Managing Relationships to Ensure Quality Hires

Does your radiology practice struggle with recruiting quality staff? Have you ever wondered what your recruiter or HR department was thinking when they sent you a resume? Having successfully recruited hundreds of candidates, I can tell you an effective and smooth hiring process happens through a collaborative team approach.

The hiring manager needs to work closely with their recruiter or HR team. The more the team communicates and provides feedback the more effective the process will be. Here are some tips on working with recruiters and human resources that will ensure your next hire possesses all of the experience and skills you need to make your practice successful.

Forming the relationship
The first step in the process is to schedule a meeting (preferably face to face when available). This initial meeting is a great opportunity for both parties to get to know one another and focus on a few key areas:

• Gain an understanding of what the department and team are responsible for
• Learn about the department’s culture and how it fits in with the company’s culture
• Identify key traits and skills that excel in the department (potentially meet with top performers)
• Define a recruitment plan and strategy for upcoming openings

Building the relationship
By getting the relationship started early, the recruitment process can be much more efficient when a need does arise. The relationship will begin to grow and develop once a requisition opens up and the real work begins. During this time it will be critical to:

• Schedule an initial intake meeting and define the job description
• Stay in constant communication
• Communicate any changes from the initial intake meeting
• Provide feedback on each candidate to better narrow down strengths and weaknesses

The more feedback the hiring manager provides, the more effective the recruiter will become in identifying qualified candidates. Like any relationship it takes time to build trust; but the more both parties stay involved and on the same page, the more effective the process will become.