During the typical interviewing process, most companies focus on identifying red flags and weeding out candidates who are not ideal. While this is a necessary practice, employers should also give consideration to the red flags their team members could be waving, and how this may be deterring future hires. As the executive, managerial and professional labor market has become overwhelmingly candidate-driven in the last few years, more employers are realizing they must overhaul their interviewing procedures, to attract top performers who frequently have several job offers at their disposal.
The main goal of an interview is to provide both the hiring company and the candidate an opportunity to determine if there is a mutual fit. On the candidate’s end, more emphasis is often placed on the tangible insight they can gain from the meeting, including how interviewers respond to certain questions, inconsistencies with how various team members discuss the potential role, and the aspects of the job that are emphasized vs. those that are minimized. On the company’s end, the assumption is the candidate has most of the required skills to take on the open role. The focus from their perspective is more about cultural fit, intangible insight and the overall impression left by the candidate.
In light of the fact that employers must now attract and recruit in a candidate-driven market, they should be thinking about the lasting impression they are leaving with prospective hires. “Companies really need to transition away from interview methodologies that are solely focused around what the candidate is bringing to the table, and think more about how they are presenting themselves to applicants,” says Suzanne Rice, director, U.S. franchise development.
Rice suggests the following for companies that are looking to revamp their interviewing process:
Provide direct responses about the role and the company. Candidates will see through vague or evasive responses. If the position has experienced frequent turnover or ongoing challenges, be honest about the issues and discuss how the role has been restructured. This is an opportunity to show that thought has been given to the position and its overall purpose in the company strategy, rather than just trying to backfill the role.
Demonstrate an enjoyable working environment. Candidates are looking at everything from their potential workspace, dress code and how team members interact with each other to work from home policies, office amenities and perks. Avoid any negative discussion of past or current employees, and don’t be dismissive of subordinates who may be briefly introduced to candidates. Use every opportunity to show a fun workplace, engaged employees and why you like working for the organization.
Maintain consistency. No matter what team members are tasked with interviewing, everyone should be on the same page about the responsibilities that will be assumed in the role. If the candidate receives conflicting information about the position, they have no choice but to assume this confusion will continue if they take the job.
Promote opportunities for advancement. Most candidates look at how a new role will provide them with new growth opportunities. Employers want someone who will remain in the position for a significant length of time, but it’s important not to forget to discuss any training or upward mobility programs, providing viable examples of how employees can advance within the company. Future employees want to feel their new employer is invested in their professional development.
Regardless of how your organization approaches the interviewing process, the main goal should be to leave candidates with a positive impression. “Not every candidate will be right for the company, but their ability to talk about their interview experience in the marketplace and potentially disseminate info that presents the brand in a good light, is invaluable. The ‘interview’ should be approached not only as a way to qualify potential new hires, but also leveraged as a marketing opportunity to communicate why the organization is a great place to work.”
Our friends over at Dr. Bicuspid (http://www.drbicuspid.com) featured a great article from ETS Dental this week titled "Perfect match: Choose the right associate for your practice"
In the article, Vice President and Senior Dental Recruiter Morgan Pace breaks down a great systematic approach for analyzing associate candidates on a variety of levels, including clinical skills, production capability, goal alignment, clinical philosophy, and personality.
Click the link below to read the full article on their site!
How do you interview? Do you just let a conversation happen, or do you take the time to dig a little deeper? There are two regularly used interview methods: The Traditional Interview and the Behavioral Interview. I highly recommend incorporating both when you interview candidates for your associate dentist or staff positions, as each method offers valuable insight about a candidate’s professional and personal qualities.
Our friends at CEDR HR Solutions do a great job of defining both of these interview methods:
“In a traditional interview, the interviewer asks prospective hires a series of straightforward, open-ended questions like, 'How would you handle [insert hypothetical situation],' 'What 5 words best describe you,' 'What is your greatest weakness,' or 'Describe what customer service means to you.'
In contrast, for a behavioral interview, the employer identifies a vital skill set that they want the ideal person in that position to have and then develops a series of questions geared toward eliciting answers where the candidate demonstrated those skills in the past.
For example:
Tell me about a time where you had to use patience to calm down a patient.
Describe a goal you set for yourself and how you met it.
What do you consider your greatest work achievement?
How do you handle interruptions at work? Give examples .”
You can read the whole article at http://www.cedrsolutions.com/best-hiring-tool/.
Anyone can describe their skills in a traditional question and answer interview. However, the Behavioral Interview questions will allow you to gain insight into how the candidate applies those skills, which is much more important in your dental practice.
Here are some other questions that could apply directly to hiring in your dental practice:
To an associate dentist candidate:
Describe an instance when you worked with a patient to overcome their dental phobia to gain their trust.
How do you accept input from a dental assistant while in the operatory with a patient?
Tell me about a time when you did not agree with a treatment plan developed by another provider. How did you address this matter and still provide quality care to the patient?
To a staff member candidate:
Describe a time when you had to get a patient payment upfront but they did either did not or could not pay at that time?
How would you handle an employee who is repeatedly missing work or consistently late?
Take some time before your next interview and write questions that will help you to determine if the next candidate fits the needs and challenges in your practice.
Special thanks to Paul Edwards and his team at CEDR HR Solutions for allowing us to quote from BEHAVIORAL INTERVEW: An Employer’s Best Hiring Tool. CEDR is an HR firm specializing in custom employee handbooks and other HR resources for Dental practices across the United States.
Written by Carl Guthrie, Senior Account Executive and Recruiter for ETS Dental, cguthrie@etsdental.com.
| Daily Production | Annual income at 27% | Annual income at 30% | Annual income at 33% |
| $2,000 | $108,000 | $120,000 | $132,000 |
| $2,500 | $135,000 | $150,000 | $165,000 |
| $3,000 | $162,000 | $180,000 | $198,000 |
