Finding the right person for your open position can feel like an uphill battle sometimes. You have certain requirements outlined on paper and there might be several candidates that check every box, but what about those hard-to-define characteristics, such as reliability? How do you find out more about the person and how they would fit into your organization?
Reliability is an important character trait for those in the medical field. Your team isn’t complete without each member and every person on the shift will be affected when others aren’t reliable. You could hire a highly competent medical professional, but if they never show up on time for work or aren’t a reliable team player, what good are all their qualifications?
In an interview, try some of these questions to glean some insight into the candidate:
· Ask about their long-term goals. Most people won’t have a clue about their 5+ year goals, so find out about their goals. It should align with your industry and company.
· Ask about their focus. A question along the lines of, “When was the last time a personal issued pulled you away from work?” and “How did you deal with it?” is a smart choice. It’s no secret that personal issues will come up with your team members, but how they dealt with it and this type of question tends to open other lines of conversations with candidates.
· Ask about their reason for interviewing with your company. They may hint around that you were their only interview, or they may have knowledge about your company history and really want to work there. Either way, you’ll learn about their intentions.
· Ask about their ideal workplace and ideal co-workers. This can provide insight as to how they interact with others and the tasks at hand.
· Ask about the last major problem they had to solve. If they can’t answer, this can lead to some red flags. Everyone has problems to solve and either they work through them or they don’t. Those who don’t, are not usually the most reliable employee. They tend to run from problems or push them off onto someone else.
· Ask them about their workday habits. Listen for their emphasis on schedules, completing tasks, long lunches, etc. You’ll learn whether this person will stay to complete a task or leave promptly when their shift is over. There are situations in the medical field when a task must be completed when the workday is officially over. You want a reliable team member who will work until things are finished.
Look for body language clues, interview manners, and even small talk to help you gauge the reliability of a potential employee. Check references and ensure the candidate is exactly who they appear to be on paper. Contact us today to learn more.