Should You Hire in Your Practice? The Hiring Readiness Quiz

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Quiz Questions

1.
Which statement best describes your practice systems?
- A.
  I’m still building out the basics — booking, intake, invoicing aren’t fully streamlined yet.
- B.
  My clinical systems are solid, but my admin tasks (social media, scheduling, email) are falling behind.
- C.
  My systems are running well and I’ve got documented processes that someone else could follow.
2.
When you think about your practice currently, what does that look like to you?
- A.
  I need to get a consistent and full caseload first.
- B.
  I need things taken off my plate so I can focus on the work I love most.
- C.
  I have more referrals than I can possibly work with — I’m either referring out or adding to a waitlist.
3.
How often are you receiving new client referrals?
- A.
  Infrequently. I’m still actively trying to get referrals coming in.
- B.
  Consistently, but my capacity is slowing down how quickly I can respond to them.
- C.
  Consistently and frequently, I’m regularly unable to take new clients — even though my intake process is quite streamlined.
4.
How would potential clients describe getting a response from your practice?
- A.
  I respond as quickly as I can, but I’m the only one doing it.
- B.
  I’m sometimes responsive, but admin tasks are starting to slip and response times are getting slower.
- C.
  My response time is quite good. But the issue isn’t response time, it’s the lack of space in my calendar to fit any more clients — without burning myself out.
5.
If you had more hours in your week, what would you do with them?
- A.
  See more clients — I need to fill my caseload first.
- B.
  Focus on the work I actually love instead of admin tasks I don’t want to do.
- C.
  Focus on growing the business and supervising a team rather than holding a full caseload myself.
6.
How much time do you have available right now to onboard and train someone new?
- A.
  Not much — I’m still figuring things out myself.
- B.
  I have some time if I could delegate administrative tasks to someone else.
- C.
  I can make the time — I’ve built systems that could be taught to someone else easily.
7.
When you think about training a new hire, how do you feel?
- A.
  Overwhelmed — I barely have processes documented for myself, let alone for someone else.
- B.
  Open to it — I just need help with developing policies, procedures, and processes in my business.
- C.
  Ready — I’ve thought about what this would look like, I have operational systems in place, and I have the client referrals to give to someone else.
8.
What feels like the biggest risk of hiring someone?
- A.
  That I’d be spending money I don’t yet have reliably coming in.
- B.
  Losing control of how I do business such as my administrative processes.
- C.
  Trusting another clinician to work with my clients at the level I hold myself to.
9.
How do you feel about managing or supervising other people?
- A.
  I don’t have a lot of experience with it and I’m not sure it’s my strong suit.
- B.
  I don’t mind giving direction to someone doing administrative tasks — that feels manageable.
- C.
  I’m drawn to mentoring or supervising other clinicians.
10.
What happens when you receive a new referral right now?
- A.
  I take them on — I need the clients.
- B.
  I take most of them, but sometimes I miss referrals or referrals fall through the cracks because I don’t respond quickly enough.
- C.
  I often have to turn them away or add them to a waitlist.
11.
Which best describes your typical workweek?
- A.
  I have flexible time but I’m still building toward a full schedule.
- B.
  I’m fully booked with clients and then try to squeeze admin tasks in between or after hours.
- C.
  I’m fully booked and spending whatever free time I have managing or balancing my caseload issues.
12.
When you think about someone representing your practice, what comes to mind?
- A.
  It makes me nervous — my practice is still very “me” and I’m not ready to bring anyone in.
- B.
  I can see delegating social media, scheduling, or client communications to the right person.
- C.
  I’m excited — having another therapist carry part of the work is the natural next step.
13.
What’s your vision for where you want to be in your practice in 2-4 years?
- A.
  Consistent and full — I want to feel stable before I think about expanding.
- B.
  Working fewer admin-heavy hours so I can focus on client work.
- C.
  Running a group practice, where I’m spending less time with clients and more time in a leadership role.
14.
What does success look like for your practice in the next 12 months?
- A.
  Building a stable, sustainable solo practice that reliably meets my income goals.
- B.
  A fully functioning practice where I’m not doing tasks someone else could do better.
- C.
  A growing practice where the revenue comes from more than just my own clinical hours.
15.
Which best reflects how you think about your practice’s growth?
- A.
  I’m still in the building phase — growth is about getting myself to full capacity.
- B.
  I’m at capacity with my own work, but growth means getting better support systems in place.
- C.
  Growth means increasing client volume beyond what I can personally handle by bringing in more clinicians.
16.
Do you have a clear understanding of your practice’s monthly revenue and expenses?
- A.
  Not clearly. I track generally but don’t have a firm handle on my numbers.
- B.
  Yes. and I can see how hiring admin support would free me up to earn more.
- C.
  Yes. and I can see that my waitlist and referral volume justify bringing in another therapist.
17.
If a hire didn’t work out in the first few months, what would that mean for your practice?
- A.
  It could seriously set me back — I can’t afford that risk right now.
- B.
  It would be frustrating but manageable — the financial risk is relatively low for an admin role.
- C.
  I’ve planned for the possibility — I know it might take a few tries to find the right therapist.
18.
When you imagine yourself a year from now, having hired successfully, what’s changed?
- A.
  I’d have more consistent clients and income first — that feels like the more pressing goal right now.
- B.
  I have someone handling my admin tasks and I’ve reclaimed hours to focus on what I do best.
- C.
  I have another therapist seeing clients and I’m stepping more into a leadership roles.

