Interviewing a healthcare executive can be a challenging experience. A high-level white-collar executive is an expert on topics like reimbursement and safety. The hiring team must know enough about the role to ensure they understand the candidate’s skill level in areas like change management and staff supervision, public relations, and financial oversight. Interviewers should develop a series of questions to determine not only the candidate’s skill level but also their management style. We’ve pulled some of our favorite questions that will help you determine the kind of professional you’re hiring onto the team.
Hiring Questions for the Healthcare Executive
1. Describe your experience in managing people, the number of people you’ve managed, and what you’ve learned?
Listen for an answer that shows the c-suite executive has extensive experience managing teams in a variety of settings. Are the sizes of the teams he or she has managed comparable to the environment in your organization? How hands-on was their management? Have they taken on increasing responsibilities as their career longevity increased? Are the lessons they learned ones that make you feel comfortable that their management style fits the kind of leader you’d like to see at the head of your organization?
2. How would your team describe how you manage?
The best candidate should exhibit a heightened level of self-awareness that shows they interact well with employees. Do they give you a sense that they’re willing to learn from their mistakes? Does the candidate feel dictatorial or overly harsh? If the executive has a no-nonsense approach to managing do you feel like they’ll be direct yet personable in their approach? Ask yourself if the candidate’s management style seems to fit the culture of your organization. Will they be flexible or rigid? Do you trust the candidate to lead your team?
3. How has your management style changed over the years?
This is a good question that goes to the heart of the candidate’s willingness to learn. Look for solid A-players that exhibit the conscience and heart to admit they’ve been wrong in the past but grown stronger because of it. You’ll find clues to their management style in the way they’ve changed as they gained more experience. How did feedback affect their approach? Are they confident enough to trust department heads with the autonomy to perform independently or do you think the executive will micromanage and smother anyone under them? Can they both identify their shortcomings and correct them by learning on the job?
Seeking Help When Hiring At The Top
Healthcare executives play an important role at the helm of an organization. They set the tone for the entire team. Hiring teams should look for a candidate that they like and trust. A big responsibility rests on the shoulders of hiring managers and their recruiters to ensure the person at the top does not change the culture in a way that is negative to the organization and the staff.
When hiring into a high-end executive position, it can be important to seek the help of recruiters who have a track record of picking the best managers and executives to lead top-performing healthcare organizations. UHC Solutions is that company. We handle staffing for the FQHC community, whether it’s a nurse practitioner or CEO. Our team understands healthcare and what it takes to lead during times of great change. Contact our executive recruiters today to discuss your next recruitment and hiring process.
