In a talent short market, there is a premium on well qualified candidates. One place were employers notoriously drop the ball is in the length of time that it takes to process candidates. Once you are presented with qualified talent, as an interested prospective employer you need to MOVE that candidate quickly through the process. Most interviewing, selection and hiring processes are multi-step and can be lengthy if there are busy people with full schedules on the list of those whom a candidate needs to meet.
My message is this. YOU can't afford to sit on the credentials of a candidate for three weeks before you get them into the interviewing queue. I recently had a large regional health system sit on a candidate for almost 5 weeks before the first interaction with him. It was not a surprise that by the time this health system had advanced the candidate through their process enough to be ready for an onsite interview - he was gone. He dropped out of sight and couldn't supply an interview date. It turns out he was negotiating another offer.
Suggestions for assuring you have a pioneering hiring process - develop a timeline that you apply to every candidate and stick to it. It might look like this:
Steven Steps to Hiring - 31 Days (Max) to an Offer
1) Resume screened and potential candidate identified - the clock starts ticking.
2) Within 24-48 hours initial conversation with a representative from your company.
3) If after the first phone screen another is required with additional representatives assure it is scheduled within 5 to 7 days. If this can't be accomplished then substitute the designated interviewer with another.
4) If the second phone screen is successful and there is interest in interviewing a candidate in person schedule the onsite interview within 5 to 10 business days of the 2nd phone screen.
Note: If you have a committee involved in your decision making process develop a procedure where you can have them make decisions without needing to have a formal meeting. Develop a way that they can make recommendations about candidates to advance without their needing to get together in a formal setting.
5) The first onsite interview should include as many key decision makers as possible. If you are concerned that the candidate might not interview well and don't want to involve too many people in the process then include a step in the schedule where the interview can be "cut short" and the rest of the schedule aborted if the candidate just isn't a fit.
6) If a second onsite interview is required it too should occur not later than 5 to 10 business days after the first onsite. This day should include anyone left who needs to meet and weigh in on the hiring decision.
7) Within 48 hours of the second onsite - be prepared to issue and offer or to decide to pass.
This gives the candidate a clear sense of steady and continuing interest. Even if they are evaluating other offers, your aggressive schedule doesn't give them or you time to dawdle.
If you develop a timeline for moving candidates through your process - YOU WIN and the CANDIDATE WINS. Everyone gets a chance to be seen and you as the hiring authority get to keep all those candidates who are so crucial to the success of your business.
Be a TALENT HOG - tighten up your internal hiring process today!
Friday, April 22, 2005
Friday, April 08, 2005
What to Take to an Interview - Candidate Version
A top candidate attending an in-person interview will think about how best to be prepared for that meeting. Most of them will have taken the time to research the company, the division and even the hiring team if they know who they will be meeting.
A well prepared candidate will also have taken the time to consider what makes them a "hot hire" and will be able to clearly articulate the value they can offer a prospective employer. They will also have paid attention to their attire, their rest the night before and the directions on how to get there.
However, I do get asked "what should I take to the interview?" The answer is this: always take several clean copies of your resume or CV. You may find that someone on the interview team may not have a copy for a variety of reasons - the most common of which is that the resume is buried somewhere on their desk. If you discover that someone doesn't have a copy then you'll want to provide one to them. However, if this happens mid-conversation, don't lapse into an awkward silence while the interviewer takes the time to read your resume, immediately launch into a discussion of your career highlights - the ones most applicable to the position you are seeking.
It is also a good idea to carry business cards to share with those who you meet. This accomplishes two purposes. The first is you have something to leave behind with the person you've just met that they will keep in front of them - at least for a while. The second and most important is that they might trade or share their own business card with you. This is key information since the business card includes the correct spelling of the individual's name, their direct phone number, usually their email and snail mail addresses. You then have exactly what you need to you can prepare a thank you note after your meeting.
Depending on the functional position you are seeking, it may be appropriate to have examples of your accomplishments. This is especially true with marketing and advertising professionals who may have a portfolio of campaigns. I've also seen a well done one page biography which includes relevant accomplishments and how they effect the bottom line be an effective handout and again a leave behind reference and solid demonstration of your belief in what you can do for the company.
