The Importance of Selling Your Opportunity

While the financial aspects of any job opportunity play a significant role in swaying a candidate’s decision to accept an offer, a vision practice owner must take into consideration more than just salary when selling an opportunity. Since more than 60 percent of our placements relocate to the area after accepting an offer, the practice owner needs to put themselves in the associate candidate's shoes and start asking themselves questions about the opportunity before a candidate ever walks through the door.

What does the neighborhood look like? How are the schools? What are selling points of the community? If the candidate was interested in living in the city and the practice is located and hour or two out, the owner should talk about how easy it is to pop into the city whenever they want to. Is the outside of the practice presentable? Is the candidate welcomed with a smile from your front desk or office manager? Is the staff smiling and enjoying themselves while they work? Is the candidate’s name on the welcome sign? Do you understand any barriers the candidate may have to moving to your community? What’s the cost of living? What is their spouse’s career? Are their kids involved in sports, dance, academic, or other extracurricular activities? Have you noticed I haven't mentioned money or anything vision related yet?

It is also important to realize that there are going to be things about your practice or opportunity that the candidate does not like. Maybe it's being on call. Maybe it's working some weekends. Maybe your practice isn't in the most desirable neighborhood, suburb, or community. The best way to overcome these obstacles is by communicating your mission. Explain that you've developed a growing and loyal patient following by your absolute commitment to serving the needs of your community. You may not like working periodic evenings or weekends, but you would only be asking the associate to do this because it is consistent with your mission. If you sell them on your mission and ask them to help you serve that mission, many of the little issues disappear.

Keep in mind the best candidates have many options. Treat every candidate like he or she could be your partner or the buyer of your practice, even if you initially think of them as your second or third choice. Many make the mistake of only treating their initial first choice candidate well. Unfortunately, many practice owners find out that candidate is also the first choice of two or three other practices. Sometimes the first choice candidate turns out to have baggage, a negative attitude, or simply isn't able to accept your opportunity. In the meantime, a practice owner has likely ignored equally qualified candidates. Having multiple candidates interested in your opportunity is a great problem to have. It also strengthens your negotiating power. You've heard the saying that most interviewers make up their mind about a candidate in “x seconds.” The same is true for candidates. Let's face it, you are in competition for the best candidates with regional and national practice management companies. Many can offer more money, better benefits, more training, or newer facilities. What these organizations can't offer is the things that set your practice apart. Your practice has a special place in the community you serve. Play that up.

If the technology or equipment in your practice needs some updating, use this to your advantage. Let the candidate know you've been holding off on updating until you locate your new associate. Since he or she is going to be a big part of the practice’s future, you want them involved in selecting the next generation of equipment and technology. Signal you are willing to teach, but you are also willing to learn. Many early career optometrists/ophthalmologists have received specialized training that simply wasn't available previously. Make sure you are signaling that you want this to be a win-win opportunity. Show you have a genuine interest in their career, their interests, and their family. These are things that practice management companies often miss.

During the interview, you expect a candidate to be personable, confident, and organized. You expect them to keep commitments, stay motivated to constantly improve, and always have the best interests of their patients in mind. Did you know candidates are looking for the same qualities in you as a practice owner? If you aren't prepared, you are late, the office is a mess, and you speak poorly of previous or current associates and staff members, expect to watch your candidate turn and walk away from your opportunity. Interviews are a two lane road, so remember that the candidate isn’t the only one on the spot.

Finally, remember that paying attention to the little things will save you money. Although money is important, it often isn’t a candidate’s top priority. We use the acronym CLAMPS: Challenge, Location, Advancement, Money, People and Stability/Security. If you score high on Challenge (always improving clinically) , Location (your community is appealing to the candidate), Advancement (possibility to buy-in), and People (upbeat team environment), you stand a very good chance of landing an associate who is also considering a position in an impersonal corporate environment with higher income potential.

ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Practice Leadership Professionals throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

The Importance of Career-pathing and Mentoring in 2015

2014 came to a strong close, with U.S. employment reaching a 12-month average of 246,000 new jobs and unemployment dropping to 5.6 percent. Confidence is growing in the labor market and as a result, many companies plan to hire throughout 2015. With all of this positive news on the job front, employees might have expected to see upward movement on salaries and wages. However, most recent surveys and reports indicate employers are planning modest pay increases, comparable to what was awarded in 2014. In light of this, how will companies retain their best talent, when below-market salaries are one of the top reasons employees decide to leave?

