Hiring Your Staff

By Lawrence T. Markson, DC


When you determine it is time to hire an additional employee or to replace one who is not fulfilling his or her potential or living up to your expectations, we suggest that you take one or all of the following approaches:

1. Look within your practice to see if you have a patient who might enjoy working in your office. After all, she Already confidence in you and has been through all your procedures. Naturally, the patient must have all the skills you require and be able to work the required hours.

2. Place an ad in your local newspaper. The best days are on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. Most newspapers have a special rate for a multiple day ad insertion. Good ad guidelines to follow are:

a. Your ad should be placed under the category of Gal/Guy Friday or Receptionist wanted for chiropractic office or Insurance clerk wanted.

b. You must state either full-time or part-time and list the specific hours of employment.

c. Finally, you should state the times you will accept phone calls for a PERSONAL EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW. An example:

RECEPTIONIST WANTED FOR CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE. FULL TIME: M-W-F 10 AM-7:30 PM; TUES., 3 PM-7:30 PM; SAT., 9 AM-12 NOON. CLERICAL SKILLS REQUIRED. WILLING TO TRAIN. FOR PERSONAL INTERVIEW CALL TUESDAY MORNING (516) 488-3200.

3. Third choice is to call an employment agency and/or temporary agency.

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Good to remember: New practitioners only require part-time CAs in the beginning (afternoons and one morning).

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When they do call in, listen to the "phone" personality with regard to voice, grammar, diction and enthusiasm. Briefly outline the job being offered and what you expect of an employee, including such things as Seminar attendance. Remember not to scare them on the phone.

For those that you decide to invite to the PERSONAL EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW, schedule all at the same time so they can complete an Employment Application and then listen to a special Health Care Class scheduled especially for them. The HCC should last about 20-30 minutes, during which time you will have the opportunity to observe their behavior. Also, it will afford them the opportunity to see if this sounds like the profession in which they would like to participate.

During the special HCC we suggest you give your basic chiropractic talk first. Then completely describe the job being offered and give details of some of the office policies, such as no smoking, HCC attendance, Seminar attendance, basic salary and benefits, probation period (three months), and a requirement that they become chiropractic patients and why.

After the special HCC ask that all still interested in working with you stay for a five-minute personal interview. During that interview, fill out the DOCTOR'S EMPLOYMENT/INTERVIEW CHECKLIST.

Ask any with whom you are reasonably impressed to return for a second interview, at which time they need to take a typing test, balance a daysheet, etc. It is also another exposure to their personality. If all goes well and you have decided to hire a certain applicant, have this person review the Office Policy.

After selection of your new staff member, schedule your time to train him or her in the procedures of the job's function. You, the doctor, must do the training!

Remember, never settle for someone you feel is not capable. It takes additional time, effort and money to start this process all over again.

There are other materials like this at our Chiropractic Assistant (CA) Page

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