It is time to hire new employees for your dental practice and you may be a little worried about choosing the right ones. There are several positions to be filled in a dental office, including dentists, dental assistants, hygienists, and clerical staff. How do you know which people are the right fit for your practice?
Some tips for hiring include being descriptive about the job listing, taking multiple opinions of the candidate into consideration, being aware of potential red flags and making sure to follow up on a candidate’s references. Another option for hiring candidates is to outsource the process to a professional third-party company. Let’s take a look at each tip.
Be Descriptive about the Job
Before listing a job position, think about what tasks will be required for the job. What traits are you looking for in a candidate? For example, be detailed about what hours a candidate can expect to work and the tasks he or she will be expected to perform. Not only should hard skills be listed in a job posting, but consider listing soft skill requirements, as well.
For instance, a soft skill requirement for a dental assistant would be excellent organizational skills. For a desk clerk, great communication skills would be a soft skill requirement and basic computer knowledge would be a hard skill requirement. Include the beginning salary and included benefits in the job posting. Being descriptive about a job early on can prevent unqualified candidates from applying for the position and wasting your valuable time – and the candidate’s time as well.
Consider Multiple Opinions
Being concerned about hiring the right person is to be expected. It is a big decision to make and shouldn’t be taken lightly. So do not take it all on your own shoulders. Consider the opinions of other coworkers before deciding to hire. For example, instead of one interview, consider two separate interviews, one of which is conducted by the candidate’s potential peers. Then you would be able to do a follow-up with the staff for their opinion of whether or not the candidate would fit in with your dental practice’s overall culture.
Watch out for Red Flags
Resumes are often required when interviewing for a job. Closely look at a candidate’s resume for embellishments. A survey by Checkster discovered that approximately 78% of people were not entirely truthful on their resumes. One red flag to look for is employment gaps or frequent jobs within a short time frame. If you notice a big gap in time from one job to the next, or you notice that a candidate does not stay at one job for long, question the person about these discrepancies.
Another red flag is if there are education embellishments. If they list a degree in dentistry, request proof of the degree. Make sure all certifications are current. The section on a resume that lists skills can often be where you can tell if a candidate will be worth interviewing or not. Are the skills they have listed relevant to the job? Do the skills listed seem a bit overstretched? The strengths and skills should be straightforward and applicable to the job position.
Sometimes a business will skip the process of a background check. This is not a good idea and can be costly in the long run. Perform a background check prior to hire and avoid giving a candidate the benefit of doubt. If a candidate declines the background check, consider this a red flag as well, and move on.
Follow Up on References
This is an important step that should not be overlooked. References that are requested should include past employers, preferably another dental practice. Ask the reference questions that are applicable to the position. For example, “How were his interactions with patients?” or “How would you describe her relationship with coworkers?”
While interviewing a candidate’s reference, question further any red flags that come up during the interview. Ask about work attendance and performance, as well. Asking for a friend or coworker as a third reference can also be useful. When interviewing this type of reference, get a feel of the candidate’s out-of-work interests. Does the candidate have interests in common with others in your practice? Also, a coworker might report alarming behaviors that other references did not.
SPS Candidate Search Assistance
If the interview process and hiring process are too much to add on top of your already full plate, consider outsourcing to a third-party company to do the job for you. Companies like Strategic Practice Solutions thoroughly screen candidates for the most qualified dentists, hygienists, and assistants to fit your needs. Whether you are looking to hire a temporary or permanent employee for your dental practice, Strategic Practice Solutions has the perfect hire for you. Contact them today and let them take the stress out of the hiring process.
