MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
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RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES 48 MARCH 2015 | Med Esthetics Evaluating Candidates Once applicants have been selected for an interview, Dr. Crutchfi eld stresses the necessity of checking their references. "One of the most important things we do is follow up on references. If a candidate looks good but has no references, we request them and follow up," he says. "Applicants should show an interest in caring for people, and they should have a track record of establishing a good history with previous employers." Closely related to references, background checks are a crucial step in protecting your practice and patients. Though they cost money, they also dramatically reduce potential risk. "Background checks are critical," says Dr. Dayan. "You have to make sure you're not getting someone with a prior history of stealing or a criminal past. You'd be surprised how often that may occur." Applicants' fi rst interviews should be with a practice manager or personnel director in order to narrow down the choices, and feel out candidates' interests and career goals. "In my offi ce, the COO and HR director interview everyone fi rst. They might interview four people and fi nd one that they want me to interview," says Dr. Goldman. "Usually by the time I interview someone, it's almost 50/50 whether we're going to hire them or not." Once the COO and HR director decide an applicant might be a good fi t, Dr. Goldman meets with the pro- spective hire and uses scenario-based questions to gauge their work ethic. "If it's a nurse, I say, 'If a patient comes into the room and complains about X, what would you do?' I give them a scenario depending on the job they're looking for," he says. "I want them to treat the patient better than they would a member of the family— I'm a 100% cash cosmetic practice, so patients can choose to go anywhere else. Patients come to us because we make them feel special; I want staff to be happy and I want them to enjoy making other people happy." A great strategy for assessing how someone will fi t into a practice workfl ow is to have them shadow staff for a number of hours, says Dr. Azizzadeh. "We have a one-day-on-the-job shadow day so that prospective applicants can look at our daily activities," he says. This way potential employees have a chance to experience the job and decide if the offi ce is right for them. Dr. Dayan uses skill testing to narrow down his fi nal candidates. "We've given candidates projects that they have to return to us, which is helpful for seeing if they're really motivated," he says. "Sometimes I'll have applicants meet with two or three other staff members and, if it goes well, we'll have them come back—we won't hire someone after only one meeting." It is highly recommended to get input from existing employees—after all, they are the ones who will be working the most with a new hire. "As the fi nal step after evaluating all the candidates for a position, the staff mem- bers who work in the same area as the new hire are con- sulted for their preference," says Dr. Crutchfi eld. "We are a close-knit family—we won't hire any new staff before gaining appropriate input from our current employees." Dr. Dayan also suggests keeping generational differ- ences in mind. "In the past I would hire someone with the hope that they'd work here forever—nowadays, I recognize that just isn't the case," he says. "There's a new generation of people we are hiring who don't come to a job anymore looking to be there for the next 25 years." As a result, he has altered the way he approaches pro- spective employees, treating the job as a way for them to achieve whatever long-term goals they may have. "I say to them, 'This is an educational process for you. You tell me where you want to be in your future, and we'll work to get you there,'" he says. "It makes them more engaged in the process, and it also keeps them from lying to me or fi bbing if they're not happy—I don't want them to just pick up one day and leave. It's been really helpful with the current generation." Laura Beliz is the associate editor of MedEsthetics. "Applicants should have a track record of establishing a good history with previous employers." © GETTY IMAGES Working interviews are helpful in determining how a candidate will fi t within your existing practice.