Tips for recruiting to your practice

How to find the right candidate for your practice

Finding the right candidate to join your team is essential so that you can maintain delivering high-quality patient care and ensure the successful running of a multi-disciplinary team.

The job advert

The recruitment process should always begin with a clear job description and job advert, this should provide potential candidates with a better understanding of the role and the type of person you are looking for. It’s important to stand out from the crowd and be competitive in a market where vacancies are at an all-time high.

Discuss the recruitment process with industry experts and consultancies. This will help you to gauge a better understanding of how you can recruit top-calibre candidates. As you will be aware, it is a candidate shortage market and Practices cannot simply rely on putting up adverts.

Provide yourself with a competitive advantage especially when recruiting is such a time-intensive process and expensive if not actioned correctly.

Reviewing the applications

Once you start to receive applications, it’s essential to thoroughly review each one to check for the necessary skills and qualifications for the position. At Menlo Park, we thoroughly screen our candidates before sending profiles and CVs.

If required, you could then shortlist the applications and invite suitable candidates for a visit prior to an interview so both parties have the opportunity to learn more about each other without the formality of an interview.

The interview

At the interview, make sure you ask the relevant questions to gain an insight of the candidate’s clinical skills and experiences. This should also give you an indication of their personality and how they would fit into the team and how they can support patient care.

Also ‘sell’ the Practice/PCN. Think about how you stand out from other employers. What have you done differently, can you support the clinician’s career progression? There are all crucial elements that a candidate will look for. Additionally, be prepared to answer any questions that they might have.

After the interview, it is useful to provide the candidate with feedback on their application and performance which is always appreciated.

Onboarding

Once the recruitment process is complete and you have chosen the right candidate, it is important to ensure they have a smooth transition into the role. This can be done by providing them with a detailed induction and ensuring they have the necessary equipment and resources to do the job.