Why I Hire Teachable Employees

I never want to be the smartest person in any room. I want to surround myself with people who know more than me, because how else am I going to learn and grow? I love being a teacher, but I love being a student even more. This is a quality I look for when I’m hiring new clinicians: someone who is continually looking to learn.

In our organization, a new clinician is as valued as someone who has more experience than them. We learn a lot from our new clinicians – they’re fresh out of school and eager to dive in to apply what they’ve learned and to continue their education in a more hands-on way. They realize they don’t know it all but are always trying to absorb as much as possible. This kind of person is motivational and can make everyone else around them want to be better, too.

It’s much better for your clients and their families, the more you’re open to learning. You may come across a patient that you’re at a loss for what to do with – but if you’re willing to grow, learn and seek advice, you’re going to be a blessing to that family and many others down the road because you took the time to learn. There’s no other choice in a profession like this – you’re going to be a lifelong learner.

Employees who are open to learning are more honest, more eager to do better every day than they did the day before, and simply better for the working environment. They’re positive and upbeat, and eager to be the best therapist they possibly can. They see the other clinicians around them as a wealth of knowledge and a support system readily available to them. My team of therapists focuses on ways to become more clinically excellent. We have all set goals for the year related to clinical excellence and our learning at staff meetings revolves around ways we can all be better.

My biggest advice to a therapist just out of school is simply to never stop learning. You’ll never know it all, but you can absolutely try.