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This month's guest columnist Laura Hatch nailed it in her article on hiring when she says that dentists HATE the process of hiring staff.
Let's face it -- hiring is a minefield. You either have too few qualified applicants or too many. In addition to the challenge of finding a single person with both the right skills and the personality you are seeking, hiring is subject to much governmental regulation. Often you are operating under considerable time pressure to fill an essential position.
I think it is also safe to say that very few dentists chose their profession based on a burning desire to own a small business. For most, being the CEO is the curse that accompanies the privilege of restoring and enhancing smiles.
Skepticism when hiring is something that does not come naturally to most dentists.
There are clear dangers out there -- 25% of US adults have criminal records, and credible studies estimate that more than 50% of resumes contain some level of falsehood. And yet when I ask audiences of dentists whether they have done something as basic as checking photo identification last time they hired very few have done so, and the thought that an applicant might be using a false identity never crossed their minds.
It is no wonder that about a quarter of our caseload involves "serial embezzlers." These people have stolen before, and have managed to hide this fact from subsequent employers. The DentalTown article highlighted earlier in this newsletter deals with one such serial embezzler who has worked in over a dozen practices.
There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself better from these people. Click HERE for some good ideas on screening applicants. Thanks, as always, for reading.
David Harris CPA, CMA, MBA, CFE, CFF
Chief Executive Officer |