Click to watch the video.

According to Towers Watson commentary regarding their 2014 compensation survey, the projected 3 percent pay raise in 2015 is a bit disappointing as the average employee is barely keeping ahead of inflation. However, we realize that many companies are being conservative with pay, because they are still concerned about the stability of the economy and the labor market.

Despite this reality, the most recent MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study, found that although improved compensation and benefits are a leading factor for candidates considering changing jobs, the top reason that candidates leave is because of clear advancement opportunities elsewhere.
So what does this mean for employers?

Companies may be at greater risk of losing their top performers, but the wage issue can be averted by focusing on career tracking, mentoring and training programs. After all, advancement to a more senior role not only connotes greater responsibility, but also higher pay, or at least the long-term potential to earn more.

"The days of requiring employees to take on the workload of people who either resigned or were laid off, without additional pay, are behind us," says Nancy Halverson, vice president of global operations for MRINetwork. "Today's workers want recognition for their contributions, and they expect to see a clear path for how added responsibilities will enable them to advance within the company."
Ultimately the salary discussion has more to do with an employer's culture of coaching, mentoring, training, recognition and evidence of upward mobility, in addition to how well the organization communicates and sells these attributes, both internally and externally. "The goal should be more about creating a 'best place to work' environment that is highly desired by candidates in the marketplace," adds Halverson. "This is really what the future of recruitment and retention is all about."

Advancement opportunities and career-pathing will additionally become more important as Baby Boomers retire and Millennials become the majority in the workplace. This generation is especially focused on gaining experience that can be leveraged to make the next career step, which is why job changes after 2-3 years are more common. Companies that provide the mentoring and training that Millennials crave are not only working toward retention of their brightest talent, they are grooming the future leaders of the organization.

Halverson provides the following tips for establishing and promoting career-pathing and mentorship programs:

• Brainstorm how your organization can develop these programs, if they don't already exist. Consider how they can be leveraged to support various groups within your workforce including minorities, women and junior to mid-level management candidates.
   
• Begin discussing internal mobility programs during the interviewing and onboarding process.
   
• Promote the programs through multiple internal and external channels to create stories about employee advancement within the company.

Although career growth is what's most important to candidates, it doesn't mean that companies can make wage increases a last thought. Salaries are going to have to come up to attract top performers. "However, no amount of money will make them stay in a role that appears to have no future," concludes Halverson. "That's where the power of career-pathing kicks in."

Resumes That Give You the Edge

A resume or a curriculum vitae (CV) will serve as a vital and necessary tool in your career as an Optometrist/Ophthalmologist. I have seen thousands in my time as a Search Consultant of vision docs across the U.S., and I would like to share some tips on what to do when preparing yours.

1. Know the difference : Resumes are a summary of your employment and educational background and experience. CV’s are meant to be very detailed, and should outline everything associated with your field of study including: education, research, publications, continuing education, employment, etc.
   
   
2. When to use Resume versus CV : Resumes are more appropriate for gaining employment in clinical practice. When practices are hiring a new Associate, they want to quickly review a candidate’s background. An easy to read-at-a-glace resume is what you want to provide. A lengthy CV would not be appropriate in these situations. CV’s are used primarily in the areas such as academia and research.
   
   
3. Resume content : Again, a resume is a summary. Keep it to two pages if possible, three at most. I advice all job applicants with lengthy resumes to cut back on the “fluff” such as hobbies, personal statements, family info, or other personal info not relevant to the job search.
   Note to new graduates: one page is fine. Don’t create content that doesn’t really help you just to get a second page. Highlight your achievements in academia.
   
   
4. Don’t include personal data such as marital status, age, national origin, social security number, etc. This information can lead to possible discrimination or worse, identity theft. In the United States, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sets rules for what information employers are allowed to use when making a hiring decision. Learn more at http://www.eeoc.gov/.
   
