Seven Steps for a Successful New Hire

For employers, filling a job vacancy is a daunting and time consuming task. Initially, the employer should be asking: why is there a need? Is there a new hire, office expansion, increased volume, new practitioner, replacement? No matter what your reason is, you should treat the hiring process as a key business practice.

Two best practices to employ while conducting a search are: (1) have a plan; and (2) have a timeline. Ultimately, these two things will help you to reach your goal. You start by creating a job description and laying out the basic framework.

Identifying the Vacancy or Need

A well-written job description serves a multitude of purposes, and the better it is written, the more useful it will be. There is a lot of power in defining roles. Think about athletes and how each member of the team functions both independently and interdependently at the same time. As well as athletes can function on their own, they still need their teammates to bring the team to victory, because each member has a clearly defined role and knows what his or her job function is and how that function influences other teammates. The same idea can be applied to the workplace.

Knowing what to include in a job description is the first step toward formulating a good one. Many employers are unsure about what to include or exclude. Very long job descriptions not only are intimidating to the candidate but also can be incredibly time consuming to the employer. If the candidate has to read a three-page job description, chances are that will talk him or her out of applying to the job—because if you include every little detail, candidates will assume they are not qualified enough and pass. You need to include the most important and succinct information that will get the word out to experienced candidates without discouraging them. Include the job title and the experience and education that are needed.

A lot more goes into a job search than just writing the job description.

When an employee leaves your practice without giving much notice, you have to be able to fill the position quickly and efficiently. Job descriptions are an investment for your practice. You can fill jobs when you know exactly what you are looking for, and you can attract better candidates. Job descriptions are worth the time and effort for you and your practice.

Advertising

Advertising your job is an important step in the hiring process. People today are using many different platforms to run job searches. Not only are candidates networking face to face, but they also are searching online, looking at employers’ websites, and checking reviews on Google or Glass Door. A lot more goes into a job search than just writing the job description.

Just as you do with your advertisements and job descriptions, review all application forms with an attorney to make certain they are objective and do not ask for inappropriate information. For example, some state laws prohibit employers from considering an applicant’s arrest record when making employment decisions, so a question about prior arrests should not be on the job application.

Create innovative ways to announce job opportunities: you can advertise on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Make your job descriptions stand out. There is a flood of messages on social media daily and you want to stand out. You could, for instance, hire a graphic designer to design an eye-catching ad for the job.

Identifying Qualified Candidates

Identifying qualified candidates starts with the resume review. Is the resume clean, sharp, and without grammatical error? Does the candidate have the appropriate objective, summary, and cover letter? Sometimes it is easy to overlook these details because the candidate has great experience. The resume is the first impression, and you would not want to hire someone who has not put in much effort.

Professionalism across the board should be one of your top priorities as an employer.

How does the candidate represent him- or herself online, over the phone, via e-mail, or in person? Professionalism across the board should be one of your top priorities as an employer. This does not mean that every professional candidate is the correct choice, and the right fit for your practice. However, you will come up with a better pool of applicants this way.

Resume Review

Does the applicant’s work experience reflect the qualifications you need? This is another important question to consider when you review a resume. You might find someone who is a really great surgeon, but has limited experience in spine surgery—and this might not work for your practice. In certain cases you might meet qualified candidates that just don’t fit your needs. This can be difficult, but you have to think about how the practice will operate long-term if you hire someone who does not fit the job description. Too often we have seen practices take this risk, and the surgeon either quits or will be let go in a matter of months. You do not want high turnover, which is why job descriptions are so important.

Once you have found candidates who are qualified enough to be brought in for an interview, you will notice that the whole process runs a lot more smoothly. Taking more steps to guarantee the right people are being considered for the right positions will make your practice more efficient, and you will thrive financially in the long run.

Interviewing

The interview is one of the most important steps in the hiring process. Aside from reference and background checks, the interview is where you will ultimately decide whether or not you will extend an offer to the candidate.

