Sheri's Solutions: Handling job interview cancellations

"What do you do when you have people responding to your ad who are only fulfilling their unemployment requirements to keep their benefits?"

I received this question from a reader after I posted my previous Sheri's Solution on seeking new team members. He went further on to mention: specifically "those ... even making interview appointments only to not show up."

Sheri B. Doniger, DDS.

Sheri B. Doniger, DDS.

Yes, this is a concern. Each state has a different requirement, but basically the applicant must have reached a minimum threshold in earnings, unemployed by no fault of their own, and be willing and able to find a new position. The key points are "available and actively seeking" work.

Some states require full-time employment, while others will consider part-time. Each state has a different way to verify that the person is seeking work. Some require listing several companies the claimant has contacted. While responding to an online advertisement may be considered, by some, fulfilling this requirement, some states may feel this is not enough.

The mere act of responding to an employment advertisement is one thing, but actually being available to schedule an appointment is another. After we do a minor screening (evaluate prior work experience, see if the person would theoretically fit into our office), we may also do a quick Facebook search.

With everyone posting everything on Facebook these days, it is also a quick way to eliminate potential candidates. With our last search, we eliminated at least 10 right on the spot. Do you feel this is too much of an invasion of privacy? I do not. The person we are hiring will be the face of our office. Someone bearing way too much skin in an inappropriate pose is not the person we would like in our office.

Finally, when we do call for an interview, we always say, "If there is any reason you will not be able to keep this appointment, please have the courtesy to call the office prior to your scheduled time."

So, have we had "no-shows"? Absolutely. In this day and age, there is nothing you can do about it. You may want to blame it on fulfilling unemployment requirements, but there may be other reasons. Perhaps the person already was asked to start work at another office. Or, they were sick.

Yes, everyone who does not show up does not have a plausible excuse, and, in truth, you wouldn't want the person who did not show (without a phone call) working in your office anyway. Would you? If you think about it, that mere act of failing to show up for an interview may be a blessing in disguise, showing more about the work habits, ethics, and morals of the applicant.

I pose the question: Would you give someone a second chance to an interview if they did not show up?

Sheri B. Doniger, DDS, practices clinical dentistry in Lincolnwood, IL. She is currently vice president and president-elect of the American Association of Women Dentists and editor of the American Association of Women Dentists "Chronicle" newsletter. She has served as an educator in several dental and dental hygiene programs, has been a consultant for a major dental benefits company, and has written for several dental publications. You can reach her at [email protected].