An essential part of having a thriving dental practice is to have the best team of employees working for you. We, as customers, have all had either great or disastrous experiences, and many times it comes down to the interactions with staff. So how can you, as a growing dental business, ensure that you are hiring the right team? Here are four tips for how hire the best dental staff to fit your practice.
Provide Details about the Job
When someone is searching for a job, whether it be through an online search engine or looking at a job flier, they look for qualifications, responsibilities and the job description. But just because someone meets the basic qualifications or training for the job, does not always mean that person will be a good fit for your existing team.
For example, a person may be a trained dental hygienist and have a few years of experience. But what other qualities are you looking for, especially in the person? Do you want them to have an excellent attendance record and show initiative in their work? Do not be afraid to list these qualities in the job listing. If you are looking for a candidate that has flexible work availability, list that in the job description. By listing exactly what you want in a candidate, you will eliminate the potential applicants that you do not want and avoid wasting your time, and the applicant’s time, if the job listing does not sound like the best fit for them.
Review Resumes Carefully
Keep in mind that resumes typically contain only information that makes the candidate look their best. Some may be lengthy and “braggy,” listing every accomplishment from high school to the present day. And while it may be impressive, pay attention to how much of the information pertains to the current job listing.
For example, how much job history is listed? How long did they work at the listed places of employment? Why did they leave? Are there large gaps between times of employment? The list of skills, accomplishments and qualifications that a candidate provides is great, but the proof of skill utilization is, many times, in the job history. You do not want to hire what is called a “job hopper.”
Another item to look for on the resume is a list of references. You want the candidate to list references that are past employers, managers, trainers or even school instructors. A reference should be able to vouch for the candidate’s character and work reliability. If the only people listed under this section are the candidate’s family members or close friends, you may want to ask for another professional reference, or move on. If references are provided, follow up with those references to ensure the person can really vouch for the applicant’s character. You may even want to ask those references for another list of references, in order to dig deeper into the well of knowledge available about this candidate.
Interview Well
If you have followed the above suggestions, and an applicant has made it to the interview phase in the hiring process, chances are this person has a good chance at a being the right fit for your company. But we are not finished just yet. Asking the right interview questions is very important. Any person can answer the standard, expected question such as, “why do you want this job?” Consider asking more open-ended, detailed questions. If the candidate is vague with answers, be cautious as this could be a red flag.
Instead of asking why they applied for the job, try asking “What are your short-term and long-term career goals?” or “How can this company help you reach your goals?” Another tactic is to ask situational questions to see how your candidate would respond in a work environment. Anyone can give you a list of strengths and weaknesses, but a scenario-based question can really give insight into how your potential candidate would respond in real life.
While it may not be the most important attribute, you do want to be sure that the potential hire would be a good cultural fit with your current team. Does their personality seem to be a fit with your existing team members? Once the initial interview is complete, consider a peer interview to see how your current team feels about the candidate.
Use a Staffing Agency
Do you have little experience with hiring and interviewing or just do not have the time to spend interviewing a pool of candidates? A better option for you may be to use an agency like Strategic Staffing Solutions to handle this stressful process. They will provide for you a list of highly qualified medical professionals that have been specifically chosen to fit your needs and current teams’ dynamics.
Instead of spending your valuable time sifting through pages of potential candidates and performing interviews, spend it on patient care and let Strategic Dental Staffing Solutions do the work for you. Contact us today for questions about current staffing needs for your dental practice.
