire.com puts it, “the key is reducing subjectivity and making the process more job-related”.
4. Keep The People You Choose
When you’ve finally put together the perfect team, how do you keep it? A high turn-over rate costs time and money, and your practice’s success depends on keeping as many quality employees as possible. This is a complex issue, so I’ve dealt with it in another article. Check out ‘Dentists With A High Staff Turn-Over’ for more details.