Which of these 2 candidates would you choose for GP receptionist job?

[CheesySprouts]

In a very large and very busy surgery with complex and challenging patient demographic.

Candidate A:
Early-mid 50s
NHS experience albeit not in GP surgery
Very very nervous in interview (although self aware of this and assured she enjoys a laugh with colleagues etc once feels more at ease)
Seems quiet/meek (concerned might be overwhelmed by the role)
Life experience is a plus

Candidate B:
Early 20s
No direct experience but transferable customer service skills
Enthusiastic/bright/actively seeking role in NHS as wants rewarding job involving helping people.
Lack of life experience. Poss wee bit idealistic (might also be overwhelmed by role)

A or B?

Neither.

If you have a constant stream of challenging patients you need someone who has both experience and the confidence to deal calming but firmly with tricky situations.

By the way you should not be in charge of recruitment.

It is not appropriate to post details of candidates, even anonymously on a forum like this, or to ask other people to help you choose the right person...Completely unprofessional.

B

sounds like she’d be a better fit

Bless you but GP receptionists are on minimum wage.

GP receptionists have a huge amount of work to do behind the scenes.

A for her experience and empathy, providing she doesn’t have a long list of brief employments suggesting she can’t cope (meek/quiet). Her interview nerves are understandable.

Neither sound ideal but I would go for A. I worked in the role and saw many candidate Bs come and go, they don’t stick around long.

So their manner and character and how they are likely to come across to the public don't come into it as far as you are concerned? Just their answers?

@BurgundyBear

Stereotypical ageist crap
Have you even read this thread. Many comments about how the older person will be calmer, will be better with people, will turn up when it rains 🙄

Full of ageist stereotypes against the young.

Huh?

B

Neither ideal. I interview for gp receptionists too.

A wouldn't hack it.

@NerdWhoEatsMedlar

Gen X ers have a more holistic view on how your IT system works, they learnt the hard way. If it sucks, they'll tell you and solve it.
What? All Gen Xers are problem solvers? Even the stupid ones?

If you want compliance, go for the younger, less experience brain.
What? All younger people are compliant? Even the rebellious ones?

But that is talking extremes.
It's talking idiocy

Ultimately your 50's person is very similar to your 20's person, but with three more decades of experience.
And 3 more decades of being stuck with old ideas, entrenched thinking and menopause.
(I don't really mean this. I'm just pointing out how insane and stereotyping your comments are)

Yes, ofc I’ve read the thread.
You might want to read what I was quoting.
Which was stereotypical ageist crap.

My original point still stands anyway. It’s utterly ludicrous to use a MN thread to make a recruitment decision 🙄

Presumably that would be scored for in the interview scoring too

A

Maybe the OP is one of the candidates ?

OP has not identified if either of her interviewees are stupid or rebellious. In fact she has not really identified any employable skills in either candidate.
The problem may be neither the candidates or stereotyping.

I share the concerns about seeking advice on this on a Mumsnet forum. There needs to be some objectivity in assessing candidates (I assume they scored equally on this aspect) alongside a bit of gut feeling as to who might fit in best with the rest of the team - the latter being absolutely the most important thing that no-one on here can possibly know and only you and your colleagues can judge.

Personally candidate B or whomever is as hard as nails. Saw to many older receptionists damn right bullied. Myself I strongly believe I was taken on so an ex patient who was more ill and got extremely lost in the two floor surgery having been that ex patient wouldn’t feel so alone but I’ll wish they had left it at the unsuccessful line.

Spent 2 weeks last year in my early 40’s trying, it ended with a uti where the calls were so constant. I’m not married, not experienced child loss, hadn’t watched anyone or know of anyone commit suicide, I’d not not been ill myself, don’t know the local undertaker on friendly terms, wasn’t cut out for this patient deserves an Oscar for most trying award of the day.

Don’t put the senior person through it if not
accustomed or you have a team of particular type of people. Sorry even from domiciliary care the best or more acclimatised are those who put into at an early age as opposed to later in life.

B or re-advertise

No mention of customer service skills, so A is a definite no.

I once recruited in a similar scenario. It was a junior role, customer-facing but quite isolated, requiring initiative and self-reliance, but a career dead-end. We made all this very clear.
I was the team lead, recruiting with a colleague from my small team. We interviewed about 8 people, and struggled to choose between two women exactly like your A and B.
Colleague was clearly rooting for B. I preferred A. We drew up new criteria, some new scenarios and new questions to see if we could differentiate between them.
Unexpectedly, our maverick boss (male, 40s) decided to sit in, to 'help' us decide. Not surprisingly, his head was turned by the prettier younger candidate, so it was 2 against one. I fought my corner hard but he over-ruled me , and we duly appointed B.
She found the isolated situation didn't suit her, plus her ambitions were frustrated by the lack of progression, and left within the year.

No reason to assume your situation will play out like this, but it might emphasise the need to probe them both searchingly in a follow-up interview.

I can't actually beleive I am reading this. Too little information to .are an educated/professional decision. I suggest you resign if you can't make a decision flowing a selection process you've been involved in.

BTW ... you should not even consider their age (just as you wouldn't co super their gender, sexual orientation etc etc etc

Definitely A

Well said!

A purely down to more experience likely used to handling pressure if worked for the nhs. Did you ask why they wanted to leave their current roles? Anyone can be nervous at interview doesnt mean they are not confident in their role