In our article Successful Recruitment & Selection 1 – Developing a PD, we covered the initial steps in a successful recruitment and selection process, focussing on how to develop a comprehensive position description (PD).
With your PD and advertisement written and the ad posted, you’ll have a pool of applicants ready to be sorted through.
Shortlisting the applicants
As you sort through applications received, be sure to assess each against the PD criteria. This helps you stay focused and objective. If you included questions for applicants to answer when submitting their application, this will make the process even faster.
Divide the applications into three categories – ‘shortlist’, ‘possibilities’ and ‘unsuitable’. Making brief notes as you go for each shortlisted applicant in line with the key requirements of the PD, will save time later. Points you’d like to query at interview should also be noted at this point, for example time gaps in their work history, reasons for leaving past workplaces etc. Applicants designated as ‘possibilities’ can be set aside initially, then referred back to as the process progresses depending upon the strength of the applicant pool.
When reviewing applications and at interview, look for evidence of how the PD skills and attributes have been demonstrated in their previous roles and training, rather than just the appropriate words showing up in the cover letter and resume.
You’ll hear all sorts of ‘magical formulae’ about how people select applicants to interview, such as ‘I don’t consider anyone who applies in the first week’, etc. Such approaches have questionable validity, as the determining factor of an applicant’s ability to perform the role you’re advertising, is how well they fit the requirements of your PD.
Keep the review process quick. Aim to contact applicants on your shortlist and set up interviews where appropriate within 48 hours of closing applications. You’re looking to maintain momentum and applicant enthusiasm, as well as decrease the chance of your ideal applicant being picked up by someone else!
Write your interview questions
Written questions are a must! Without a list of questions for your phone and in-person interviews, you won’t be assessing each applicant equally. Written questions will also help you stay on track (and on time).
Again, the questions and points covered should be focused on assessing the fit of the applicant against your PD, promoting objectivity and a greater likelihood of a successful fit, rather than just whether the interviewer likes the applicant.
What other questions should I ask?
Include some questions that require applicants to paint a picture of their previous work experience. For example, “Tell us about a time when you… managed a challenging patient/dealt with conflict at work/felt a bit uncertain in a role”, etc. These provide real depth to the information you obtain about the applicant and how they might handle situations when working with you.
Adding in a couple of values-based questions will also really help you to gauge what drives them. Examples include, “Of your previous roles, which was your favourite and why?”, and “Tell us about something you’ve achieved that you’re really proud of.” These sorts of questions also give you an idea of how the applicant will fit with the culture in your practice.
Next steps
Now you’re ready to start contacting applicants. Check out our follow-on article Successful Recruitment & Selection 3 – Interviews & Reference Checks article for further strategies and tips to help you nail this next stage of the process and find the right new member for your team!
We’ve also developed a Position Description Template and a Recruitment & Selection Checklist. These and other resources are available on our Downloadable Resources page.
If you’d like assistance with recruitment and selection, the team at Augmentum provides a broad range of services to Medical and Allied Health organisations, including around HR Management and building effective and efficient foundations and teams. We also provide assistance to healthcare business owners and decision makers in other areas, such as strategic development and planning, patient engagement and retention, and establishing reports to keep their finger-on-the-pulse and drive growth and success. Get in touch to find out more, or check out our website www.augmentum.com.au
And you can Sign up if you’d like to receive our email updates, with other healthcare industry-specific articles, tips and news.
