How to Conduct Interviews for Your Chiropractic Practice

In the article covering the branding of your chiropractic practice, we stated that your staff is an integral part of your brand image. The way they treat patients, talk to them and interact with them over the phone or by email will determine how patients perceive your practice. In general, you can train people to adopt a certain manner in their interactions. But it is much better to hire employees whose manner, attitude towards their work and the patients match your brand image. For this reason, we will give you a few helpful tips on how to conduct interviews for your chiropractic practice.

What You Cannot Ask in Interviews

Before we start discussing the types of questions you should ask during interviews for your chiropractic practice, let us start with the forbidden ones. You may not inquire about a candidate’s:
•    Ancestry
•    Race
•    Religion
•    Age
•    Family status
•    Pregnancy
•    Sexual orientation.

These issues are prohibited by federal and state regulations concerning equal opportunities. And, frankly, these aspects have no connection with a person’s ability to perform their job duties and promote the brand image of your practice.

Key Questions You Should Ask Candidates

You may be tempted to find a standard list of job interview questions online and adapt it a little bit. Here is the deal: for every list of standard question, there are 10 resources teaching candidates how to give a good answer.

What you need to focus on in interviews for your chiropractic practice is:

1. Reasons Why They Want to Work for You

Of course, everyone works for money. That is the basic motivation behind job seeking. But a chiropractic practice needs employees who are motivated by more than just the salary. Look for answers that match your own motivation to become a chiropractor and opening a practice.

When the employer and employee share the same values, they are usually a good match. You will not have to teach your staff to embrace your brand image, they will do it naturally.

2. How They Deal with Specific Situations

Everyone says they are a good team player and perform well under pressure. But how can you verify this? It is very simple: at a point during the interviews for your chiropractic practice, present them with a situation that usually occurs in your practice and is directly related to the position you are advertising for.

For instance, when you interview candidates for a receptionist position, ask them what they would do when an angry patient calls and says that they cannot book an appointment because the mobile app is not working well.

3. What Types of Specific Software and Equipment They Are Familiar With

Your chiropractic practice uses various software suites, such as the ChiroWebMD EHR software. You also use various diagnostic and treatment equipment. On various occasions, you will need your staff to start up, prepare or use these. If they demonstrate proficiency in similar devices and software, you can easily train them to use the solutions you chose for your practice.

4. What They Know about Chiropractic

You may hire nurses and receptionists who worked for allopath clinics and hospital. They have the right training for the job. But they also need the right attitude towards your profession. Thus, when conducting interviews for your chiropractic practice, don’t forget to ask candidates to tell you what they know and how they view chiropractic.

You do not want to hire someone who does not believe that you are practicing “real” medicine or that you are simply providing placebo treatments. Your staff must be as convinced as you are that you are treating patients and helping them get better.

5. What Their Long Term Goals Are

Last but not least, you should know whether you are hiring someone for the long term, or a job hopper who is looking for the next best thing. You cannot build a positive brand image for your chiropractic practice if your staff keeps changing every few months. Patients will naturally ask themselves: why aren’t they staying?

Together with the right EHR software, the right staff will make your chiropractic practice successful. This is why you should take the time to conduct in-depth interviews and, ultimately, trust your instincts when you make the selection. Good luck!