In advance you should give the candidate the date, time, and location of the interview; provide the link to the practice website; and let the candidate know who else will be present at the interview (e.g., practice managers or physicians). You should tell the front desk in advance that you have someone coming in to interview, and applicants should be acknowledged promptly by the front desk staff when they walk in the door. Ensure the interview room is private, and not cluttered. Do not accept calls during the interview, and do not send text messages. Have all the documents prepared: resume, questions, and paper for taking notes.

Once you have established that this is a candidate you are interested in hiring, plan for a second interview and follow-up. For the second interview, you might want to include other key players from the practice as well as physicians and surgeons the candidate would be working closely with. It often is difficult to coordinate everybody’s schedules, but it is well worth it. You want to make sure the candidate can see him- or herself working for you, and you also want to make sure that your current employees like the candidate.

Selection Process

The selection process should be just as thorough as the recruitment process:

• Does the candidate meet the expectations and fulfill the job requirements you have in place?

• Does the candidate’s experience match the qualifications you are looking for?

• Does the candidate seem like a good fit?

• Will the candidate’s personality be a good match with other employees?

Choose a “reserve” or “second choice” candidate. Consider this candidate if the first choice does not accept, or if reference and background checks prove unsatisfactory. Having a reserve candidate will save you from having to go through the process again, and may, in some cases, provide you with a possible candidate for another position.

Follow-up: The Offer

Once you have decided which candidate you would like to extend an offer to, then you have to construct an offer letter. Such a letter contains the conditions of employment that were discussed during the interview and job offer process. Once it is signed by both parties, offer letters are considered legal documents and can be used to resolve any disputes that might come up relating to employment terms. The offer letter is the initial step for extending an offer to a candidate. Offer letter letters must include:

• The legal and trading names of the employer;

• The name of the employee;

• The address of the employee’s place of work;

• The job title or a brief description of the work; and

• The date when the employment is to begin.

Offer letters can lead to negotiations and changes based on back-and-forth discussions between the employer and the candidate. This is normal, and you should be prepared to make some changes. The candidate might want the offer letter to include vacation time, sign-on bonus, relocation stipend, and any other benefits he or she believes should be listed within the offer letter.

Employment Agreements

You should also describe the kinds of agreements you’ll need the candidate to sign. It is good practice to mention these in the offer letter so that the candidate can determine whether he or she can meet your terms before accepting the offer, to avoid any future complications during employment. The agreements should be provided separately.

Onboarding

The first two years are a very vulnerable time for new recruits, and it is essential that practices ensure new physicians have the support they need so they are satisfied and engaged at the practice.

Be honest with new recruits so they know what to expect.

Ideally, there is a team of people that help monitor and mentor the new employee during the onboarding process, so new recruits have ample support and no one slips through the cracks. A group effort also helps to identify any chronic problems that come up during the onboarding process. Be honest with new recruits so they know what to expect. Although this may feel uncomfortable at times, it is better to address such things right away than to have these issues escalate to urgent or even more embarrassing situations.

It is important to remember that onboarding continues into the physician’s first year of practice.

Onboarding should consist of four main aspects: credentialing and employment; orientation; marketing; and staff integration. If possible, make laborious paperwork and similar tasks available to be done in an online portal so that physicians can access these items separate from orientation; there is no reason to waste time on these tasks in a classroom session during onboarding.

It is important to remember that onboarding continues well into the physician’s first year of practice. During the first 90 days, it is not uncommon for the physician to feel unsure in the new environment. In order to prevent an early exit interview, I always recommend “stay interviews.” These are not performance evaluations, but, rather, informal and casual one-on-one meetings The conversation should be about how the doctor feels he or she “fits in” with others in the practice or hospital, both clinically and philosophically. I also recommend “stay interviews” with the new hire’s family to see how they are acclimating to their new home and surroundings.

Onboarding is one of the first key steps in retaining physicians. It takes about 200 hours from start to finish to recruit a new physician. So it makes sense to establish strong, open lines of communication with the physician and family from the start to avoid any mishaps. Always remember the mantra: Check twice, onboard once!