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Interview should show candidate’s potential as a colleague
Along with technical skills, a balance of personality, intellect and work ethic is important to consider when hiring, experts say.
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Source: Pinto JB |
Hiring the perfect candidate is much like finding a spouse, said John B. Pinto, a practice management consultant. The interview process should reflect parallel intellect, work ethic and financial outlook.
“The factors that go into choosing the right colleague are at least as complex as the factors to choose a marriage partner,” Mr. Pinto told Ocular Surgery News (OSN).
Hiring physicians should find out whether a candidate will contribute in the management of staff, said Mr. Pinto, of J. Pinto & Associates in San Diego, Calif., and Section Editor of OSN’s Practice Management section. It should also be determined whether they wish to be a part of a multisubspecialty practice or a smaller one, he said.
According to Mr. Pinto, the market is much like the recovery market after the recession of the early 1990s. “… Everybody’s holding their breath to see not only what the macroeconomic trajectory is going to be but what the future of healthcare reform and fee cuts will be,” he said.
Openings for ophthalmologists have remained the same year to year, but they may shift depending on the specialty, according to recruitment experts.
“It seems that every year, the opportunities are about equal – some close, some open,” said Amelia Rogoff, a physician recruiter for the Eye Group in Boca Raton, Fla.
Her colleague, Lauren Simon, agreed but said that there have been trends in the ophthalmic specialties, such as the higher demand for corneal refractive surgeons during the LASIK boom. When that phase passed, surgeons focused more on cataract and glaucoma, she said.
“This past year, we had more glaucoma openings than we could find candidates for. So I think there’s a trend in what specialty is needed, but the number of openings overall are probably the same,” Ms. Simon said.
Although an aging baby boomer population may increase demands from certain specialties, there has been no change yet, Ms. Rogoff said. She did say that retina specialists are at the forefront in caring for the geriatric population, but there have been no added demands.
What to look for in a candidate
Above skills and related qualifications, Ms. Rogoff and Ms. Simon said having a strong personality sets a candidate apart. To them, this means someone who is a good communicator with patients and colleagues, and who does not have a lofty ego.
“It’s not just the CV. Great candidates come out of average programs, and average candidates come out of great programs. Even average surgical skills, if they have great personality, their practice is going to be big,” Ms. Simon said.
In addition to checking the required background references, recruiters will also talk with drug representatives and technicians who have worked with the candidate.
Mr. Pinto suggested asking several questions during an interview, some of which are considered uncomfortable or taboo by some employers. Senior physicians should not hesitate to ask questions about the candidate’s life that might affect their work. He suggested asking about candidates’ family planning, economic goals, how much time they are willing to work to help run the practice and how much time off they may take.
“Keep in mind that while the answers are subjective, you have to trust both your intuitive sense of the individual as well as their proven background to make a hiring decision,” he said.
He also suggested asking about a candidate’s work history, surgical background, ability to overcome mistakes and the ability to be part of a team. The answers should reflect a candidate with a good work ethic, a solid surgical caseload, and most of all, someone who can be a colleague and partner. He also suggested asking about the candidate’s perception of the healthcare environment since it influences they way surgeons practice and are paid. For these reasons, he often suggests hiring a midcareer ophthalmologist since their work history is more tangible than that of a junior physician.
Generational change
Although there hasn’t been a drastic change yet in ophthalmology to treat aging baby boomers, Ms. Simon and Ms. Rogoff have seen a change in the career goals of ophthalmologists. The younger generation of ophthalmologists wants more of a balance between work and family life than their predecessors, Ms. Rogoff said.
“The person coming out of a fellowship now is much more family-oriented. They want their time off, they want their vacation – they want more of a balance,” she said.
The older generations in practice focused more on work and struggled to obtain their positions. “As admirable as that is, there wasn’t balance there,” she said.
Interviewing takes time
As recruiters, Ms. Rogoff and Ms. Simon do a complete background check on each candidate, which provides information about personal interests, family and career goals, as well as education and surgical skills. They will either do the entire review process on a retainer basis, or do a shorter review process and pass the CV along to the listed practice. The recruiters even interview spouses because they often determine where the physician will practice.
Because searching for candidates is time-consuming, the recruiters recommend hiring professionals to do it for practices.
“It’s not something easily done by the principle person in the practice … they should know that just because they have an ad in a journal or on the Internet, ophthalmologists, especially if they are in a practice, want to keep their application confidential. They won’t necessarily answer an ad but will come to us, a confidential third party. So, I think seeking professional help with someone who knows their subspecialty is invaluable,” Ms. Rogoff said.
For Your Information:
- John B. Pinto can be reached at 1576 Willow St., San Diego, CA 92106; 619-223-2233; fax: 619-223-2253.
- Lauren Simon and Amelia Rogoff can be reached at The Eye Group, 22828 Horseshoe Way, Boca Raton, FL 33428; 561-852-0008; fax: 561-852-1171.