Finding the Right Team Member
Looking for team members is challenging, and although it is getting better now, our applicant pool is vastly different than it used to be. Every industry is having a hard time filling positions post-COVID.
With work-life balance and many positions being offered remotely, how do we find the right team members for our practices?
My office was building our new location right before the COVID shutdown. Although some team members stayed, we had several who decided to go back to school or change careers, as well as team members reducing hours or quitting to stay at home with young children. With the opening of our new office in the Fall of 2020, I needed to replace team member hours as well as increase my team size due to an increase in operatories. Our office was going from a team of 12 to 30.
After COVID, recruiting and hiring have been one of my primary duties. Here are some of the things I learned along the way.
Post, Screen, and Interview
Where should you post the job position?
I primarily focus on social media and Indeed…click to open link in new tab…. For social media, I recommend adding a nice flyer with pictures of your team, along with including what your office is looking for, and where to send resumes. The post should be positive and reflect your office culture. You can also add a link to the post so that your potential applicants can gain more information about the job opening.
Our office is open to hiring candidates with different experiences in the dental field. We have hired many assistants with no experience, up to candidates with experience but who want a different role in our practice.
When posting on Indeed, make sure you include a detailed outline of what the day-to-day responsibilities will be, add pictures of your office and team, and include office hours, website information, etc. The more information you provide, the better. Afterwards, examine the ad and see if you would apply for the job if you were searching for a position.
Indeed offers ads for job postings. It works very well. I usually add a sponsorship per click for my job positing. Similar to Google ads, it makes your ad more visible to potential candidates.
I typically do $5-$25 a day for 2 weeks at a time. Indeed does share data on which job postings are higher in the ranks. I review the others and see if I need to adjust specific words to my own job postings. I also recommend adding primary questions to help filter your search. Such as, “Are you licensed in this state?” which would be set as a required qualification, and “Do you have at least one year of experience?” which would be set as a preferred qualification.
Turn Internships Into Hiring Opportunities
Outside of Indeed, you can also post to your dental society, dental associations (ADA, FDA, Specialty Organizations), and schools. I also contact dental assisting schools in my area and request interns. Bringing interns to your office is a great way of observing their work ethic before you possibly hire them. I would recommend having a meet and greet with the intern and going over your expectations. I emphasize that they have the same rules as a team member at our office. For example, they must arrive on time and have a positive attitude.
The interns who don’t oblige by the rules are not allowed to finish their hours at our office. Approximately 80% of my dental assistants were hired as interns; I always start interns with the basics such as sterilization, flipping rooms, and set ups. During their internship I evaluate their personality and see if they are coachable and get along with the team, since we focus heavily on being a team player. I also check to see if they are reliable and punctual.
How to Screen Candidates Before the Interview
When reviewing resumes, I look for licenses if needed for the position.
- Do they stay in jobs or jump around?
- Are they close to our office?
- Is their resume put together and complete?
All potential candidates begin with a 5 to10-minute phone screening. Questions asked include the things what brings them to the job market, what is their availability, and when they could start?
Here’s a tip when asking questions: Ask yourself whether they sound friendly? Face-to-face interviews are done first, however, they are not invited for a formal interview if they are impolite on the phone. Texting candidates to schedule phone interviews has worked well. I also mention if anything changes or if they are not interested in the position, to please update me by text.
Conducting Effective In-Person Interviews
If the phone interview goes well, invite them for a face-to-face interview.
I always send a text confirmation with the day/time of their interview. A day prior to the interview, I call or text to confirm. Similar to confirming a patient’s appointment, it is best to confirm with the candidates since some candidates tend to not show up.
There are a few things I consider with interviews:
- Are they on time?
- Are they presentable and well-dressed for an interview?
- Are they personable?
My goal for an interview is to get to know the candidate’s personality. I have them elaborate on the questions asked and listen attentively. My favorite questions typically pertain to dental office scenarios which include success stories or difficult situations they have encountered. When they explain difficult situations, I always ask what they would do differently or what did they learn from that experience?
My goal is getting the candidates to communicate, and I become an active listen. At the end of the interview, I ask if they have any further questions and then we take a tour of the office. During the tour, I boast about my team and all the great things our office has to offer.
Stand Out to Today’s Job Seekers
Finding team members is challenging but necessary since we need to keep an office fully staffed. Focus on what attracted you to the office and ask your team what’s important to them. If they mention benefits, ask which ones they are seeking. Just like you market your patients, you need to spend time marketing your potential team members. Put yourself in a potential candidate’s perspective and make your office stand out as a great place to work.
About the Author
Vanessa Escobar, FAADOM
Vanessa grew up in Central Florida and attended Florida State University, earning a BS in International Affairs with a Minor in Business Administration. She joined Winter Garden Smiles in 2011 and is responsible for overseeing the finances, operations, and marketing.
She is active in several organizations, including Lambda Theta Alpha, Central/North Florida Alzheimer’s Association, and Leadership West Orange. Vanessa is the Founding President of the Central Florida Chapter of AADOM, received her FAADOM in 2021, and will be inducted in the 2023 Class of AADOM Masters this September at the AADOM Conference.
During her time off, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Ricardo, and her kids.