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Your Result: You're not quite ready yet — and that's okay.
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Your Result: You're not quite ready yet — and that's okay.You took this quiz because part of you is thinking about hiring — and that curiosity alone says something great about where your head is at. You’re thinking ahead. You’re thinking about growth.But right now, your results suggest that your practice would benefit most from getting the foundation even more solid before bringing someone else on board.Hiring before you have effective systems, policies and procedures in place, or client referrals steadily coming — can add stress instead of removing it.That’s not a setback. It’s actually one of the most important things you can know right now — and it doesn't mean you'll be here forever.Here are some things to focus to build hiring readiness:Building a stronger marketing plan so you're attracting a stead flow of referrals and new clients.Putting systems in place that help your practice run more efficiently.Documenting your policies, procedures and processes so that one day, someone else could follow them.Understanding your finances so that you know exactly when hiring makes sense financiallyBuilding leadership skills so you're prepared to manage, train, and support another person when the time comes.Hiring isn’t off the table — it’s just not the right next step today.Not sure what stage your practice is actually at?My Private Practice Stages Quiz can help you identify your current stage and identify what to focus on next — before growing your team.Yes, this is another quiz. But this time you'll gain a clearer picture of what your practice actually needs right now rather than what it isn't ready for.✨ Take the Private Practice Stages Quiz ✨DisclaimerThis quiz result is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Check out our free Private Practice Therapists group on Facebook.Click the button below to join:
2.
Your Result: Yes, You're Ready to Hire Administrative Support
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Your Result: Yes, You're Ready to Hire Administrative SupportYou’ve built a successful practice. You've built a solid caseload, referrals are coming in, and the practice is, for the most part, working.The problem?You’re spending too many hours on administrative tasks that pull you away from the work you actually love, and your practice could benefit fro, tighter systems and policies — before you hire your first therapist.Depending on your practice's needs, this could be an administrative assistant, social media manager, or client intake coordinator.But starting with getting your house in order first can make hiring your first therapist feel like a breeze.Here’s why this makes sense for where you are:You’ll reclaim your time and you’ll stop doing tasks that someone else could do just as well (or even better).Your clients will experience smoother customer service — Admin handled well means faster responses, smoother scheduling, and a more professional first impression.You’ll free up energy for your clinical work and growth — When you’re not buried in admin tasks, you can show up fully for your clients and your practice.It’s a lower-risk first hire — Part-time admin support is a manageable investment that pays for itself when you reclaim hours you’d otherwise bill at your session rate.What to look for:Whether you hire an administrative assistant, a social media manager, or a client intake coordinator depends on what tasks fall through the cracks most and/or takes up too much of your time. Start with one role. Hire the right person for that role. Then build from there.Word of WisdomAs your practice grows, it can be tempting to look for one person who can wear many hats. While there are certainly talented individuals with a wide range of skills, it's helpful to remember that people often have areas where they naturally excel and enjoy working most.For example, someone who is highly creative and thrives on writing social media content or designing engaging graphics may not find the same satisfaction in answering phones, managing administrative tasks, or conducting client intakes. Likewise, someone who excels at client communication and organization may not be passionate about marketing and content creation.As you consider hiring, think carefully about the specific support your