Recruiting Etiquette

My father always said, “If you are going to do something, do it right, and make sure you treat people right in the process.”

My team and I apply this to our recruiting work, and if you are recruiting yourself, applying this concept to your recruiting process will influence your reputation as an employer.

You may wonder how you would apply this concept to the task of recruiting.

Simply ask yourself:

• Do I schedule interviews with candidates promptly?
• For those I am not interested in interviewing, do I decline their candidacy on the various job boards so they know they should continue their search?
• Do I make the candidates wait when they
  arrive for the interview?
• Am I not prepared for the interview or do I allow for interruptions, or a lack of privacy and focus?
• Do I express to the candidate what my
  practice is all about versus battering them with questions, not letting them ask questions of their own?
• Do I tell the candidate of the next steps in the process and how long before they should expect to hear back from us?
• Do I schedule a call to answer the selected candidates’ questions after they have accepted the offer, which is also provided in writing?
• Do I stay in touch with the selected candidate weekly prior to their start date?
• Do I make the “let down” calls to the candidates as soon as the position is filled?

This seems like a lot of work., and it is. Some clients utilize an outside recruiter for that reason, but if you rarely have positions open, it is manageable to accomplish.

Remember that one of the most common complaints we hear from candidates is that they “never hear back.” This shows a lack of respect from the employer. The dental labor pool in this geographic area is small, and candidates talk to one another. Even if you failed to get back to a candidate you did not wish to hire, they may be best friends with a candidate you would love to attract to your office.

If reputational harm has already been done based on how the rejected candidate was treated, you will lose the one you seek.

Treating people right, whether they are the “right fit” for your practice or not, is the right thing to do.

 You can never go wrong, doing the right thing. 

This is another thing my father taught me.