Receptionist Hiring Tips for Your Dental Practice

Receptionist Hiring Tips for Your Dental PracticeHiring managers and small business owners regularly face the challenge of bringing on new receptionists. It’s a time-consuming task, one that can end up costing you money in the long run if you don’t bring in the right talent. Some folks are great at interviewing and turn out to be lousy employees. Others might be dismal while interviewing but are actually rock stars behind the desk. We’ll go over a few tips to help you navigate the hiring process and ensure only top candidates are making their way to your payroll.

Make Time for Small Talk

The administrative duties that come with being a receptionist at a dental practice are only part of the job. There is, of course, the need for your staff to be friendly, cheerful, personable, and helpful. Hiring managers can overlook the importance of being personable—and it’s one of the easiest traits to bring out during the interview process. Start off your interviews as casually as possible. Ask the candidate how their evening or weekend was or if they have seen any good shows lately. What may seem like small talk to them is actually a critical part of the interview. See how they handle casual conversations. Great front-desk staff are able to talk to patients with ease—and potentially calm the nerves of worried dental patients.

Get More than One Opinion

Sure, you’re the practice owner and ultimately get to make the final call in who you hire. However, you’re not likely to be the one working day-in and day-out with this candidate. Consider doing first-round interviews with prospective candidates to screen out the best. When you’ve identified applicants to move to the next step, ask your most trusted employees to step in and lead some interviews. It’s important to have multiple viewpoints when narrowing down candidates. Other interviewers may have a different line of questioning that brings out traits you didn’t uncover in your interview. More than one opinion on a candidate will help ensure you’re bringing on the best talent for the job.

Let the Candidate Ask

It’s important to remember that interviews are just as much about you interviewing a candidate as they are about candidates interviewing you. Remember this as you’re meeting with candidates. Be mindful of the time and leave an appropriate amount for the candidate to ask you questions. Not only will this help them determine if they’re a good fit for your dental practice, but it’s also a nice way to learn if the candidate was prepared for the meeting. Prospective employees should never leave an interview without any questions prepared for their potential boss.

ARF Financial has your back when it comes to running a small business like a dental practice. Be sure to stop by The Financial Pantry any time you need marketing advice, financial tips, or industry news. Our experts are always ready to help you put your best business foot forward—and build a loan product that’s designed to fund your success!