   
5. Make your resume readable and proof your grammar and spelling . I don’t recommend using complicated resume formats or layouts. Often times these layouts hurt you rather than help set you apart. Most employers and recruiters use databases and software that will scrub for information, and if the format is not straight forward it may not get seen as you would hope. Follow this order:
   
   1. Name and contact info
   2. Education
   3. Work History
   4. CE
      
      
6. Measurable achievement sets you apart. Share facts when possible. The questions I get from employers generally are: A) How well did he/she rank clinically in school? B) How much does this doctor produce monthly in his/her current role? C) How many eye exams does this doctor perform weekly/monthly? D) Does the doctor speak Spanish?
   
   Success and ability are measurable. Make a point to know and share what you bring to the table.
   
   
7. Skip the fluff: As stated in point 6, measurable data is best. I will give you some insight into nearly every resume and interview I’ve seen or done: Every doctor is “great with patients and the staff”. They all say it. When I ask, what set’s you apart? They tell me their “patients want to follow them wherever they go.” If you’re a nice doctor, we’ll get that in the interview by meeting and speaking with you. The points that get you into an interview are the measurable ones.

The information I have shared above is very basic, but so often I see doctors overcomplicating what should be a very simple summary of their careers and education. You should know what employers are looking for when reviewing resumes. They are looking for work experience, education, and measurable achievement. Give them that information in order set you apart from other applicants.

 ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Skills Needed in a Successful Office Manager

One of the hardest and most important positions you will fill in your office is the position of office manager. Why is this so hard? Because an effective manager is going to control the chaos and enable you to reach your goals.

Obviously, every office's needs for a manager will vary. However, there are three core skills that every office leader needs.

Leadership Skills
Whether your office manager is leading one or twenty one, it is imperative that your manager be an effective leader and gain the respect of staff. It is the manager's duty to make sure that goals are being met and being able to get the staff to "buy in" to goals is essential. The manager ensures that the staff is motivated and on the right track, but also has to be able to delegate responsibilities to the team rather than handling everything on his or her own.

Communication Skills
Your office manager represents you and your practice. He or she works closely with individuals in various capacities-people that you want to continue having relationships with such as your staff, vendors, colleagues, and patients. The importance of how this person communicates is invaluable. An effective communicator gives you and your practice credibility.

In a leadership capacity, your office manager needs to be able to interact effectively with other people. This requires actively listening and responding appropriately-not acting purely on emotion.

Analytical Skills
A vision office is ever changing and you need someone who is not always caught up in the smaller details, but who can see the bigger picture. There is always something that can be improved upon to increase efficiencies and/or save the office money. Your manager should be able to gather information, when needed, and make appropriate decisions based upon information given. You should be able to trust their analytical skills and ability to make decisions.

While the specific requirements for each position change, every office benefits when their manager possesses strong leadership, communication and analytical skills.
Do you have an effective office manager?


Written by Tiffany Worstell, Account Executive/Vision Recruiter for Vision Staff at ETS Vision (www.etsvision.com). For more information, contact Tiffany directly at 540-491-9112 or tworstell@etsvision.com

Reference Checks: The Questions That Can Make or Break Your Practice

In many ways, the eye care community is isolated from the rest of the business world. While the corporate world is encroaching, most practices are still built around the owner who, generally, has little formal business training and may well remember the days when a handshake was enough.

As recruiters, we often start our relationships with vision practices who have recently gone through a frustrating and often messy termination. Unfortunately, the doctors who leave the biggest messes easily find other employment only to leave a similar wake of destruction in their next office. Why is it so easy for these doctors to ruin one practice after another?

Vision Practices, as a group, routinely fail to protect the practice, staff and patients by performing a simple reference check. The importance of reference checking is well-documented in the larger business world.

Simply checking license history is no longer enough. You have the right to ask for references, and you should not settle for personal references. Ask for contact information of previous employers or faculty, if appropriate. Here are some practical steps to help make a reference check call easy, informative and less time consuming.

Confirm the details

Do not be shy to ask how the reference knows the job seeker. Find out how long they have known each other. If the reference is a former employer, ask for dates of employment. Ask what their function was in that position.

Decide what you want to know before you call

When we perform reference checks on behalf of our clients, we ask the reference to rate the job candidate on productivity, the quality of their work, their oral and written expression, their working relationships, their motivation and initiative, and their punctuality and attendance.

Know what he/she does well

Ask the reference what they would consider to be the job seeker’s greatest strengths in the position. Also, ask what the employer’s expectations were and how well the job seeker fulfilled them. Do they work better independently or under direct supervision?

