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Associate Recruitment 101 David Marks

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— by David Marks

Many articles and books have been written on the art of recruiting dental and medical professionals. I know, because I have authored a number of chapters and commentaries in industry "rags." When I think back to all the thoughts and suggestions I've shared throughout the years, I find a common thread. Successful recruitment ultimately comes down to one core idea: Be committed to succeed.

In other words, you need a steadfast desire to complete the task at hand, and that task is to find the associate – the right associate – who will provide the desired services to your practice. You might be looking for a future partner, a full-time associate to cover an additional office and expand hours, or a part-time associate to allow you to enjoy some time off each month. The specifics of your recruitment effort don't change the fact that there are certain "success factors" that will likely lead to your desired result. Here are some suggestions:

1. Once you start, have patience with the process.
Recruitment is not an overnight undertaking. There will likely be multiple candidates to consider, and each candidate takes time to process. It can take as long as a year or more to identify, screen, interview, reference, negotiate with and sign your top choice. So start the process well in advance of the date you want an associate to begin practice. A minimum of six to eight months is recommended. If a candidate rejects your offer, don't let it dampen your spirit. Persistence is the key.

2. Be committed to your goal.
If you are the least bit hesitant with your plans to add an associate, you will decrease your likelihood of success tenfold. Questioning yourself in the middle of a recruitment process will cause you to lose momentum. As a result, you might fail to send follow-up e-mails to residency programs, or you might put off calling potential candidates. You perhaps will not set up interviews in a timely fashion or find yourself unprepared to discuss hours, compensation and what the future holds for the associate. Losing momentum is by far the number-one "killer" of successful recruitment.

3. Plan the process.
  • Ascertain the sources you will use to identify viable candidates and budget appropriately. The most utilized sources to obtain candidates include journal classified advertising, online career centers, recruitment firms, e-mail blasts, residency programs and direct mail to practicing orthodontists. Each avenue varies in cost and effectiveness so budgeting upfront is crucial. Don't allow the cost to be a momentum buster in midstream.
  • Establish the process to screen potential candidates. Most processes begin with a telephone interview. Identify early on who will be making these initial calls and what questions you want to ask. Be sure to have a similar list of questions for all candidates, so it will be easy to rank them against each other once all initial phone interviews are concluded. To further define your rankings, after the phone interview you should also consider seeking either continued on page 24 practice management feature 24 December 2010 n orthotown.com verbal or written references on candidates you consider viable. A number of practices are now using personality testing prior to an onsite formal interview.
  • Create your formal interview process. Will it consist of one or two interviews? How many days will a candidate's interview last? If using a one-interview process, will you offer to have the candidate bring their spouse or significant other? Who will be interviewing the candidates, and how much weight will you afford their comments? Besides figuring out the answers to these questions, you should solicit external assistance with the process. The local chamber of commerce, a realtor and school administrators can be good resources. Lastly, decide upfront if you are paying the candidates' travel, food and hotel costs. Doing so will not give you an advantage, but not doing so will put you at a huge disadvantage.
  • Don't be concerned with how many interviews you should plan for. This number is a moving target. Rather, plan to interview until you have two viable candidates for the position. With two candidates, you will have a backup in case one says no, and you will also provide yourself leverage if a candidate negotiates unreasonable terms. If you only identify one viable candidate, be more flexible with your negotiations.
  • Develop the terms of your offer prior to the phone interviews, and a written contract should be in order prior to the formal interview process. You will likely be asked about compensation, benefits and future partnership opportunities. Also be ready to address questions about moving expenses, house hunting trips, sign-on bonuses and other incentives (like country club initiation fees) you might offer to attract the perfect candidate.
  • Lastly, determine who will negotiate the contract with the candidate. While most practice owners do this themselves, it can lead to issues, possibly even to a candidate walking away if negotiations get contentious. You might want to have your attorney handle the negotiations, so you can remain the "good guy." Put an end date on all offers. An end date puts pressure on both parties to work toward getting a deal done and eliminates the need for you to withdraw an offer if a candidate procrastinates.
4. Put your plan in motion.
Recruitment is a difficult undertaking. Chances are many of you have never previously been in the position of having to, or wanting to, recruit an associate. The fact that recruitment firms can do a brisk business charging up to $25,000 for each successfully placed candidate just confirms the difficulty and aggravation that goes along with the effort.

Have patience, understand the timing and the process you will be going through and plan thoroughly. Know your market and what offers will be competitive. Stay committed once you make the decision to recruit, and your new associate will be there sooner than you think.
Author's Bio
David Marks is the president and CEO for OrthoSynetics, Inc. (OSI), a business service company in the orthodontic industry that assists orthodontic practices utilizing a full service, turnkey management approach to address all non-clinical practice functions to gain better efficiencies and profitability. He has more than 30 years of experience in the health-care industry including the recruitment and hiring of health-care professionals. For more information, visit www.orthosynetics.com.
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