If you are a healthcare practitioner it is less likely that you will have a prepared handout, but again depending on your situation you may have a one page bio describing your accomplishments.
I wish you well with your onsite interview.
A well prepared candidate will also have taken the time to consider what makes them a "hot hire" and will be able to clearly articulate the value they can offer a prospective employer. They will also have paid attention to their attire, their rest the night before and the directions on how to get there.
However, I do get asked "what should I take to the interview?" The answer is this: always take several clean copies of your resume or CV. You may find that someone on the interview team may not have a copy for a variety of reasons - the most common of which is that the resume is buried somewhere on their desk. If you discover that someone doesn't have a copy then you'll want to provide one to them. However, if this happens mid-conversation, don't lapse into an awkward silence while the interviewer takes the time to read your resume, immediately launch into a discussion of your career highlights - the ones most applicable to the position you are seeking.
It is also a good idea to carry business cards to share with those who you meet. This accomplishes two purposes. The first is you have something to leave behind with the person you've just met that they will keep in front of them - at least for a while. The second and most important is that they might trade or share their own business card with you. This is key information since the business card includes the correct spelling of the individual's name, their direct phone number, usually their email and snail mail addresses. You then have exactly what you need to you can prepare a thank you note after your meeting.
Depending on the functional position you are seeking, it may be appropriate to have examples of your accomplishments. This is especially true with marketing and advertising professionals who may have a portfolio of campaigns. I've also seen a well done one page biography which includes relevant accomplishments and how they effect the bottom line be an effective handout and again a leave behind reference and solid demonstration of your belief in what you can do for the company.
If you are a healthcare practitioner it is less likely that you will have a prepared handout, but again depending on your situation you may have a one page bio describing your accomplishments.
I wish you well with your onsite interview.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Just Sign the Darn Release
As you may know, when hiring new employees or as a job seeker looking for new employment, a background check may need to be done and at a minimum a check of references from previous employers or employment situations is usually done.
There are a hundred reasons why this is a complicated concept, but the plain facts (just the facts Ma'am) are that prospective employers have a keen interest in learning that you are who you say you are and that you've done all the things you say you've done. Some 40% of resumes are said to have "distortion". It costs employers roughly three times the salary of the "mis-hire" to replace him/her if there is a bad fit.
As a candidate for employment, you are asked to sign a release that says that a prospective employer can speak with "others" about your previous work experience. I know when I've been a job seeker and looked at the forms I was requested to sign, I've often thought to myself - "well they have me over a barrel. If I don't sign this then it seems like I have something to hide and if I do sign this and someone says something misleading about me then I don't really have any recourse."
The bottom line is that I always have recourse to go back to someone who was deliberately misleading, malicious and slanderous telling "untruths" about me. However, if what they say was true then there isn't really much I can do about it.
My point is this, when a prospective employer asks a job seeker to sign a release so they can check you out....just do it. It is the right thing to do to get the job - if you really want the job. If you are parnoid enough to think that people will say bad things about you - well that creates a presumption you could be a hiring risk and the employer should be cautious.
I've got a current candidate who is refusing to sign a release to complete a background check and professional references. His attorney has advised him that no one who has his best interests in mind would be asking him to sign a release. I can't help this candidate if he gets legal advice that isn't in his best "future employment" interest. If the candidate doesn't sign the release at some point soon in the process we will just have to walk away from him. We have to be able to get to the info that we need as part of the hiring process. His refusal only makes us (me as the recruiter and my client the hiring authority) raise our eyebrows and sigh. He is writing himself off as a candidate because of the liability in making a "wrong" hire.
If you want the job bad enough, you'll just do it. That is certainly the case with signing releases to check references a background check. Just do it.
There are a hundred reasons why this is a complicated concept, but the plain facts (just the facts Ma'am) are that prospective employers have a keen interest in learning that you are who you say you are and that you've done all the things you say you've done. Some 40% of resumes are said to have "distortion". It costs employers roughly three times the salary of the "mis-hire" to replace him/her if there is a bad fit.