Know where the job seeker could improve

This is a great way to ask for constructive criticism in a way that will not make the reference feel uncomfortable about giving a bad reference. Be sure to ask if the job seeker was open to critique and if progress was made toward improvement.

Would the reference hire or re-hire the job seeker?

This is straight to the point. If you hear “No,” make sure that you know why.

When you finish the reference check, be sure to thank the reference for the time that they spent with you and the information they provided. They may well have just saved you from a bad decision or enabled you to sleep well with the decision you will make.

ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Annual Planning – To Add or Not to Add an Associate

With the holiday season in full swing and the end of the year approaching faster than ever, many practice owners utilize this time of year to put the finishing touches on their business plans and goals for the upcoming year. Perhaps one of the most important decisions any practice owner will make during annual planning is whether or not to add an associate to their practice.

Knowing if your practice is ready to hire an associate, however, is key to determining the success of any expansion. Here are some tips to follow when considering the addition of an associate to your practice, including good reasons to add and good reasons to wait:

Good Reasons to Add

It fits with your mission – If you offer a unique set of services to your target patient base, your production numbers are above industry norms, and you can easily add more patients by offering more capacity, it might be a good time to look at adding an associate.

It fits with your long-term strategy – We’ve written numerous articles over the years about having a clear picture of what you want your practice to look like and be like in five years, ten years, or when you are ready to transition out. If you don’t have a long-term objective, it’s important to develop one before hiring anyone. If you need some help, we’ve put together a great guide on preparing a business plan and organizing your objectives and goals: Grow Your Practice in the Upcoming Year with a Business Plan

A great opportunity presents itself –One of the best indicators it may be time to add an associate is if there is an underserved patient population in your community and you could fill a new associate’s schedule by catering to their needs.

You find an associate with the following three qualities –

1. His clinical philosophy is in sync with yours

2. Her personality fits well with yours and that of your office culture

3. Your long term goals align (i.e. she wants to buy an office in 5 years, you want to sell your office in 5 years)

If these three things align, just about all other issues can be worked out in time. If clinical philosophies, personalities, or long-term goals are not in line, however, don’t make the hire.

Complimentary Skills – If an associate loves working with pediatric patients or performing certain procedures that you routinely refer out, you may be able to add a complimentary revenue stream to your practice without adding patients.

You can afford to fail – Adding an associate is a calculated risk. Make absolutely sure that if an associate does not work out, it will not seriously jeopardize the long-term health of your practice. We’ve seen Optometrist/Ophthalmologists literally hand their practice over to a new associate on their first day so the owner could take an extended two month vacation or stop practicing altogether. This is a recipe for disaster, and often comes with costly consequences for the practice owner.

You are truly prepared – Make sure you have the operatories, systems, and staff to support a new associate before you make a hire. The reason that most associate relationships fail is because the practice simply wasn’t ready. There are plenty of great associate opportunities out there. Don’t lose a great associate because he or she lacks the equipment, staff, mentoring, or patients. Just because you need an associate does not mean your practice is ready for one.

Good Reasons to Wait

Your practice’s systems are inefficient – When was the last time you took a look at your practice’s internal efficiencies? Is your practice producing what comparably-sized practices are? If the answer is no, you may want to speak with a practice consultant so you can get the most out of your current system and team. Adding an associate will not fix your production issues, but will simply add to the inefficiency of your practice.

You want more time off – Many Optometrists/Ophthalmologists make the mistake of adding an associate simply because they want more time off. This reason is perfectly justifiable, but first you need to assess the financial impact of an associate taking over some or all of your current production.  If you can improve your quality of life by adding an associate to share your current workload and give you more free time, by all means do it. Just make sure you get with your CPA to ensure you truly understand the financial impact of such a decision.

You’ve just expanded or built a new office and want to “fill it up” – Just because a new building will accommodate two, three, four, or five associates and the accompanying support staff doesn’t mean you will immediately have patient demand to fill everyone’s schedule immediately. “If you build it, they will come” doesn’t always work when it comes to eye care, especially in the short term.

Your competitor just hired an associate – Can you hear your Mom saying “if all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?” There is a lot of truth behind that old phraseology, as silly as it may seem. What might be right for a competitor’s practice and financial situation isn’t necessarily best for your own practice, and vice versa. Identifying and assessing your practice’s specific needs and goals will always warrant better results than simply trying to copy your competitor’s strategies.

