You Can make Successful Hires
Use these techniques to find good employees.
By Jane Shuman, C.O.E., C.O.T., M.S.M.

Your practice needs to hire a new technician -- again. It may be a result of an impending expansion, the addition of a new physician, or the loss of trained staff. You probably prefer to hire an assistant with ophthalmic clinical experience over someone in need of training, but these technicians aren't always readily available and you may need to consider the alternative. Whatever the case, you feel as if you need better ways to find qualified personnel. In this article, I'll address hiring techniques that have worked for me.

Using your resources

The first place you should turn to is your file of technician resumes. Reviewing them, you may find previous applicants who are now ready for a change, or at least open to an interview. Call immediately to inquire. You should maintain a database of ophthalmic personnel and send a personalized letter of recruitment to those listed. However, don't do this too often. Doing so may result in an attitude of "are they looking again?" from the recipients.

Simultaneously, it's time to post an ad in the classified section of your newspaper. Because a shortage of ophthalmic health personnel exists, you may need to consider a nontraditional ad format. Simply titling the classified as "ophthalmic technician" and listing the skills necessary may not attain the desired results. Those searching the classifieds may rule themselves out immediately, not feeling qualified to apply. At left is an ad I created, which resulted in many more applicants than had previously responded when I used a traditional format.

You should also develop a relationship with a member of the professional staff or faculty of your local community college, particularly if it's a school offering courses in any of the allied health fields. She can keep her eyes open for those students who are driven to succeed, or who have shown an interest in ocular anatomy and physiology. Many successful applicants have come from the realm of medical assisting or surgical technician programs. They possess a basic knowledge of medical terminology and anatomy and, if challenged, will want to continue to learn.

Widen your search

While you're waiting for responses from the resources I've already listed, try some firsthand recruiting. Many jobs require excellent customer service skills, which are key to caring for your patients. These positions require that the worker possess the ability to remain calm under stress, and multi-task while working quickly, accurately and efficiently. Consider the following situations when you might observe:

• a waiter or waitress in a restaurant that's knee deep in people waiting to be seated
• a sales clerk providing excellent customer service and follow through
• an optician or optician apprentice explaining an eyeglass prescription to a customer
• an airline attendant, either in the air or on the ground, responding to a flight delay
• a hotel bellman greeting tired travelers and expediting them to their rooms.

If you're favorably impressed by what you observe, strike up a conversation with that person. Then, offer your business card and an invitation to talk to you or someone on your staff about ophthalmic assisting. The individual you approach may be unfulfilled by her current work and looking for a career change.

And don't neglect your patient base as a resource. This is especially true in the months of May and June. Many graduates don't have jobs, either because positions in their desired fields are unavailable or because they're uncertain of what it is they want to do. Parents and grandparents often scout for their younger kin. Many patients have inquired about how I entered this field, the challenges of the job, and the potential for career growth.

The interview is key

Now, several weeks have passed and you've weeded out those resumes with gaps between jobs, misspelled words and those without cover letters. You've made appointments with the remaining candidates, but don't know exactly which questions to ask. In previous interviews, you found yourself telling the applicant all about the job, the hours and the benefits. In other words, you were selling the position to the applicant rather than determining if the person was right for the job.

When interviewing, start with casual conversation to put the applicant at ease. Did she have difficulty finding the office? How about this weather? Then move on to more relevant topics. I suggest using an interviewing method that's very effective in avoiding the simple "yes or no" answer. It's called "behavioral interviewing" and is a style of questioning that elicits conversational answers from the respondent. You'll get some insight into this person. Here are some examples of behavioral questions:

• "As a waitress, you've certainly dealt with customers who had complaints about the food or having to wait for service. What do you say to appease unhappy customers?"
• "Tell me how you handled a co-worker who undermined the rest of the staff."
• "As a salesperson at a high-end boutique, you must have days when business is slow. How do you keep busy?"

Evaluate the applicant's responses

The appropriate candidate will offer you concise, yet informational responses. She may even ask you a question in return. For example, she may want to know specifically how her skills can be useful in your practice. Some applicants may give you too much information. During the course of an interview, one candidate tells you in great detail about her family, her childhood, and a certain period in her life. You can assume that she will share the same information with anyone who'll listen, including your patients. And given this applicant's personality, you might have cause to wonder if she could respect your patients' confidentiality.

At the conclusion of the formal interview, offer the applicant a tour of your office. Observe her reaction to the equipment and office surroundings. Does she ask questions, or wait for you to explain? While you're observing her, allow her to interact with your employees. Does she make eye contact with your staff members? Or does she look at the floor? Use this as a method of weeding out those candidates who are a poor match.

List the remaining candidates in order of preference and invite each of them to observe the practice at work. Have each candidate shadow your lead technician. They can observe the demands of the job and determine if this is a career that really interests them. Conversely, your technician will make her own observations. Is the applicant bored or interested? Does she join the conversations? Is she asking questions about the work being performed? Additionally, you'll get an objective opinion of each applicant from someone you trust.

Make that final check

Perhaps you were fortunate enough to have an experienced assistant respond to your ad. Before you offer her the position, have her return to perform a skill evaluation. This practical test is legally acceptable when asked of all applicants professing skills, providing the same skills are asked to be displayed by each such applicant. Finally, if the candidate claims to be certified, call JCAHPO for verification.

Don't forget to check references. Even the most promising candidates may have something to hide. If your administrator makes the call, the response may be limited to dates of employment and a brief description of the job the applicant held. However when you speak directly to the physician, you may be told the "real story" behind this applicant's performance and departure.

Perhaps this was the star employee who had to relocate. You may be able to determine where her strengths and weaknesses lie. Conversely, this may be the candidate who's on her best behavior during the interview process and isn't as skilled as she professes to be. Whatever the case, checking references directly is well worth the investment of your time.

Although this entire process seems labor intensive, it's well worth the time and effort you put into it. The correct hire can result in years of excellent performance and loyalty to you and the practice. Sadly, the incorrect hire can result in months of frustration and regret, followed by the employment door revolving once again.

Jane Shuman, C.O.E., C.O.T., M.S.M., is the president of Eyetechs, Inc., a provider of ophthalmic technician training and education. She also manages the Ophthalmology Department at Dedham Medical Associates in Dedham, Mass., and directs the Ophthalmic Assistant Program for the Massachusetts Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. You can reach her at (617) 738-5859 or via e-mail at jtshuman@eyetechs.com.