A great staff is a key ingredient to any successful nephrology or urology practice. From your receptionist to your billing clerk to your office manager, you need people you can rely on to keep your practice running. There’s only one problem: finding employees doesn’t come as naturally to you as treating patients. How can you hire the right team to grow your nephrology or urology practice? We broke it down in 5 steps.
1. Make a Plan
Which positions will you need to fill and what will those roles entail? How will you determine if a candidate is a good fit? What will the interview process be like? These are questions you should answer before diving head first into the hiring process. An organizational chart is a useful way to map out each position and how they’ll interact with one another.
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2. Write an Enticing Job Ad and Post it Online
Writing an enticing job ad takes time and thought. Imagine what skill set an ideal candidate will have and write a posting with them in mind. Create an unambiguous and honest title – jargon is common and off-putting – and then include detailed responsibilities and requirements in the description. Use your job ad as an opportunity to tell a story about your practice, and inject a little personality where you see fit.
When you’re done crafting your ad, post it online. You can reach a large audience this way: more than half (54%) of US adults have sought job information and nearly half (45%) have applied for positions online.1 Post your ads to industry-specific job boards such as Health eCareers and CareerVitals. Also, post to popular nonindustry-specific career websites such as Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn. Then, repeat the process for each opening.
3. Ask Colleagues for Recommendations
You don’t yet have current employees to use as a source for referrals; however, chances are you’ve built relationships with other clinicians over time. Your colleagues might be able to recommend qualified candidates. Even if not, ask how they went about the hiring process when they were first starting out. They might be able to provide insight into how they found talented candidates.
4. Pay Attention to Personality
The people you hire will spend a large chunk of each day interacting with patients. Therefore, politeness and professionalism are paramount. During the interview process, expand your focus beyond work experience and education to incorporate a candidate’s personality. Ask how they might handle certain situations or even role play scenarios. Personality can’t be trained, and it’s up to you to identify who your patients will feel comfortable with.
5. Hire for the Long Haul
Employee turnover can harm team morale and your bottom line. It can also discourage patients from visiting your practice if they had formed a bond with a former staff member. Try to figure out if the candidates you are interviewing are seeking something long-term. A good way to read between the lines is to ask what type of work environment candidates prefer. If their answer matches what you have to offer, chances are they’ll stick around. Also, be sure to offer a comprehensive benefits package. A majority (56%) of US adults are more likely to stay in a position if they like their health plan.2
Conclusion
You may be eager to open up your new practice, but don’t rush the hiring process. Take advantage of in-person interviews to get a read on a candidate’s personality, and remain alert to nonverbal cues. Offer roles that will attract employees to stay for the long haul. Think “big picture” and you’ll build a top-notch team.
References
- Smith A. Searching for work in the digital era. Pew Research Center. November 19, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2018.
- Miller S. Employees are more likely to stay if they like their health plan. Society for Human Resource Management. February 14, 2018. Accessed July 20, 2018.