As a candidate for employment, you are asked to sign a release that says that a prospective employer can speak with "others" about your previous work experience. I know when I've been a job seeker and looked at the forms I was requested to sign, I've often thought to myself - "well they have me over a barrel. If I don't sign this then it seems like I have something to hide and if I do sign this and someone says something misleading about me then I don't really have any recourse."
The bottom line is that I always have recourse to go back to someone who was deliberately misleading, malicious and slanderous telling "untruths" about me. However, if what they say was true then there isn't really much I can do about it.
My point is this, when a prospective employer asks a job seeker to sign a release so they can check you out....just do it. It is the right thing to do to get the job - if you really want the job. If you are parnoid enough to think that people will say bad things about you - well that creates a presumption you could be a hiring risk and the employer should be cautious.
I've got a current candidate who is refusing to sign a release to complete a background check and professional references. His attorney has advised him that no one who has his best interests in mind would be asking him to sign a release. I can't help this candidate if he gets legal advice that isn't in his best "future employment" interest. If the candidate doesn't sign the release at some point soon in the process we will just have to walk away from him. We have to be able to get to the info that we need as part of the hiring process. His refusal only makes us (me as the recruiter and my client the hiring authority) raise our eyebrows and sigh. He is writing himself off as a candidate because of the liability in making a "wrong" hire.
If you want the job bad enough, you'll just do it. That is certainly the case with signing releases to check references a background check. Just do it.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Getting Past Appearances - Shoes and Biker Leathers
Have you ever been to Daytona Beach Florida for Bike Week? My brother and sister-in-law have a business called Spur Ranch Jewelry where they sell jewelry made and set in sterling silver (http://www.spurranchjewelry.com). Since 1997 they have had concessions at motorcycle rallies, attending the larger ones across the US. This year I was there to help out for a few days and sell jewelry to this microcosm of society.
How does this relate to recruiting in healthcare? The point I want to make is that appearances do make a difference and that people have a hard time getting over stereotypes and assumptions made because of appearances.
Bikers, at least those I have met in places like Daytona and Sturgis SD, which also has a big rally, are some of the most honest, straight forward, in this world for a good time, passionate people on the planet. Many of them are attorneys, bankers, physicians and other high profile contributors to our economy who enjoy being undistinguished and blending in with the biker crowd.
Unless you are one or have significant experience with members of the “biker community,” you might have the impression that people who dress in black leather from head to toe, ride loud and very hot motorcycles, wear skull caps, are adorned with lots of silver chains and have grease under their fingernails are mostly gang oriented, hard living, beer drinking, lower than the linoleum members of our society. Not true, although they do like their beer and rock and roll. The majority are simply free spirits who love the freedom they feel when out on their bikes and who appreciate the simplicity and camaraderie of the biker community. The stereotype is largely wrong and appearances are deceiving.
If you are a candidate looking for a job my advice is to look at your shoes. Or, if you are a hiring authority interviewing people, my advice is to look a little deeper than the shoes. I had a boss once in the recruiting business that interviewed a candidate in person and came back and told me that he didn’t think the candidate was “right” because of his shoes. He couldn’t articulate anything else about why he didn’t like this candidate only, “Lynden if you had been there and seen him and his shoes, you would have understood.” I also had a client reject a candidate saying, "you should have seen his shoes."
The devil is in the details and that goes for both sides of the hiring process. Appearances can be deceiving. As a candidate do your best to have your appearance serve you well. Pay attention to the shine on your shoes and the press of your suit, it does say something about your attention to details. As a hiring authority, be sure to ask about hobbies and outside of work interests that might just explain the stubborn grease under a candidate’s fingernails and most importantly – don’t be afraid to hire a biker. You might just get the best employee you’ve ever had.
How does this relate to recruiting in healthcare? The point I want to make is that appearances do make a difference and that people have a hard time getting over stereotypes and assumptions made because of appearances.
Bikers, at least those I have met in places like Daytona and Sturgis SD, which also has a big rally, are some of the most honest, straight forward, in this world for a good time, passionate people on the planet. Many of them are attorneys, bankers, physicians and other high profile contributors to our economy who enjoy being undistinguished and blending in with the biker crowd.