Adding an associate is an important decision for any practice owner to make. With some careful thought and planning, though, the addition of the right team member to any practice can boost production levels and increase the overall profitability of the practice as a whole.

If you’re considering adding an associate, feel free to reach out to one of our experienced vision recruiters and let ETS find your next great associate for you!

Written by Mark Kennedy, President and Owner of ETS Dental, Vision, Tech-Ops, and Therapy. For more information, contact us and let ETS Vision find your next associate, partner, or buyer today! www.etsvision.com

The Recruiter's View: Candidate-Driven Market to Present Retention Challenges in 2015 Among Top Performers

U.S. employment had its challenges during the winter months of 2014, but throughout most of the year we've experienced consistent growth as 222,000 new jobs has become the 12-month average. Despite the fact that many companies are in growth mode, retention is increasingly problematic. This is especially challenging in the executive, managerial and professional job sector which is candidate-driven, as the brightest talent recognize more jobs are available and feel more confident about pursuing them. Recruitment additionally faces challenges in the sector, as many employers continue to lose great candidates to lengthy hiring practices, below-market salaries and an inability to sell the company brand, the role and true advancement opportunities. New data from the most recent MRINetwork Recruiter Sentiment Study, a biannual employment landscape survey of MRINetwork recruiters across approximately 600 worldwide offices, indicates that the candidate-driven market, which has experienced a consistent uptick since 2011, is here to stay, and the rate at which top performers are rejecting job offers continues to grow. As we approach 2015, employers will need to review their recruitment and retention strategies from the top down to remain attractive to employees and potential new hires.

"It is definitely and without a doubt a candidate-driven market, however many employers are still laboring under the same processes as they did when it was an employer-driven market," said a recruiter responding to the study. "Candidates now have choices and employers need to make the interview process go smoothly and quickly." According to the report, in the second half of 2014, 83 percent of recruiters described the talent market as candidate-driven, up 29 percentage points from the second half of 2011.

The executive and managerial market continues to be candidate-driven because of the availability of more job opportunities and growing talent shortages due to skill gaps. Top performers have a strong advantage, with multiple job offers to consider and the ability to reject less desirable work opportunities. This is significant when you consider the factors motivating a job move. According to the study, 49 percent of recruiters say greater opportunities for advancement is the primary motivating factor for candidates looking to make a move, followed by improved compensation. Based on year-over-year data, the main reasons for rejected job offers continue to be a result of great candidates accepting offers with other companies and being presented with disappointing compensation. Further, the time between the first interview and the rejected offer is shrinking, with a six percentage point increase from the second half of 2013, for candidates that rejected offers within two weeks of the first interview.


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MRINetwork recruiters provide the following survey insight about rejected job offers:

• The search process is still taking way too long considering the recession has been behind us for years and the fact that it is a candidate-driven market in many industries. This provides candidates with the time to investigate other opportunities.
   
• Candidates are much more fully engaged and also much more aware of their worth in the marketplace.
   
• Clients are still looking for the perfect candidate, yet are not offering an enticing salary.

With more top performers moving on, the candidate-driven market points to several things:

• Internal and external branding will continue to be important as companies face growing pressure to sell their value proposition to employees and candidates. "They are operating with the mindset that there are an abundance of candidates, all willing to jump through hoops to get a job at their company, and that is just not true anymore," says an MRINetwork recruiter.
   
• A streamlined hiring process will be imperative to avoid losing top candidates in 2015 and beyond. One recruiter notes, "Every candidate we speak with is actively looking and has several irons in the fire."
   
• Talented employees who were hired at bargain salaries during the recession will be moving on.  The majority of MRINetwork recruiters (83 percent) say they have interacted recently with these under-compensated and under-employed candidates who are anxious to improve their earning capacity. Salary and benefit packages will need to be adjusted to retain these individuals.

Although the study results demonstrate that hiring trends are highly favorable towards top performers in the executive, managerial and professional space, recruitment and retention will continue to present ongoing challenges for overall hiring as the job market expands. A fundamental shift is taking place in the way in which candidates expect to be recruited, and companies need to get on board with these changes to bring in and hold on to the talent they seek.

To view the complete study, visit www.MRINetwork.com/recruitersentiment.