The staff you hire in your clinic are one of the most important considerations, right up there with your laser device. The staff will not only be the faces of your company, but they will be responsible for providing the service to your customers, so making good choices when hiring is vital for your clinic’s success.
The laser treatment industry is a somewhat reactive one when it comes to recruiting new members of staff. Statistically the turnover of staff in a laser hair removal clinic is rather high – so you should do your best to buck this trend if you can! A high turnover of staff can not only be frustrating, but it can also be expensive. Finding staff will take time, there will be hiring costs associated, and the new staff will most likely need to undergo training, all of which costs a considerable amount of money.
So, what can you do to make sure you get the right staff who will bring what you need to your laser clinic and how do you make sure they are serious about staying at your company long term? Let’s take a look at some ways in which you can go about hiring new staff for your laser clinic.
Advertising
Advertising a position is the first port of call when hiring for your clinic. This isn’t just a case of going to a recruitment website and posting an ad, though this is likely to yield at least some results they will potentially not be the results you’re looking for. So, making an effective advertisement which relays exactly what you’re looking for is a great way to target the exact type of individual you believe will be suited to your clinic.
Remember to be as authentic as possible when writing your ad. Being open and honest about the role you’re advertising for will work wonders later down the line of the hiring process, and work best for both you and the potential employee. Try to include:
• The benefits of the role, specific to your company (why someone would want to work here)
• The expectations of the job spelt out clearly
• What it’s actually like to work for you (fun, flexible…)
• What separates you and your business from the rest of the market (why choose you?)
Shortlist
Sorting through a long list a of applicants can be a daunting job, and you don’t want to be missing any of the best candidates. To go on to the next stage you need to separate your list of applicants into those who you’d like to interview, and those who you feel wouldn’t be such a good match for your clinic.
The best way to go about this is by first going through your list and removing the applications you are certain you wouldn’t employ. Then after doing this create a ‘maybe’ pile and a ‘definitely’ pile. The ‘maybe’ pile can then be discarded as there was a reason you hesitated!
Try to get the list down to 3 to 5 well-suited applicants who you would like to invite to the interview stage. These should be selected based on skillset, location, qualifications, and any exciting experience that may be useful to your clinic.
Phone Screening
Make the hiring process as efficient as possible is vital, as a laser clinic owner your time is valuable. So instead of heading straight to the in-person interview stage, why not include a phone screening pre-interview stage. This will allow you to get a feel for the applicants and see if you still believe they are (or aren’t) suited for the job. Try to come up with around five questions to ask them which you believe will uncover their suitability for the role and for your clinic. Try to make these questions as relevant to the role as possible so they can give you a definite insight into whether you would like to continue the application process with each applicant.
Interview
Now for the big one, the interview. With your shortlist of the very best of your applicants, its time to meet them in person. Be sure to prepare for the interview with any questions you would like to ask, and with enough time set aside so that you are uninterrupted. Sufficient preparation will also show your clinic’s professionalism – something you will want your new staff to also adopt.
Your questions should aim to stimulate the thinking of your applicants, so make sure you throw in a few challenging (but relevant) questions if you can. This isn’t designed to trick the applicant, but to stop them acting predictably, and encourage more authentic behaviour rather than basing the interview with them purely on questions they have rehearsed in the mirror.
Remember to re-read your job advertisement beforehand so you too are completely sure about the position you are hiring for. And of course, be prepared to answer any questions they may have about your clinic as well.
Be sure to make the most of the interview and ask about their salary expectations, any holidays they have coming up, or anything which may limit their ability to fulfil the role you’re advertising for – If you are hiring for late night work and they are busy at these times they will obviously not be suitable to fill the position.
Hire
So now you have found the person you deem to be perfect for the role it is time to offer them the position at your laser clinic. It is important not to just throw money at the applicant, but instead be a little more ‘cool and collected’. Perhaps say something along the lines of
“So, we really enjoyed your interview. Tell me, are you still interested in the role?”
“Is there anything that would stop you from starting with us?”
Once you know they are keen to accept the job offer you can present them with it. At this stage it is important to cover any minor issues either you or the applicant has so you are both better able to overcome these early on, or if they present too much of an issue it is still early enough for you to both go separate ways without too many issues.
Induct
Giving proper induction to your new employee will be beneficial for both of you. You should try and prepare their first day so they can get a feel for your clinic as quickly as possible and meet as many of your other employees with a proper introduction. Make sure there are arrangements for either you or another member of staff to begin to train your new employee for their new job role.
Create a checklist and make sure it includes:
• Introducing the new person to everyone
• Showing them where the toilets are
• Showing them where the best cafe is
• Getting them to fill in their employment paperwork
• Telling them all the things that are obvious to everyone who already works there, but maybe not to them.
Growing your team is an evolving process and one that will be unique to you and your business. But with a basic structure in place, hiring new team members can be predictable and even enjoyable.
