INTERVIEWING WITH CONFIDENCE
What to wear
Do not underestimate the importance of your
physical appearance at the interview. While your
clothes should be comfortable enough for you to get
through the day without excessive squirming and
adjusting, appearing too casual will reflect
badly on your professionalism.
It is not appropriate to wear scrubs to an
interview. If you expect to be asked to scrub-in
during the day, pack a pair of scrubs in a briefcase
that you can carry with you. Do not wear jeans or a
T-shirt. Make sure that your clothes and shoes are
clean. Check this several days in advance so that
you have time to dry clean clothes and polish shoes if necessary.
Carefully attend to your
personal hygiene. Avoid perfumes and colognes. Use
breath mints, but do not chew gum.
Women are advised to wear business suits rather
than dresses. The suit may have either a skirt or
pants, but it should definitely have a jacket. Avoid
frills, spaghetti straps, short skirts, and low-cut
necklines. Keep jewelry and make-up simple and
conservative. While plain earrings like hoops or
studs are generally fine, remove any other piercings.
Men can also wear business suits, though
generally a jacket and tie are sufficient if worn
with dress slacks. Avoid loud or whimsical ties and
bright colors. A conservative appearance will help
keep attention on you rather than on your clothes.
Do not wear earrings or other piercings.
What to bring to the Interview
Purchase a portfolio to keep all your
documents organized and at hand. Before your
interview, fill your portfolio with extra copies of
your CV, your cover letter or personal statement,
and a written listing of at least four references.
Bring copies of any credentials you might need to
complete paperwork for employment, privileges, etc.,
such as license verification, Medicare/Medicaid
numbers, DEA numbers, Social Security and/or Visa
numbers, and so on.
A notepad and pen should also accompany the portfolio.
It's a good idea to take notes during the interview,
as this will help you remember important
information later and demonstrates your
sincere interest in the position.
Always ask for an agenda when scheduling an
interview. The agenda should cover any meetings,
facility and community tours, and other
activities the employer has planned for the site
visit. Read the agenda thoroughly in advance and bring a
copy with you.
Be prompt!
What NOT to bring
Do not bring your spouse, significant other,
children, or pets to the formal interview. If there
is a social gathering later in the day, this may be
an appropriate time for your spouse to join you. If
you are not sure, ask the employer if they would
like to meet your husband or wife at that time, or
if they would rather do so at a later date.
Travel expenses for your family and kenneling for
your pets are your own responsibility.
Prepare thoroughly
Do your homework. If the practice has a website,
you can gain valuable information about the services
and procedures they choose to emphasize, some of the
facilities they have on hand, how they are connected
with other health care organizations in the area,
etc. Find out who the key people are in the
practice/department, and learn what you can about
their backgrounds, specialties, and outside
interests. Knowing something about the organization
and its people help you establish a rapport during the interview and will demonstrate sincere interest
in the position.
Anticipate questions you are likely to be asked
and practice your answers. When considering a
response, try to focus on the strengths that make you
stand out as a candidate and what you can bring to
the practice. Provide concrete examples of past
success to illustrate and lend credence to your
answers. But keep your answers concise - don't
babble. Give them a reason to make you an offer.
Employers often ask questions like these when
interviewing candidates:
- Tell me about yourself. (This question is
about your professional self, not your
personal self.)
- Why do you want to work here?
- Why did you choose this area of medicine?
- What could you contribute to our facility?
- What was your greatest success? Your greatest
failure?
- If you feel you have any weaknesses with
regard to this job, what would they be?
- Assuming we make you an offer, what do you see
as your future here?
- Why should we hire you?
- How do you feel about evening work? Weekend
work? Call rotations?
- Are you considering other positions at this
time?
- How does this job compare with them?
- How do you feel about relocating?
- Have you lived/worked in rural/urban/etc.
setting before?
- Why do you believe that you could handle this
position?
- If you could have your choice of any job, what
would it be and why?
- What are your short and long-term goals? How
do you expect to achieve them?
- What does success mean to you? How do you
measure it?
- What motivates you?
- Do you plan to further your education? If so,
to what extent?
- What else do you think I should know about
you?
(Again, focus on professional aspects like
skills, management style, etc.)
Remember, the interviewer is trying to
evaluate your skills, capabilities, and experience.
Listen carefully to each question and ask for
clarification if you are unsure of how to respond.
Stay positive and smile. Pause before you answer to
consider what concrete examples best support your
response. Keep your replies clear and relevant. Get
directly to the point. Ask if the listener would
like you to go into greater detail before you
actually do. Address issues the practice is facing in terms
of how you can contribute. Focus attention on your
successes. Sell yourself. Keep in mind that your
goal at the interview is to secure an offer.
Relax
The interviewers want to hire you. They
need a physician. From the huge stack of CVs they've
sifted through, yours stood out enough for them pay
for the cost of a site visit in hopes that you are
the right person for their practice. They want to
show you their accomplishments and are hoping that
they, their practice, and their community will make a
good impression on you too. Smile.
Ask questions
This is your opportunity to demonstrate your
interest in the practice as well as obtain the
proper information to best evaluate the
position with regard to your own needs. This is
not the time to discuss compensation. If the
employer asks you about your financial expectations
or requirements, do not throw out a figure. Redirect
the focus back to the practice by saying something
to the effect of, "I'm sure that if we all feel that
I would be a good fit for the practice, we can work
out something acceptable to everyone. Can you tell
me more about …(your relationships with area
hospitals, the typical volume for common procedures,
how the nephrology department fits in with the
organizational structure of the hospital, etc.)"
When they are ready to make an offer, that is the
time to negotiate for compensation (see:
Negotiating Your Contract).
Now that you know what not to ask, what
questions should you ask? Inquiries about the
organization, the needs of the practice, work hours
and call schedules, patient load, and partnership
opportunities will provide you with valuable
information regarding the position as well as
demonstrate your interest and professionalism. Questions about the impacts of
managed care and what strategies they use to expand
their patient base also demonstrate your savvy
regarding medicine as a business. Don't forget to
ask about recreational opportunities in the area,
community activities, and organizations for you and
your family members. You want to know if this is a
place where you can be comfortable living, and your
employer wants someone who will build ties to the
community. This kind of sincere interest in the area
will help you stand apart from other candidates.
Before you leave
If you want the position, don't be afraid to ask
for it. Tell the employer their practice is
just what you're looking for and that you think
you'd be a good fit as a member of their team. Ask
when they expect to make a decision and clarify
what the next step in the hiring process will be.
After the Interview
After the interview, jot down some notes that recap a
few interview highlights. If you are working with a
Liaison or Physician's Agent, call them immediately
after the interview—from the car or the hotel,
certainly while you are still in the area. He or she
will have important feedback for you (see:
Working with Liaisons/Agents).
We recommend sending a thank you note following
each interview. It is a good idea to carry blank
note cards and pre-stamped envelopes with you when
you travel to the interview site. This affords you
the opportunity to write notes while the names and faces of
those who interviewed you are fresh in your mind.
If you interviewed with a committee, send a separate
card to each interviewer personally. Mention
highlights from the interview or specific aspects of
the interviewer's professional or personal life to
individualize each note. Examples include: "I was
particularly impressed with the diagnostic resources
you and your team have put together," or, "It was a
pleasure to meet you and your husband Martin. I hope
we have the chance to golf as a foursome someday
soon." Do not hand deliver the notes. You can
mail them at the airport or as soon as you arrive
home. |
