Are you ready to take your practice to the next level and find the right employee?

Are you ready for unbelievable growth and a team that’s going to fully support your practice’s goals and dreams while doing whatever it takes to make that happen?  Now is the time to set fresh goals for the remainder of the year and to get you set up for an amazing 2021!  Let me walk you through the hiring process that I go through to find the right employee for optimal practice success.

It’s all about referrals, referrals, referrals.  Hands down, getting a referral from your current team is the best way to ensure that you will get the right employee  Well, the same applies to referrals from patients but that’s a whole different article!  

What kind of employee do you need?

First off, determine your needs, the hours, the pay, etc.  Are you looking for a full-time employee or someone to help for a few hours here and there?  What will you be paying your employees and what’s your current overhead?  What do you have to offer?  Write all of this down to get a good idea of what you can afford to pay and go from there to figure out what all of your needs are.

Then, think about what you’re looking for in a potential employee.  Are you looking for a go-getter– someone who’s willing to do what it takes to get the job done?  Or, are you looking for an employee that does the bare minimum?  I’d say the chances are, it’s not the latter.  Don’t be afraid to look at the shining personality, even if they may need a little more training. If you sense potential in someone, they can take your business from mediocre to five stars. Skills can always be learned, but personality and values are one of a kind!

Next, cut the lengthy job postings and get straight to the point. 

This is what you need, this is what you want, this is what they’ll get.  Everyone needs to be on the same page so there’s no confusion as to what you’re both looking for.  In addition, make sure that your ad is very clear with no errors. 

So, where are you going to post your ad?  These days, online posting is obviously where it’s at.  Scan Facebook and other social media avenues to see what others are posting and what websites they’re posting their ads on.  Do you have other chiro friends and associates that have recently hired new team members in their practices?  Don’t be afraid to ask them where they find their employees!

Who to choose for the interview process?

Now, who are we going to invite in for an interview?  I personally think that it’s very hard to tell if someone would be a the right employee just based on their resume.  Especially once you start reading a bunch of resumes, they all start blending together.  This is why I like to have the call to action in our ad be for them to call in and leave a voicemail message with their name and phone number before we even look at resumes.  I am also always actively listening to hear how they sound on the phone since a lot of times, that’s the first interaction people have with our office!  Do they sound cheerful and pleasant?  Do they sound like someone that you would want to assist you with?  If so, then we call them back and ask them to send us their resume. If everything checks out and they appear to be a good candidate, we invite them in for an in-person interview.

The interview process.

Make sure that you plan your interviews wisely.  Be prepared and know exactly what to ask.  If you’re not confident, your potential employee won’t be confident either.  Let them know that the candidate that you’re looking for will have these qualities and more:

• Aligns with your company culture

• Doesn’t engage in gossip, negativity, or office politics

• Is hardworking and not afraid to ask for help

• Has motivation and the ability to learn and apply their new skills

• Must be reliable

Impress your job prospects and make a great impression!  Be friendly, personable, and ask them questions so they know that you’re not just interested in a new team member, but who they are as a person.  Ask a warm-up question to get them comfortable, something like, “What animal would you be and why?” This will get them to relax and will make the interview process a lot more enjoyable.  Also, ask them what they liked and disliked about their last job to get a true feel for their personality.  Remember, this is someone that you’ll want to be with the practice for a very long time. Make sure that they will mesh well with you and other employees.  

Now, who is going to take your brand new employee through their onboarding process?  Your hiring process does not stop on the day that you add them to the team.  There needs to be a clear series of steps for them that go over their responsibilities, getting to know their team members, and exactly what is expected of them.

Just as retention is important with patients, it’s also important with team members.  Sure, employees come and go but no one wants that.  You want reliable, happy team members who love to show up to work and get the job done.  However bear in mind that your employees will most likely be spending more time with you than with their own families, so treat these employees well and help them thrive.  This is so incredibly major because lastly…

Treat your new employee well and they’ll be the superstar that you deserve. Building up your employee creates the right employee for you.  Now, are you ready to get that amazing employee and make a lasting and pleasant difference in the practice?  Yes, you are!

Original article featured in the August 2020 edition of the American Chiropractor – The Chiropractic Assistant magazine.

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