| When I first started doing office management, | | | | me? After answering, ask, "Why, of all the |
| I had a lot of problems finding good | | | | questions you could have asked, did you |
| employees. It seemed like the people I was | | | | choose that one?" Role reversal is always |
| hiring could do the work, but had the wrong | | | | informative, plus the question reveals an |
| attitude. | | | | applicant's No. 1 priority." |
| | | | |
| According to a new article in the Medical | | | | Treating the hiring process as a serious |
| Group Management Association's newsletter, I | | | | endeavor is crucial to having a good staff. |
| was using the wrong criteria: "You should | | | | There is no absolute guarantee, but defining |
| hire for attitude and train for skills. | | | | exactly what you're looking for allows you |
| Skills don't mitigate a bad attitude or | | | | the benefit of finding someone who fits your |
| disruptive personality." | | | | needs first and foremost. In any case, |
| | | | several of these concepts may not be of much |
| This is completely true. I remember hiring a | | | | use when applied to situations where several |
| young woman who could juggle phones and | | | | family members work within the same practice. |
| patients effortlessly, but could not stop | | | | |
| complaining about her salary. She felt the | | | | My first job was working weekends and every |
| older employees did less and made more, and | | | | summer for my uncle, who was a general |
| she wound up trying to get her peer coworkers | | | | practioner. My aunt was his office manager, |
| to band together and stage a mutiny. | | | | and part of the reason I worked there was |
| | | | because I earned less than minimum wage. |
| When that failed, she threatened to quit on | | | | |
| the spot if I didn't give her an increase. | | | | Now, I loved my aunt and uncle, and I'm |
| Believe it or not, I was a little sorry to | | | | grateful for learning about a job so early in |
| see her go. | | | | life that would become my profession as an |
| | | | adult. But I learned from that experience not |
| The article explains what I learned the hard | | | | to work in the medical equivalent of a mom |
| way, and that's to establish a criteria for | | | | and pop store. |
| any available position. Create a prioritized | | | | |
| list and even have those involved in the | | | | For one thing, as per my experience, family |
| interviewing process score each candidate, to | | | | businesses often pay their employees |
| insure objectivity. | | | | according to their own personal scale, and |
| | | | not per the industry standard. This usually |
| Best of all, were five questions they deemed | | | | translates into lower pay and sometimes fewer |
| crucial to the process: | | | | benefits. |
| | | | |
| "1. Tell me about the first job you ever had. | | | | Also, there is a close-knit bond which |
| Because the first job they ever had could | | | | develops that can be daunting. In a sense, |
| have been years ago and unrelated to the one | | | | you become a part of their extended family, |
| for which they're applying, applicants don't | | | | which can make it hard to be objective about |
| expect this question. The answer may reveal | | | | your professional goals. |
| their values and ethics. | | | | |
| | | | On the other hand, when I worked for my |
| 2. Tell me about the achievements in your | | | | uncle, he had a woman who worked the |
| life you're most proud of and the obstacles | | | | reception desk who was having serious marital |
| or problems you had to overcome. The answer | | | | difficulties. She called in sick twice a |
| indicates what motivates applicants. | | | | month, but was rarely ill (if you know what I |
| | | | mean). Because my aunt liked her and had a |
| 3. Tell me about your last performance | | | | personal interest in the woman's marriage |
| appraisal. An applicant reveals his/her level | | | | working out, she put up with this behavior |
| of self-esteem and feelings about another's | | | | until the woman finally just quit because she |
| appraisal. | | | | was moving out of state to go live with her |
| | | | parents. |
| 4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank | | | | |
| yourself as a (insert relevant term)? Then | | | | My aunt had to cover her shifts until a |
| ask what it will take to get to the next | | | | replacement could be found, which of course, |
| number. | | | | illustrates the risk involved for the |
| | | | employer in these more intimate working |
| 5. What one question would you like to ask | | | | arrangements. |