Screening Candidates

Screening a candidate for fit is a critical component of the recruitment process. Most of us complete a detailed review of the CV. Great start! But it is only the beginning of the candidate screening process.

Completing a detailed candidate screening ensures that you focus your recruitment budget on the right candidates . None us want to go through the expense and effort of interviewing a candidate that is not going to be a good fit, especially if if we can find out ahead of time!

Here are some pointers to consider when you are screening candidates:

Complete a detailed review of the candidate’s CV

• Is the candidate’s training a good fit for your opportunity?
• Are there any gaps in the candidates training?
• Have practicing candidates moved around a lot?
• Is the candidate certified in his specialty?
• Where is the candidate licensed?

Complete an indepth telephone interview(approximately 30 to 45 minutes)

• Address any questions that arise from review of the candidate’s CV.
• Ask open ended questions about the candidate's current and past practice experience. Get detailed information about patient volumes, areas of expertise, etc.
• What are the candidate’s career goals?
• Confirm the status of the candidate certification and licensure status.
• Find out what the candidate is looking for in a practice opportunity. The candidate is also interviewing you! This is an excellent opportunity to “sell” your opportunity.
• Find out why the candidate is interested in your community. Does he have ties to the area? Also ask if he is considering other geographic locations.
• What are the candidate’s compensation expectations. This is important! Try to get as much detail as possible . Knowing a candidate’s compensation requirements up front can save you a ton of time.
• Ask the candidate when he is available to interview and start practice.
• When does the candidate want to make a decision?
• This is also a good opportunity to find out where the candidate is interviewing and if there are any offers on the table.

Review risk factors to ensure candidate has a “clean” background

• A detailed review of risk factors with a candidate is important. The last thing you want to do is hire a candidate and find out he cannot get credentialed!
• Have the candidate's privileges have been suspended or restricted?
• Have any complaints have been filed with a state medical board or the National Practitioner Data Bank ?
• Has the candidate had any malpractice suites filed against him, are there any pending suits ?
• Has the candidate ever been convicted of a felony?
• The best way to address these issues is by developing a list of questions. Make sure you have legal counsel review the questions.
  
  A detailed candidate screening up front can save you time and hassle down the line. You can focus your recruitment dollars on the candidates that are a good fit for your practice/organization.