Alternative Ideas to Office Staff Recruitment
By Tod Borges

Tired of placing ads and getting inundated with resumes from unqualified applicants? Here are a couple of ideas that may make finding office staff a little easier.

Temp agencies are a great resource for trained office staff that in many cases doesn’t require a lot of your precious time to hit the decks running. Make sure the agency knows that you are looking for a temp-to-perm placement. This way, you will only get people that are looking for the chance to get a permanent job. Also, be very specific about what qualifications you are looking for. This will increase the chance that you get the right person the first time. Utilizing temp agencies also gives you the chance to see the person in action. If they don’t meet your standards, the agency will take care of notifying the staff member and replacing them for you. Remember, they work for the agency, not you, so it’s the agency’s job to pay them and provide any benefits.

Be aware of two potential drawbacks to utilizing a temp agency. The hourly wage you will pay for the staff member will be higher, sometimes almost double, what you would pay them if they were your employee. Secondly, some agencies will require you to sign an agreement that their employee must work for you for a certain number of hours before you can hire them on a permanent basis. So even if you love that person, the temp agency wants to get their money’s worth before that person is brought onto your payroll.

Another viable option is adult education or trade schools. Most of these schools have 6 to 9 month training courses in office management or medical office management. Many of the people attending are looking for a career change or a fresh start. While you might have to mine a little deeper to find that diamond in the rough, all of these schools have Placement Directors on site whose job it is to assist graduates to find employment. Some medical office management programs require the potential graduate to perform an unpaid, one-month externship to graduate. This is a great way to see them in action without the commitment to continued employment or even pay! Just like with temp agencies, make sure you are very specific about the qualifications you are looking for in a candidate. This will allow the Placement Director to pre-screen the applicants for you.

Sometimes you have to think “out of the box” to find that person who will make an impact and help your practice to succeed and grow. Good Luck!

Tod Borges is a Regional Manager for the American Hearing Aid Associates .