Want to Find the Perfect New Team Member? Put These Tips into Action

Hiring someone new to join your veterinary practice isn’t just about finding the most talented person. Likewise, job hunting isn’t solely about landing the most sought after gig. To really make things work long-term, both parties must come together to ensure that they are the best fit. So, how can you tell which candidates would be best suited to join your team? Here are a few of the guiding principles we use during the screening process to help us build our clients’ dream teams.

Interview for Fit

The ideal candidate for one practice’s role or culture may be a complete disaster for another. While an impressive resume is a great way to weed out those who may be unqualified, it’s simply not enough to make a final decision. That’s why interviews are so important, because they allow you to dig deeper and ask the right questions to help determine whether a particular person who looks good on paper would actually be able to help you meet your practice goals, and you theirs.

For instance, if you’re interviewing for a practice manager role, an ambitious candidate who is eager to have several direct reports working under her may end up feeling underutilized in your small startup practice. Likewise, a person who works better under a rigid set of rules and hierarchy may not perform well in your laid-back culture. This is why it’s so important to get a feel for each candidate’s work style and preferences. 

Prioritize Diversity

You want to find a candidate that fits in well with your team, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need everyone to be the same. In fact, to the contrary, much research has been done proving that diversity can actually make your practice more profitable. Therefore, the goal should be finding candidates who complement, rather than duplicate, the team members you have now. 

To this end, it’s important to make a conscious effort to locate and cultivate a diverse workforce. You can do this right from the start by incorporating diversity and inclusivity into your recruiting strategies. Specifically, by deliberately seeking candidates from all walks of life. Always keep an open mind and look for candidates from different backgrounds who share your values, as opposed to individuals who are carbon copies of your current crew.

Keep it Real

If you want candidates who will meld well with your practice culture, then you have to be authentic about how you approach the interview process. Specifically, your interview questions and the way you interact with your applicants should be reflective of the culture you are trying to hire for. If you have a super casual and fun work atmosphere, exhibit those characteristics.

Also, don’t be afraid to be creative and think outside the box with your interview questions. If a candidate happens to find them off-putting, it’s probably a good sign he or she wouldn’t be a good fit for your team anyway. Better to find out now than after you’ve already hired them. 

Hire for the Future

One of the biggest challenges of hiring is finding candidates who are not only a good fit for the roles you are seeking to fill now, but also having the foresight to find talent that will be able to grow along with your practice. If your goal is to forge a core team who will be in it for the long haul (and it should be), then this is something you’ll have to consider.

When assessing candidates, don’t just think about your current needs. Think about the needs you anticipate having one, three, five or even ten years down the road. What are your plans, goals and vision for the future? What types of employees would be best suited to help you achieve those objectives? Keep these skills and characteristics in mind when interviewing now, and you’ll save yourself a great deal of time and effort down the road. 

Your practice is unique. In order for it to thrive and achieve sustainable, long-term success, you’ll need to customize a team that will help drive your business in the right direction. The four tips above should help you optimize your hiring process and make recruiting easier than ever. 

Don’t have the time, energy or desire to do this yourself? That’s what we’re here for! Get in touch today and let us help you create your ultimate dream team!