Make Interviewing Easier
KarenZupko & Associates
Since Katie Couric famously asked candidate Sarah Palin about what the vice presidential candidate reads, questions about reading habits have become popular during interviews. When pressed about which newspapers she reads, Palin tried to skirt the issue with her response: “Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me all these years.” Her answer told everyone something about her reading habits, and the way potential employees answer the same question can tell you a lot about them.
We’ve recommended questions about what employees read for years—long before Couric encountered Palin. But we refine this question to reflect the candidates’ interest and knowledge in a particular position.
We listen for quality, specific answers. For instance, an administrator might indicate that he stays up-to-date by reading the monthly MGMA magazine or website (or reading AAOS Now if he is in orthopaedics, or other publications associated with various specialties). The Journal of Medical Practice Management has solid content, and The Wall Street Journal and other business publications are good for broader scope insights. The Medicare Learning Network is another place for quality information. If candidates read any of these publications, you know you’re on the right track. Surgeons are lifelong learners; your manager should be too.
Ask all candidates which websites they rely on for professional information. Hopefully they don’t depend on chat rooms or message boards filled with unqualified people disseminating baseless information.
If the interviewees are billers or coders and they claim membership in the American Association of Procedural Coders, do they visit the AAPC site? Which sites or publications do they frequent to stay current?
What to Ask
We find that asking “What would you like to learn at our practice? Any new skills you’d like to acquire or master?” is a great way to gauge candidate motivation. One of our clients has a talent for attracting and hiring bright young women who work hard at the front desk or as medical assistants, but want to become nurses in the future. This practice has produced two nursing school grads, and another is on the way. Since these staff want to gain experience and earn a good reference, they are more motivated to do great work rather than just maintain the status quo.
We prefer questions that a candidate can’t necessarily rehearse for or practice before the interview:
#1 “When I call for references, would your previous employers describe you as ‘very’ or ‘moderately’ detailed oriented?” Whatever the candidate says, make sure you verify the answer when you call for references. It helps you see if the candidates’ perceptions of themselves in previous work places are accurate or not.
#2 “We’ve all been in situations where we haven’t gotten along with a supervisor or co-worker. When that happened to you, how did you resolve the situation?” If the candidate says that has never happened to him, it’s just too good to be true. We prefer truthful answers like “I left that job because it wasn’t resolvable" or that they “eventually won the person’s trust.” These types of responses show us the candidate is honest, and also show us how they deal with conflict.
#3 “Can you describe the most meaningful feedback you’ve received from a previous supervisor or manager?” When you ask this question you are looking for someone who has received and digested feedback in a positive manner.
We hope that you give performance reviews at your practice because they are an excellent way to gauge employee’s work and let your employees know the truth about how you perceive them.
More Helpful Interview Questions
- What was the most significant innovation you made at your last job?
Example:
Candidate: “I was very effective at lowering the accounts receivable. It’s one of the accomplishments I’m proudest of.”
You: “Oh great, we need help there!”
Many physicians fail to ask effective follow-up questions. After the candidate’s initial response, they stop asking questions and begin telling the candidate about something else. Make asking follow-up questions a habit.
Try this:
Candidate: “I was very effective at lowering the accounts receivable. It’s one of the accomplishments I’m proudest of.”
You: “Really? Tell me more about how you went about addressing the AR issues. I’m particularly interested in learning about your approach and strategies for lowering patient balances.”
- How did you deal with insurance companies?
- How long did it take for those improvements and changes to yield results?
- When you think back about the people you’ve worked for, who was your best boss? Why?
- Describe a situation you’d like to go back and handle again. What would you do differently? Why?
What Else You Can DoBeyond interviewing, we urge you to test or assess candidates at every level. Check out
www.totaltesting.com. It’s a great tool to see if the applicants who say they know Microsoft Windows really do. For a mere $20 you’ll receive a detailed report showing correct and incorrect answers and how long the candidate spent on each one. If you have, or are moving to, an EMR you need staff with the computer skills to handle the program.
We believe that Select is a good tool for receptionists and medical assistants. Select is a web-based assessment that provides insight into a candidate’s willingness to conform to rules, stay late, show up for work and handle responsibility with integrity. It’s used by Fortune 1000 firms and is EEOC approved. You can find Select on our website:
www.karenzupko.com.
Background checks are mandatory in health care today. Identity theft in medical offices is a serious problem since people with terrible credit may have reason to dip into the cash drawer. ADP estimates that 1 out 4 applicants have fudged degrees—undergrad and graduate. So it’s best to check out candidates before a problem arises.
Karen Zupko & Associates, best known for their coding and reimbursement advice, works with practices to improve their human resources management and operational issues. Check out their website at www.karenzupko.com for more stories and tools.