Physicians, in whatever practice or administrative capacity, will need to hire office staff and other medical professionals at some time or another. Hiring is one of the most important and crucial business tasks to be undertaken. In every case, your organization, department, or practice is only as good as your people.
How do you know who the good candidates are? How do you determine which people will perform to your expectations? If you are like me, you will want people who will still be good in the future. There are no guarantees, but the five questions below will give you better insight about your applicants as you go through the interview process.
- Give an example of when you had to make a quick decision and the result of your decision. You will need staff who can take the initiative when necessary and make a decision when it needs to be made. This question forces applicants to demonstrate that they have had to address situations where a decision had to be made and made quickly.
- Tell of a time when you exceeded expectations. This question allows the candidate to brag about their accomplishments. More importantly, it allows you to see if the applicant exceeded expectations because little was expected or because he/she understood the problem and the circumstances. You will know if you found the latter based on how the candidate describes the problem and their approach to the situation.
- Convince me that you can adapt to a variety of people, situations and environments. The purpose of this question is two-fold. First, employees that can adapt to various situations are the ones who are capable of doing tasks outside their job descriptions. Second, you are asking them to convince you of something. This will give you insight into how persuasive the applicant can be, which can be crucial when dealing with patients and their family members as well as other employees.
- What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work? It is essential to hire people that are not shy to learn or help others. Good employees are willing to jump in and work through tough situations. You do best with employees that you can trust, depend on, and believe in, especially when you are not around. If your department or office is staffed with individuals that are self-motivated and take action when necessary, you can be sure you are moving in the right direction.
- Why should I hire you? In any business environment, employees will have to prove themselves over and over again. This question is a perfect entrée to allow the applicant to show you what they bring to the job and the organization. It is the opportunity for them to tell you about their talents and skills that will enable you to see if they are a good fit for the position.
Listen closely to the answers of these questions and you will, more often than not, hire the best candidate.