Unless you are one or have significant experience with members of the “biker community,” you might have the impression that people who dress in black leather from head to toe, ride loud and very hot motorcycles, wear skull caps, are adorned with lots of silver chains and have grease under their fingernails are mostly gang oriented, hard living, beer drinking, lower than the linoleum members of our society. Not true, although they do like their beer and rock and roll. The majority are simply free spirits who love the freedom they feel when out on their bikes and who appreciate the simplicity and camaraderie of the biker community. The stereotype is largely wrong and appearances are deceiving.
If you are a candidate looking for a job my advice is to look at your shoes. Or, if you are a hiring authority interviewing people, my advice is to look a little deeper than the shoes. I had a boss once in the recruiting business that interviewed a candidate in person and came back and told me that he didn’t think the candidate was “right” because of his shoes. He couldn’t articulate anything else about why he didn’t like this candidate only, “Lynden if you had been there and seen him and his shoes, you would have understood.” I also had a client reject a candidate saying, "you should have seen his shoes."
The devil is in the details and that goes for both sides of the hiring process. Appearances can be deceiving. As a candidate do your best to have your appearance serve you well. Pay attention to the shine on your shoes and the press of your suit, it does say something about your attention to details. As a hiring authority, be sure to ask about hobbies and outside of work interests that might just explain the stubborn grease under a candidate’s fingernails and most importantly – don’t be afraid to hire a biker. You might just get the best employee you’ve ever had.
Friday, March 04, 2005
Check out the Talenteering Article
If you are a hiring authority and if you want to attract the best, most professional candidates to your company - check out this concept by Doug Miller with Hire.com.
I think you'll enjoy the concept.
http://www.hire.com/talenteering/talenteering.pdf
It should stretch and bend your thinking.
Be a Talent HOG - my terminology. Create a superlative corporate culture no matter the size of your company, medical practice or small business. That is what will attract the best of the best to your company.
Happy Talent Hogging! :)
Lynden
I think you'll enjoy the concept.
http://www.hire.com/talenteering/talenteering.pdf
It should stretch and bend your thinking.
Be a Talent HOG - my terminology. Create a superlative corporate culture no matter the size of your company, medical practice or small business. That is what will attract the best of the best to your company.
Happy Talent Hogging! :)
Lynden
Professional References
This is an often underappreciated resource for both hiring authorities and candidates who are seeking new opportunities in any market, but especially healthcare. Most good recruiting consultants who are competitive about their practices know that professional references provide credibility for the candidate and substantiate the “contributions” and “professionalism” of top candidates.
A mistake most make about professional references, it that they occur at the end of a job search and usually don’t happen until close to the offer stage of negotiations. Cutting edge recruiters know that by pushing up the timing of a professional reference, they can advance a candidate more quickly through the hiring process and get attention for someone who otherwise might have been buried in the stack of resumes or CV’s.
So just what is a reference check then? It is an objective evaluation of a candidate's past job performance, based on conversations with people who have actually worked with the candidate on a daily basis within the last 5 to 7 years. A good reference is a person with whom the candidate has actually worked; may include current or former supervisors, peers and subordinates; may be either business or professional.
Reference checks allow for an in-depth look at past performance of a potential new hire. It allows the prospective employer to evaluate how the candidate’s skills, experience and overall performance fit the requirements of the job to be filled, and if done properly, it highlights areas in which the candidate can improve or gain additional experience to increase his or her value to the employer over time. From the employers’ perspective, it clearly demonstrates that care was consistently and fairly used in the employee selection process.
We no longer live in a society where companies can hire based on someone having an honest face. An accepted estimate of the costs of mis-hiring is three times the annual salary of the employee. That means that the tangible value placed on professional references is high. An astounding 40% of resumes or CV’s are estimated to have some distortion.
