Take the Pressure out of Interviews
Question: I'm a brand-new practice manager with a solid background in healthcare, but not much hands-on experience managing people. I’ve been given the responsibility of hiring a new front desk employee, but I’ve never conducted interviews before. Is there a way to streamline the process and take some of the work off my shoulders? RCI Subscriber Answer: Phone screenings are a great way to save time, especially if you’ve got a stack of applicants waiting for interviews. If you are able to delegate the initial phone screenings to another employee in your office like someone in your human resources (HR) department, that would be even better. Doing so could save you time and help eliminate candidates who are missing the skills you require, like phone skills, or soft skills. If you go this route, make sure you prepare the person performing the phone screenings with some specific “rule-out” questions and a list of the soft skills you’re looking for in a candidate. Some things you might consider listing: empathy, attention to detail, time management, and active listening. After advancing candidates to the next round, you can choose from in-person interviews or video interviews. Many people prefer video interviews as they save a lot of hassle for both parties. There’s no commute and you are still able to get a good read on whether this person is someone who will fit into your office culture and work environment. If you are able to, opt for a more relaxed or informal interview style to allow for better rapport building. This approach can help you gauge a candidate’s passion and compatibility with your team and company culture. Lindsey Bush, BA, MA, CPC, Production Editor, AAPC
