How do you go about hiring stellar staff?

Your team are critical to your business.

Yet it can be hard to hire the right people into the right roles.

Great staff are worth their weight in gold. They can smooth over problems before they arise, provide you with a sounding board for new ideas, and catapult your business into the stratosphere.

But staffing issues can be a nightmare. In extreme cases, you can wind up feeling as if you’re trying to cut a deal with Hannibal Lecter.

The key is to ensure you recruit the right people in the first place. And part of that is to ensure you recruit the right person for the right role.

Why?

Because staff play a critical role in patient retention.

That’s right, a great team can help you retain patients, and therefore profits.

They can also improve productivity and morale, and take a load of pressure off you. Good, reliable staff members will free up your time so you can focus on running your practice, rather trying to do it all.

 You are not a one man band, rather, you are the conductor of the orchestra.     ~Jesse Green

Being the conductor means you’re not trying to play every instrument. And this benefits your patients.

Their experience will be far better if a professional team cares for them.

And remember: patient experience is everything.

So how do you ensure you hire stellar staff?

Well, you can work things out as you go along, and keep reinventing the wheel each time you hire someone.

But let’s face it, that’s pretty hit and miss. That’s not a method that’s going to get you great results every time.

You might get great results some of the time, but not all of the time. And you want to hire great people every single time.

The solution is actually pretty simple.

It’s something that streamlines your recruitment so that it takes less time and produces better results.

It’s something you can use to recruit any new staff member, no matter what position you need to fill.

It’s something you create once and use multiple times.

The solution is to have a protocol for recruitment – a cheat sheet you use each time you hire someone.

You should tailor your cheat sheet to your particular business, but you can start by stealing the checklist below.

It’s an outline of all of the steps needed to recruit a new staff member. Take each step, and develop the items and processes for that step that suit your practice.

Checklist for Hiring Steller Staff

1.      Position Description

Include the range of tasks, accountabilities, and responsibilities for the well as the signature strengths of the ideal candidates.

Candidates should be able to read the position description and have a good idea of whether or not the job is a good fit for them.

2.      Organisation Chart

Regularly review your organisation chart, and make sure it’s in line with where you’re headed as a business.

When recruiting, it should be clear where this role fits into your organisation structure.

3.      Cashflow

This might seem obvious, but it’s amazing how often it’s overlooked. Before you recruit new staff, you must make sure the position is within budget.

4.      Job Advertisement

This is where you create and place the advertisement. These days it’s most likely to happen online, rather than in print.

Craft the advert so that it’s likely to attract the right people. If your last advertisement failed to attract great candidates, review the wording and tweak where necessary.

5.      Applicant Vetting

Sort and vet applications. This is where your position description comes into play – it helps you establish the key skills required for the role.

Consider which applications appear to be the best it for the position. Who has the necessary skills, qualifications or training?

6.      Interview Preparation

The best interviews are well prepared. Write out interview questions ahead of time, so you don’t overlook anything, and all applicants answer similar questions.

Depending on the role, skills tests are also useful. Even though applicants are under pressure, and may not give you their best work, the tests are likely to provide insights.

7.      Initial Interview

Interview short-listed applicants and conduct any relevant skills tests you’ve prepared.

Written tests allow you to evaluate a potential applicant’s writing ability (useful for Receptionists and Practice Managers.)

Practice tests such as mixing up alginate enable you to evaluate the everyday skills needed in the surgery, as well as work practices – like cleaning up!

8.      Due Diligence

It’s critical to conduct these final checks before making a formal job offer. Make the time to contact referees and check applicable registrations are current and in order.

Some people present well at interview. If they also have great referees, then you’re likely to be on to a winner. However, if the reference checks show potential problems, then it’s better to know more.

These days, it’s also worthwhile looking for online profiles. While LinkedIn is a professional platform where profiles are more likely to be polished, it’s worth checking Facebook to see what sort of images they’re posting and what insights you can glean.

9.      Job Offer

Contact your winning candidate by phone and offer them the position. If they accept, follow up with a formal letter of offer including your enterprise agreement (if you have one).

If your new hire is a contractor, provide a written contract.

10. Training Chart

Develop a training chart for each staff member, and review his or her progress weekly. This is critical for onboarding staff well, but also for staff retention

The Truth About Recruitment

The simple truth is that it is impossible to do it all yourself and it is folly to try.

You need a team. And you need a team of stellar staff.

Great staff free you up to do what you do best. Whether that’s clinical dentistry or being a Dentalpreneur working on the business – rather than in it.

A professional, successful, caring dental practice requires a team of people.

And when it comes to your team, you owe it to them to focus on what you do well.

You also owe it to your team to allow them to focus on what they do well.

You can make smart, strategic decisions when it comes to hiring, and find yourself surrounded by stellar staff.

Of you can make up the recruitment process as you go along.

The choice is yours.