How do I find good job applicants?

best hiring practices

Hiring for a pediatric practice is hard. You post an ad or send out a call for interviews, read countless resumes, narrow it down to three, and call them for an interview. No one answers an unknown call these days, so you leave a message. More than likely, that person doesn’t call you back. If they do and you schedule an interview, there’s a good chance they won’t show up. It’s exhausting.

Why does this happen? In my experience as the founder of a pediatric billing company, job websites have gotten so easy for candidates to navigate that they can apply for 25 positions with the click of a button. They don’t actually read the job description until after you have screened them and decided to interview them. That’s when they realize it’s too far or they don’t like the hours, the pay, or even the job itself. This is oftentimes why they never seem to call back.

There is a better way, though. You can stop reading resumes that you get from people who can’t be bothered to read the job description and only interact with those who invest a little bit of time in the application process. You can also weed out people who don’t meet your non-negotiables before you even pick up the phone. By implementing the best hiring practices, you can streamline your process and find qualified candidates more efficiently.

Here’s how.

 

Step 1: Create an actual job application

Google Forms is my go-to. I can create a very simple application, and the answers are compiled into a spreadsheet, making it very easy to review the submissions quickly.

Here, you can ask some simple demographics questions, as well as their pediatric experience, and then add 1 or 2 deal breaker questions.

My go-to questions are:

  • “Why are you leaving your current position?”
  • “What are you looking for in your next position?”
  • With these simple questions, it is incredible what people will reveal about themselves and the practices they work for.

I always end with a question about the position – hours, pay, etc. Nothing is more frustrating for the hiring manager and the applicant than getting through interviews only to realize the hours or compensation will not be acceptable. Clear that up before you invest any time.

Click here for a sample application.

 

Step 2: Review the applications

You can usually do this pretty quickly if you have some deal breakers in there. For example, if you require pediatric experience, you can sort by that question and quickly delete the people who replied “no” to “Do you have experience in a pediatric office?”

Here’s a pro tip – if someone complains about their current working situation, is looking for more money, or already has a problem with the hours/pay, they are most likely a hard pass, and you should not interview them. It’s only a matter of time before they say things about you or continue to look for higher pay.

 

Step 3: Invite them to interview

When you come across someone who you think may be a good fit, send them a message inviting them to interview with you. You can decide if you want the initial meeting to be a phone screening or if you want to bring them in to meet in person.

Make this easy on yourself by inviting them to an online calendar where you block off the times that you are available. Some examples are Calendly and Acuity Scheduling. This will eliminate the frustration of going back and forth, trying to find a time that works for everyone’s schedule.

 

Simplify Your Pediatric Practice Hiring

That’s it! Now you have some candidates who have invested in the job application and some critical questions already answered. You have seen a little bit of their communication style and they have agreed that the salary and hours are acceptable to them. The next step is the interview process.

Don’t let the frustration of resume reading continue. By creating a job application, immediately weeding out applicants who don’t pass your deal-breakers, and creating a simple calendar to schedule interviews, you will be able to quickly hire your next team member for your pediatric practice.

 

Implement These Best Hiring Practices Today

By implementing these best hiring practices, you can streamline your recruitment process, reduce time spent on unqualified applicants, and ultimately find the perfect candidate for your pediatric practice.

Need help creating your application? Book a call now to go through it and get the right pediatric expertise.