A great resume is not enough – Using personality profiling to identify the best employee for your practice

Personality profiling is not really about identifying the psychopaths among us–although that is a practical benefit. When used as a pre-employment tool, personality profiling helps us determine how different types of people will work together. Also known as personality testing or personality assessment, profiling is designed to help you hire well, avoid turnover, enhance productivity and maintain the culture of your practice.

When you decide to bring a new employee into a practice, whether that hire is a receptionist, billing clerk or physician, you owe it to the practice to be thorough in your evaluation. Making a poor hiring choice hits the practice smack in its bottom line. In addition to the costs associated with the actual hiring process–advertising and administrative costs, training and orientation–a poor hire can cost your company lost productivity, disruption to work process, frustration among current employees and can even have a negative impact on morale.

The problem with traditional hiring tools is that they are inherently flawed. Applications and resumes can be exaggerated or falsified. Interviews are influenced by first impressions, chemistry and other non-objective criteria. Reference checks are often coached and no one ever includes the truly helpful references–the boss with whom they could not get along. All of these traditional methods are best described as subjective.

The goal of personality testing is to maintain, or build, diversity in skill sets, work styles and personality types. A pack of 100% alpha employees, while successful as individuals, will quickly degenerate into a full-fledged dog fight with everyone vying for control. Through these tests you can hone in on communication styles, natural tendencies and how individuals react under pressure.

Making a well-informed hiring decision starts with understanding what you already have in the practice. Profile current physicians and employees to assess the current dynamics. Once you understand the people in your group, you will know what personality types will complement them. Hiring based on complementary work and communication styles will ensure office harmony and ultimately impact its success and profitability.

There are multiple, affordable internet-based resources for this type of employment assessment. Myers-Briggs is perhaps the most well know brand, but there are many other effective options including HireSelect®, DiscProfileTM, PreVisor® and ZERORISK Hiring System®.

A successful office is not a homogeneous one, but one that balances employees’ different styles and attributes. Personality profiling can help you achieve that balance.