We’ve in the middle of a long recruiting process to fill out the rest of our clinic team. We’ve hired a few faces over the years, and right now I feel like we have our best staff ever, with one position remaining.

There is no more important thing than having the right people. I’ve watched the transition of a single person on or off the roster make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars in a very short time, not to mention the impact on morale and joy in the office. It’s phenomenal. Here are a few tips we’ve learned along the way.

Find The Right Candidates

You’ll be most successful when you’ve got lots of options. Attract good quality applicants to choose from using these tips:

• Don’t Advertise… Seriously – forget about the classifieds ads and the internet listings. First of all, it’s time consuming to sort through the resumes, and second, it’s hard to read people from a sheet of paper. You’re just as likely to toss a winner in the shredder and interview five bad fits as you are to identify a great candidate.

• …Unless you Have To. The exception to this is when you’re recruiting for a position that needs some legitimate certification. If you need an ND, DC or an LAc, for example, you may have to advertise to find licensed candidates? Front desk? Nope.

• Network Instead… The best jobs are found through networking, and so are the best candidates. Not all, but on average, the best are. Spread the word through your friends, family, colleagues and patients. CAM offices are great places to work – you’ll get response if you get the word out.

• …Or Headhunt. There’s a great chance your ideal candidate already has a job – go find them. If you have a great experience with someone in another business, why can’t they work for you? The job you have to offer might change someone’s life – don’t be afraid to offer it to someone already working.

Choose the Right One

Once you’ve got a pool of applicants, it’s time to find your winner. Here are a few rules of thumb:

• First impressions matter. Reception/front line jobs tend to involve short bursts of surface interaction. A moment here, a smile there. A quick swipe of a credit card and a brief chat. A voice on the phone. Make sure you get a good first impression, and be wary if you don’t.

• Trust Your Gut. Your intuition is your best friend at hiring time, particularly when it comes to negative vibes. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

• Hire for Personality First. This is health care, not widget-making – great people skills are critical for almost all positions. You can teach most hard skills, but a great way with people is almost impossible to learn.

• Test-Drive Before You Hire. This is a great strategy, and has saved our butts more than once. You simply can’t trust an interview entirely. If you’ve narrowed your choices down, then bring them in for a half or full day and see how they do. Pay them for their time for the day – it’s worth the investment.

• Aim to Be Amazed. Don’t settle for someone you know isn’t right. Set your sights high. If it’s an emergency, then hire someone on a clearly defined temporary basis while you look for your dream person. They really are out there.
• Consult your Team… If you’ve got other staff, get them involved. A bad fit will cost you. Let the other people in the clinic help out.
• …and Your Patients. Remember that test-drive? Make sure you get some patient feedback. You might even consider asking some wise patients to drop by that day, or participate in the interview process.

It’s easy to second guess yourself in this process, so make sure you have help. And take your time – finding the right person makes all the difference.