Christy Dvoracek, Director of Talent, dentalcorp
The start of a new year is an opportune time to assess your resources as you begin to execute your goals – one such resource being your pool of talent. The below are useful tips to keep in mind as you set out to add top performers to your roster in the year ahead.
Actively seek referrals
My foremost talent tip is to actively seek referrals. Top performers are likely to know other top performers, so tapping into their networks will be worth your while. Having a pool of candidates recommended by individuals who understand your practice, its culture and values, will increase the likelihood of new hires successfully performing in their roles. Further delve into your own network and expand your opportunity’s reach by promoting on professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and alumni associations.
Ask telling questions
Once you have identified candidates and entered the interview stage, asking a blend of behavioural and situational questions can help you gain valuable insights into how they are likely to perform. Whereas behavioural questions offer insight into how a candidate acted in the past (e.g. “Tell me about a time when you handled a challenging situation”), situational questions shed light on how the candidate might handle a situation in the future (e.g. “Tell me how you would approach a difficult patient”). Both are useful indicators of behaviour and will help you understand how likely he or she is to succeed in their environment.
Assess for cultural fit
It is important to take the time to assess a candidate’s character and whether he or she will ultimately be a good fit for the team. While each practice will have its own set of core values, it is necessary to identify prospective team members who are aligned with—and actively demonstrate—your practice’s values. Identifying individuals who will champion your practice’s values will contribute to the overall success of your team. Additionally, assessing an individual’s interpersonal skills will provide a good understanding of chairside manner. While not all clinicians are naturally outgoing, it is important to pursue candidates who have excellent chairside manner or are working to excel at this skill.
Vet candidate backgrounds
Lastly, it is crucial to have a process in place to ensure the individual is registered and in good standing with their governing board. Building this step early into your hiring process will help save you time and energy by weeding out unqualified candidates in advance. Before connecting with the individual, look him or her up on their academic institution and/or regulatory board website to confirm credentials.
