APMA News - November/December 2011 - (Page 60)

Small Business 101 By John Guiliana, DPM Tell Me about Yourself QUESTION: I heard you speak about job interview questions we are not allowed to ask, such as, “Are you married?” and “Do you have children?” Can you give me some advice on good interview questions to ask an applicant? ANSWER: I have conducted dozens of interviews in my 24 years of practice. For years, asking questions like “What’s your biggest weakness?” and “What are your three greatest strengths?” was sufficient. But with the complexity of our practices today, we need to be more focused on certain characteristics that will help us select the best applicant for the job. Asking questions like “What is your best attribute?” is like asking Charlie Sheen if he likes to party. The questions are so trite that even the most inexperienced candidates anticipate them, and we all have a good idea of what the answers will be. Everyone now expects the strengths and weaknesses questions, so please stop asking them. So what are some great questions designed to see how a candidate approaches people, problems, and a new organization? I’ll touch upon five in this edition of Small Business 101. After the small talk, I always start with: 1. “Tell me about yourself.” This request gives the expected questions a slightly different slant. I usually say something like, “I’ve read your résumé, so I know a bit about your background. Why don’t you start by telling me a little about yourself? Give me your two-minute bio.” All I really want is some insight into how candidates would describe themselves if asked for a quick synopsis of who they are. But this question will likely also give you a lot of information about candidates, such as answers to questions that you are not allowed to ask. It would be unusual for someone not to mention a spouse or children when asked to tell about him- or herself. You should gain a good deal of insight into interviewees and how they view themselves with this simple question. Just make sure to emphasize the “two-minute” part. 2. “Tell me what you know about our practice.” This request tells me if candidates have done their homework. Anyone with any experience should come to the interview with a sense of the practice and its purpose. This isn’t a particularly difficult request, but I’m amazed at how many candidates show up for an interview having done nothing more than look at our website, and for no other purpose than to find out how to get to our office. If a candidate approaches an inter60 APMA News November/December 2011 view this casually, he or she either doesn’t care about the job that much or isn’t very thorough in his or her approach to things in general. Either way, I’m probably not interested. 3. “We’ve lined up several candidates who are qualified for this position. Why should we hire you over other wellqualified candidates?” This question is an opportunity for candidates to position themselves and explain what unique strengths they would bring to the practice. Serious candidates will have thought through what distinguishes them from other candidates without merely boasting. Asking questions like “What is your best attribute?” is like asking Charlie Sheen if he likes to party. 4. “What would you do during your first 90 days on the job to learn as much as you can?” This simple question offers you an opportunity to get a sense of how candidates would approach joining the practice and committing to learning their duties, especially if they have no prior experience. Can they describe how they plan to optimize their learning? 5. “If you learned you only had six months to live, what would you do with your remaining time?” Yes, it’s an unusual question. But it’s one that will enable you to see how candidates react in an unrehearsed, spontaneous manner. This sort of question should give you some insight into how candidates think about themselves, their priorities, and life in general. One more important note: Spend five to 10 minutes just chatting with the candidate at the beginning of the interview to help him or her relax. Your interviews should be a mixture of casual conversation and some probing questions that a truly good candidate will enjoy. Ask a “softball” question or two (“What’s the accomplishment you’re proudest of, and why?”). Ask about what candidates liked most in their previous jobs. But don’t ask illegal questions and don’t ask what a candidate’s biggest strength or weakness is! n Contact Dr. Guiliana at Jguiliana@aappm.org.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - November/December 2011

APMA News - November/December 2011
Help Your Patients Get Up and Dance with APMA’s Diabetes Awareness Campaign
President’s Message
Contents
Special Section: Corporate Partners and Members Make a Difference
State Advocacy Case Study: NYSPMA Puts Thomson Reuters Data in the Spotlight
Reimbursement
Federal Advocacy Forum
APMAPAC Chair Report
IT Consultant
Can They Really Do That?
Members Who Know Media
Technofile
Young Voices
Small Business 101
APMA All Stars
In Short
APMA Out and About
Worthy of Note
Affiliates Corner
List of Affiliated Organizations
Insurance Advisor
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Annual Scientific Meeting Registration Form
Resolutions Submissions
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
10 Questions

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