So what can you do? As a job seeker entering the hiring market, know who you are going to use for professional references and why. Select people who can speak to your skills from a 360 degree perspective – 1) those you reported to; 2) peers; and 3) those who reported to you. Not every job seeker’s experience includes a 360 degree perspective, but approximate it as much as possible. If you are a physician for example, who has been in his own practice and doesn’t have a boss, then providing peer references and increasing the number of them is even more important. There are ways to still meet the needs of a prospective hiring authority by being thoughtful and proactive about providing the name and contact information for those who really know what you do and how you function in a professional environment.
If you are working with a recruiter, you might encourage him or her to speak with one or two of your references and summarize the information learned for inclusion along with your credentials to a prospective employer. If you are a hiring authority, you might ask for a couple of references to be completed in advance of bringing a candidate onsite for a personal face to face interview. Having the information from the reference in advance of the interview can help frame interview preparation of the part of the interview team meeting a candidate.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, included below are some excellent references or feel free to contact me. References can make or break a hire. Take the time to assure they work for you.
Reference Checking for Everyone: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Business, and Your Family, Paul W. Barada, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, 2004
The Complete Reference Checking Handbook, Edward C. Andler with Dara Herbst, American Management Association, 2003
A mistake most make about professional references, it that they occur at the end of a job search and usually don’t happen until close to the offer stage of negotiations. Cutting edge recruiters know that by pushing up the timing of a professional reference, they can advance a candidate more quickly through the hiring process and get attention for someone who otherwise might have been buried in the stack of resumes or CV’s.
So just what is a reference check then? It is an objective evaluation of a candidate's past job performance, based on conversations with people who have actually worked with the candidate on a daily basis within the last 5 to 7 years. A good reference is a person with whom the candidate has actually worked; may include current or former supervisors, peers and subordinates; may be either business or professional.
Reference checks allow for an in-depth look at past performance of a potential new hire. It allows the prospective employer to evaluate how the candidate’s skills, experience and overall performance fit the requirements of the job to be filled, and if done properly, it highlights areas in which the candidate can improve or gain additional experience to increase his or her value to the employer over time. From the employers’ perspective, it clearly demonstrates that care was consistently and fairly used in the employee selection process.
We no longer live in a society where companies can hire based on someone having an honest face. An accepted estimate of the costs of mis-hiring is three times the annual salary of the employee. That means that the tangible value placed on professional references is high. An astounding 40% of resumes or CV’s are estimated to have some distortion.
So what can you do? As a job seeker entering the hiring market, know who you are going to use for professional references and why. Select people who can speak to your skills from a 360 degree perspective – 1) those you reported to; 2) peers; and 3) those who reported to you. Not every job seeker’s experience includes a 360 degree perspective, but approximate it as much as possible. If you are a physician for example, who has been in his own practice and doesn’t have a boss, then providing peer references and increasing the number of them is even more important. There are ways to still meet the needs of a prospective hiring authority by being thoughtful and proactive about providing the name and contact information for those who really know what you do and how you function in a professional environment.
If you are working with a recruiter, you might encourage him or her to speak with one or two of your references and summarize the information learned for inclusion along with your credentials to a prospective employer. If you are a hiring authority, you might ask for a couple of references to be completed in advance of bringing a candidate onsite for a personal face to face interview. Having the information from the reference in advance of the interview can help frame interview preparation of the part of the interview team meeting a candidate.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, included below are some excellent references or feel free to contact me. References can make or break a hire. Take the time to assure they work for you.
Reference Checking for Everyone: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Business, and Your Family, Paul W. Barada, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, 2004
The Complete Reference Checking Handbook, Edward C. Andler with Dara Herbst, American Management Association, 2003
Friday, February 18, 2005
Working with Recruiters – Getting the Most Value From The Relationship
There is magic to getting the most from your relationship and interactions with executive and professional search consultants, recruiters and career advisors.
Recruiters are knowledgeable advisors
First and foremost, “search consultants” and/or “recruiters” are your ally when seeking a new position. Think of them as highly knowledgeable and able resources that can shorten your learning curve, enhance your access to opportunities and help ease the pain of searching for a new position. If you leverage your relationships with them well, your job search can be significantly shortened and enhanced.