practice needs most. Matching people to the work they're best suited for can lead to better performance, greater job satisfaction, and a more successful working relationship for everyone involved.Here are some Designer Practice Podcast episodes that you might find helpfulThese podcast episodes discuss important concepts when hiring therapists in your practice.Episode 38:Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Which is best for you and your practice?Episode 80How to Develop a Positive Work Culture in Your PracticeEpisode 1067 Most Overlooked Things When Conducting Hiring InterviewsWant to listen to more episodes of the Designer Practice Podcast?Follow the Designer Practice Podcast on Apple Podcast or Spotify.DisclaimerThis quiz result is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Check out our free Private Practice Therapists group on Facebook.Click the button below to join:
3.
Your Result: Yes, You’re Ready to Hire Another Therapist
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Your Result: Yes, You’re Ready to Hire Another TherapistYou’ve done the work. Your practice is full, your waitlist is real, and you’ve started to realize that your growth has a ceiling as long as you’re the only one seeing clients. Your quiz results are telling you what a part of you has probably already known: it’s time to bring on another therapist.Here’s what hiring another therapist can mean for your practice:You can serve more clients — without burning yourself out trying to do it alone.Your practice becomes a business, not just a job you work in — Revenue starts to come from more than just your own hours.You step into a leadership role — From supervision to building a team culture, this is where you go from solo practitioner to practice leader.Your community impact grows — More therapists under your practice umbrella means more people are able to access care within the jurisdiction your practice serves.What to look for:The hiring process for a therapist is different from hiring admin staff. You’ll want a thoughtful interview process, clear understanding of their ideal client (and whether it fits your practices clientele), and a clear understanding of whether you'll want to hire an employee or an independent contractor for the role.Word of WisdomAs you begin hiring therapists, it’s important to look beyond credentials and consider alignment. You’ve worked hard to build a practice and likely that practice serves a specific type of client. But not every therapist will feel equally fulfilled by working with that population.While qualifications, training, and experience are certainly important, they are only one piece of the puzzle. Some of the strongest long-term hires are those who not only have the necessary clinical skills, but who are genuinely passionate about serving the clients your practice attracts.During the hiring process, take time to explore what motivates a therapist and what types of clients they most enjoy working with. When there is a strong fit between a therapist’s interests and your practice’s client population, it often leads to greater engagement, stronger client relationships, and higher retention for both clients and staff.Finding the right fit from the beginning can help create a more sustainable, rewarding, and successful practice for everyone involved.Here are some Designer Practice Podcast episodes that you might find helpfulThese podcast episodes discuss important concepts when hiring therapists in your practice.Episode 38:Employee vs. Independent Contractor: Which is best for you and your practice?Episode 875 Strategies to Get the Right Applicants for the JobEpisode 121Therapist Payment Splits: What's a Fair Payment Split in Practice?Episode 124Client Referrals vs. Retention: Responsibilities of Group Practices & Independent ContractorsWant to listen to more episodes of the Designer Practice Podcast?Follow the Designer Practice Podcast on Apple Podcast or Spotify.DisclaimerThis quiz result is provided for informational and educational purposes only.Check out our free Private Practice Therapists group on Facebook.Click the button below to join:

Should You Hire in Your Practice? The Hiring Readiness Quiz

Feeling stretched thin in your practice? Find out if hiring is the solution. This quick quiz will help you assess your readiness to bring on a new therapist or administrative support in your practice.

Quiz Questions

Quiz Outcomes