Medical Staff

How to talk to a candidate's reference

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, January 26, 2010

When talking to a reference contact, the employer should describe the practice or specific elements of the practice to the reference and then ask how the candidate will perform in such a practice.This is particularly helpful when the potential employer suspects the candidate might be deficient in some areas or has concerns that the candidate might not fit in well with the practice. The potential employer should not simply ask “yes or no” questions or only ask the reference to “rate” the candidate on a scale of 1–10. Engage the reference in a dialogue about the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.

The potential employer should keep in mind that the goal of the referencing process is not to simply avoid hiring an ax murderer; the goal should be to determine whether the candidate can succeed and even thrive in the practice. The referencing process can be a valuable tool not only in the hiring process but also in effective management of the candidate once he or she is hired.

The above excerpt is adapted from Practical Guide to Hospitalist Recruitment and Retention by Kirk Mathews, MBA, foreword by John Nelson, MD, FACP, FHM, published by HCPro, Inc.

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