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How To Hire Staff

Overview for finding new employees

1. Advertisement- Depending on your area and what the market will bear will determine which and how many days you want to run the ad. If you were to only run one day make sure it is Sunday.

Depending on the cost/line and what you want to spend will determine what you say in the ad. Something as minimal as: "Busy (city) chiropractic office. (position you are looking for) (part time/full time etc.) Call (phone #)

A fun but more expensive one is "Busy (city) chiropractic office needs someone (full time/part time) (position) who can juggle three things at once, keep a smile and treat our patients like royalty.

2. Have a check off list for the person answering the phone from the advertisement. Have your staff/you let the respondent know "We will be interviewing applicants on ___ day at ____time. Can we expect you?" (Do not say that it will be a group interview.) Take down pertinent information:

Name__________ Time called_____ Phone number__________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score)

Phone voice 0-5 English 0-5 Annunciation 0-5

Comments: _______________________________________

(I have a included a sheet at the end for your CA's.)

Ask them to bring a pen and pad of paper to write on and their resume to the appointment, and to please be on time. (Very important not to forget this, as part of your decision making process is, can they follow directions and punctuality.)

3. Group interview:

a. Take their resume as they enter the room. Make a note if they brought something to write on or not. Start taking mental notes from the moment they walk in. How did they dress? How do they interact? How do the look, i.e. professional, sloppy etc.? What is their attitude? What is their pace? Do they exhibit the qualities that you are looking for? Were they on time, early or late?

Have one person, either the doctor or staff start taking notes.

b. Introduce yourself and your staff and thank them for coming.

c. Give them a brief 5 minute overview of chiropractic and your mission. Tell them about your office; describe the job, the duties and the hours. Some people like to discuss salary, bonuses and benefits and some don't, it is up to you.

d. Ask them if they are still interested in the job. If they are not this would be an appropriate time to leave as you do not want to waste their time or yours.

4. While you are giving your overview have someone (staff etc.) thumb through the resumes to see if there are any glaring people you do or do not want to consider for the second interview. Most of your decision of who to give a second interview will be based on this first impression and step 5.

5. Ask each of them to stand up and state their name; tell us a little about themselves, and why they think they would be the right person for this job. (Of course this is a very important part of the screening process. Are they shy, confident, can they think on their feet, will they represent you well?)

6. Thank them and ask if there are any questions. Ask them to please wait for just a moment.

7. Quickly discuss whom you would like to stay for the second interview with your staff. Get any quick hits on the resumes.

8. Thank them all and let them know that you will be reviewing the resumes and will call them by 10:00 am the following morning if you would like them to come in for a second interview. If they have not heard from you by then, they will not be considered for the job. Comment on how you hate to make people wait and worry etc. Of course you will not call any of them, as you are not interested in any of then. Those that you are interested in go to next step, in step 9.

9. Ask those that you wish to stay for the second interview to please stay. Say something like, "would Mary Smith, Lori Jones and Dave Johnston please stay after, we have a few questions we would like to ask you about your resume. These are the people you will do the second interview with right now. The rest need to leave.

10. Ask them to fill out a special 10 minute D.I.S.C. questionnaire. Let them know that this is a special questionnaire that will help you better determine if they are a good match for the position. Ask them to answer it as though they were on the job. Only allow 10 minutes. TALK TO ME ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS, AND DOING A D.I.S.C. FOR THE JOB POSITION. Assure them that this is just a small part of our decision making process, but an important one so please be truthful and accurate. Ask them to fill it out and bring it up to you as soon as they are finished. Give directions whenever possible and see how well they follow them. (Fax them to Dr. Rosen at the end of the interview.)

11. While they are filling out the questionnaire you and your staff review resumes, discuss concerns and prepare for the interviews. Whoever is finished first goes into the interview room with you first.

12. Private interview:

Let them know that they are being considered for the position and you would like to ask them a few questions.

1. Tell me about your last job. What did you like and what didn't you like? (It will probably be the same with you.) Why are you leaving your current job?

2. What are your best assets?

3. What are the areas you need to improve upon?

4. What kind of pay are you looking for? (If you are happy with what you are seeing so far, discuss your pay rate, bonus package and rest of the financial package i.e. vacations, insurance etc., and see if they are still interested. Make sure they are motivated by money and reaching goals, you are growing your practice.)

5. Why are you interested in this position? (You are looking for someone who will grow with you and be there long term. You would like to have someone who is behind your mission and this is more than just a job.)

6. If I had three of your work colleagues here, how would they describe you?

7. Is there anything you would like to ask me?

You should be able to determine from the above questions if you are interested in interviewing further. If so, ask some of the questions below. Make sure the answers are of importance to you:

1. Describe a situation where your work or an idea was criticized. How did you respond? How did the situation end up?

2. What challenges do you have getting along with others?

3. How do you like to be managed? Ask specific questions related to their D.I.S.C. scores. Ask them what does work and what does not work for them. What are some things your supervisor did that you did not like? (You get the idea.)

4. How long will you stay with this company?

5. What would be the reasons for your success at this job?

6. What is your energy level like throughout the day? Describe a typical day

7. It is very important that you are here on time every day and rarely if ever take sick days. Will that be a problem?

8. What kind of experience do you have for this job?

9. What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?

10. What are your biggest accomplishments?

11. How do you organize and plan for major events?

12. Describe a difficult challenge you have had to deal with and how you dealt with it.

13. Do you work well under pressure? Do you juggle several projects at once well? (Know the D.I.S.C. requirements of the job and ask pertinent questions.)

a. If you think they might be the one find out about their specific skills in relation to the job. As questions about typing, word processing, computer skills, accounting etc.

b. If you are very excited about this person consider setting a time for them to come back and test them in the above specific skills. Have them type something in front of you, look something up in the yellow pages, file something, use the adding machine etc.

c. Thank them and get on to the next one.

d. WHEN YOU FIND SOMEONE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HIRING ASK THEM TO WRITE DOWN THEIR PAST WORK HISTORY WITH SUPERVISIORS AND PHONE CONTACTS. MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO CALL AND SPEAK TO THESE PEOPLE. Ask them to rate the employee 0-10. If they are not a 10 what would they need to do to become one.

Have time set up with Dr. Rosen to discuss the DISC reports on the applicants.

4. Bring back the applicants that you are serious about for another interview. Have them do an "obstacle course." Give them a series of tasks to accomplish, i.e. file some files, look up phone numbers in phone book, add on the 10 key, type a paragraph, use the computer, etc. Time them and let them know that this will be timed. You want to observe them under pressure.

5. Check list for CA answering the phones:

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:_______________________________________

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:_____________________________________

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:_____________________________________

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:______________________________________

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:______________________________________

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:______________________________________

Name: ________________________ Day & Time called: _____________

Phone number: ______________________(in case you need to reschedule.)

Initial impression 0-5 (5 being top score) ____

Phone voice 0-5 ____ English 0-5 ____ Annunciation 0-5 ____

Comments:_______________________________________

Russ Rosen, D.C. - May 26, 2003