More hard-learned hiring lessons

Hiring employees is the single most important management task in a practice. Yet even if you take a structured, methodical approach to interviewing job applicants, the evaluation is a subjective process. Neutralize some of that subjectivity by keeping these don'ts in mind:

• Don't be overly impressed by a candidate's maturity and experience, or overly unimpressed by youth and inexperience.

• Don't mistake a quiet, reserved, or calm demeanor for a lack of motivation.

• Don't mistake a person's ability to play the interview game for intelligence or competence.

• Don't let a personal bias influence your evaluation of the applicant.

• Don't succumb to the halo effect—being so dazzled by one quality of a job applicant, such as appearance or computer skills—that you lose sight of other important job requirements.

• Don't let wishful thinking cloud your judgment. In other words, desperation doesn't justify overlooking traits that under different circumstances would disqualify the applicant. If you feel wishful thinking striking, remind yourself of the costs and aggravation involved in a bad hire.

• Don't fail to factor in a person's motivation and eagerness to learn when you make your overall evaluation.

• Don't ignore intuition. As objective as hiring must be, listen to the tug inside that says, "Something doesn't feel right here." Often this feeling comes from your past experience. Listen to it, and when in doubt, don't be too quick to hire.

Bob Levoy

Veterinary Economics Editorial Advisory Board member Bob Levoy is a seminar speaker based in Roslyn, N.Y. At the Western Veterinary Conference he will discuss "Branding Your Practice. The Key to Greater Profitability."