5 Keys to Recruiting Staff

Alan Penzias, MD, offered other physicians advice on recruiting staff at the 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting.

These five but effective tips were part of a larger discussion on “Preparing to Enter the REI Arena”:

• Don’t hire former patients or relatives of current patients or employees. “It just gets weird,” Penzias warns.
• Focus on job sizing. Be wary of both under-qualified and over-qualified candidates. It’ll help to start with a very detailed job description.
• Know what you need. “Adding another employee doesn’t always lighten the load,” said Penzias. You may have a workflow issue or need another manager to coordinate efforts more than you need another worker bee.
• Don’t expect a replica of yourself. An entrepreneurial, inquisitive physician might well like being around other entrepreneurial, inquisitive people, but a well-rounded business needs multiple viewpoints. A practical, sure-footed approach might be just right for the billing office.
• Finally, check references.

More resources on recruiting staff:

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