During the routine course of a recruiter’s average month, they are talking to hundreds of other candidates and hiring authorities about what is happening in healthcare and in the functions and disciplines that support the industry. They are experts at what is effective and what isn’t in presenting candidates. They know the short cuts to get you to the “top” of the heap of contenders – YOU need to be sharp about attracting them to work on your behalf.
What you need to do
Be armed to ask good questions and be prepared to answer questions about yourself and your career. Even if you are in a profession that is considered highly sought after, it might be that your personal preferences are to work in the same “hot” geographic location or for the same “top” health system or “leading” biopharmaceutical competitor as hundreds of others job seekers. A good recruiter can serve as “agent” and resource to guide you through the murky waters of assuring your credentials are presented well and in a manner that makes you “sizzle” as a candidate.
Helping to focus your search
A good recruiter will want to learn about you and your career interests. They will want to learn the “soft side” of what will make you most satisfied from a career perspective. If you take the time in advance of conversing with a recruiter to know what your hot buttons are, what cultural working climate you prefer and what incentives you are seeking (tangible and intangible), your recruiter should be able to advise you about framing your search so that it best meets your preferences.
Not all recruiters are “consultative”. The best will employ a relationship building approach that gives you an opportunity to frame your ideal situation and provides them the ability to discretely advise you of the options which best fit your needs.
Best wishes with your search.
Recruiters are knowledgeable advisors
First and foremost, “search consultants” and/or “recruiters” are your ally when seeking a new position. Think of them as highly knowledgeable and able resources that can shorten your learning curve, enhance your access to opportunities and help ease the pain of searching for a new position. If you leverage your relationships with them well, your job search can be significantly shortened and enhanced.
During the routine course of a recruiter’s average month, they are talking to hundreds of other candidates and hiring authorities about what is happening in healthcare and in the functions and disciplines that support the industry. They are experts at what is effective and what isn’t in presenting candidates. They know the short cuts to get you to the “top” of the heap of contenders – YOU need to be sharp about attracting them to work on your behalf.
What you need to do
Be armed to ask good questions and be prepared to answer questions about yourself and your career. Even if you are in a profession that is considered highly sought after, it might be that your personal preferences are to work in the same “hot” geographic location or for the same “top” health system or “leading” biopharmaceutical competitor as hundreds of others job seekers. A good recruiter can serve as “agent” and resource to guide you through the murky waters of assuring your credentials are presented well and in a manner that makes you “sizzle” as a candidate.
Helping to focus your search
A good recruiter will want to learn about you and your career interests. They will want to learn the “soft side” of what will make you most satisfied from a career perspective. If you take the time in advance of conversing with a recruiter to know what your hot buttons are, what cultural working climate you prefer and what incentives you are seeking (tangible and intangible), your recruiter should be able to advise you about framing your search so that it best meets your preferences.
Not all recruiters are “consultative”. The best will employ a relationship building approach that gives you an opportunity to frame your ideal situation and provides them the ability to discretely advise you of the options which best fit your needs.
Best wishes with your search.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Interview Preparation
Interview Preparation
Hi All!
I just thought I'd add a few thoughts about interview preparation. I have 13 years experience on the hiring side of healthcare, interviewing more than my share of healthcare candidates at all levels from CEO's to Physicians to Infection Control Department Managers. For the last six years I've been studying the art of interviewing as an executive and physician search consultant. I've noticed this trend.
Healthcare leaders including the physicians who provide care are some of the brightest people on the planet, but as such they usually believe they can get a handle on most anything easily - and it is true they can. However, interviewing well requires preparation. Unfortunately most interviewees are not prepared for an interview - especially a behavioral based interview and most interviewers aren't well prepared either.
It is proven that hiring mistakes can be avoided by using a definitive interviewing process - one that is consistent across candidates and behaviorally oriented, but that is another posting. With that said - preparing for an interview requires really thinking about career goals and accomplishments. Being able to answer the "tell me about yourself" question is one of the most important things that any healthcare candidate can learn and practice.
The best answer to the "tell me about yourself" question is a three part response.
1) Summarize your career in one sentence.
For example someone completing a fellowship in infectious disease medicine might say, "Ever since I was a kid, I always had a keen fascination with solving problems which led me to specialize in infectious disease medicine, because I love the science of the specialty combined with the detective/sleuth problem solving." Someone who has been in practice might have a different message, "My 20 year infectious disease private practice has been characterized by treating some of the nastiest bugs on the planet and I've seen the full gamut ranging from plague to ........."
2) Next give a one to two sentence example demonstrating your accomplishments.
Be sure the accomplishments are relevant to the position you are seeking; have the description be easily understood, indicate an impact on the bottom line by enhancing patient care or by being cost effective.
For example, "I have always had a very busy practice. It was important to have high patient volumes and to maximize the efficiency of my office. I had a physician assistant and a nurse practitioner who worked with me getting the number of patients seen each day up to 30-40."
3) End your answer to this question with a one sentence statement about what you want to do next in your career and HINT the statement should match with the purpose and intent of the position for which you are interviewing.
Every harried physician practice manager, physician hiring committee member, hospital or physician executive asks some version of the "tell me about yourself" question.
As a candidate you will stand head and shoulders above the others if you take the time to frame the answer to this question well and practice it so that it rolls out of you spontaneously and easily.
Have a great interview.*
Lynden Kidd
Next Iteration
215-579-1751
lynden@nextiteration.net
www.nextiteration.net
*Credit is to Jeff Skrentny at Jefferson Group Consulting for the three part answer framework. Jeff can be reached at askjeff@jeffersoninc.com or 312.474.6076
Hi All!
I just thought I'd add a few thoughts about interview preparation. I have 13 years experience on the hiring side of healthcare, interviewing more than my share of healthcare candidates at all levels from CEO's to Physicians to Infection Control Department Managers. For the last six years I've been studying the art of interviewing as an executive and physician search consultant. I've noticed this trend.
Healthcare leaders including the physicians who provide care are some of the brightest people on the planet, but as such they usually believe they can get a handle on most anything easily - and it is true they can. However, interviewing well requires preparation. Unfortunately most interviewees are not prepared for an interview - especially a behavioral based interview and most interviewers aren't well prepared either.
It is proven that hiring mistakes can be avoided by using a definitive interviewing process - one that is consistent across candidates and behaviorally oriented, but that is another posting. With that said - preparing for an interview requires really thinking about career goals and accomplishments. Being able to answer the "tell me about yourself" question is one of the most important things that any healthcare candidate can learn and practice.
The best answer to the "tell me about yourself" question is a three part response.
1) Summarize your career in one sentence.
For example someone completing a fellowship in infectious disease medicine might say, "Ever since I was a kid, I always had a keen fascination with solving problems which led me to specialize in infectious disease medicine, because I love the science of the specialty combined with the detective/sleuth problem solving." Someone who has been in practice might have a different message, "My 20 year infectious disease private practice has been characterized by treating some of the nastiest bugs on the planet and I've seen the full gamut ranging from plague to ........."
2) Next give a one to two sentence example demonstrating your accomplishments.
Be sure the accomplishments are relevant to the position you are seeking; have the description be easily understood, indicate an impact on the bottom line by enhancing patient care or by being cost effective.
For example, "I have always had a very busy practice. It was important to have high patient volumes and to maximize the efficiency of my office. I had a physician assistant and a nurse practitioner who worked with me getting the number of patients seen each day up to 30-40."
3) End your answer to this question with a one sentence statement about what you want to do next in your career and HINT the statement should match with the purpose and intent of the position for which you are interviewing.
Every harried physician practice manager, physician hiring committee member, hospital or physician executive asks some version of the "tell me about yourself" question.
As a candidate you will stand head and shoulders above the others if you take the time to frame the answer to this question well and practice it so that it rolls out of you spontaneously and easily.
Have a great interview.*
Lynden Kidd
Next Iteration
215-579-1751
lynden@nextiteration.net
www.nextiteration.net
*Credit is to Jeff Skrentny at Jefferson Group Consulting for the three part answer framework. Jeff can be reached at askjeff@jeffersoninc.com or 312.474.6076
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