INTERVIEW WORKBOOK THE INTERVIEW How do you want others to see you? Few people are born with innate interviewing skills. Nonetheless, successful interviewing skills can be acquired. We recommend you pick a few of these skills and practice them. The better prepared you are, the better the impression you will make when interviewing. Remember: You want to leave the interview with the option to pursue the position further. A good interview gives you the option to pursue the position if you wish. Even if something in the interview turns you off, continue to interview as if the position were the only one in which you are interested. Another aspect may come to light later in the process that not only overshadows the initial negative, but also makes the opportunity the best option for you. However, if you have written off the interview early on because of a negative, you will never have the opportunity to make the decision. The interviewer will do it for you. The object is to always secure the right of first refusal. Your medical education and training will establish your qualifications for the job. The personal style and character you present to your interviewers will establish, in their opinion, whether or not you will fit into their practice. Here are the essential factors to remember for an interview: Dress Appropriately Doctors are expected to appear neat, clean, conservative and successful. Interview apparel can go a long way toward creating a positive image in the eyes of your interviewer. Your appearance should inspire trust. The classic advice is: Men: Navy blue or gray suits, white shirts, conservative ties, matching socks and polished shoes. Women: A business suit, or coordinated skirt and blouse, stockings, good shoes and a handbag with minimal contents. Be on Time
If you are staying in a nearby hotel, drive to the interview location beforehand to insure you know the way and how long it takes to get there. If you are driving to an unfamiliar area, make sure to have detailed directions and double-check them on a map. Always allow plenty of time in case of traffic problems or bad weather. In any urban area, assume that you will have to pay to park. In all cases, be sure you call the day before to confirm your interview. Set Interview Objectives Have four objectives for every interview: 1. Do your homework on the area, so you can spend your time asking important questions about the practice and hospital. 2. Find out what you need to know to determine if the practice opportunity is right for you. 3. Make sure you do everything in your power to make a positive impression. 4. Leave the interview with the option to pursue the position. Be Able to Answer These Questions One way to accomplish your interview objective is to be prepared for the questions you are likely to be asked: What is there about this practice or area that appeals to you? What are your personal short and long term goals? What level of compensation do you require? What would your colleagues say about your character and abilities? What were the high and low points of your residency training? When do you plan on obtaining Board Certification? What kind of clinical responsibilities are you looking for?
What kind of exposure have you had to managed care? What kind of administrative or academic responsibilities are you looking for? How do you feel about teaching? About research? What are your interests besides medicine? How would you describe yourself as a person? How would you handle this specific medical case? (Your interviewers will then describe a specific patient and set of medical circumstances and ask you what you would do.) Be Comfortable and Confident You are likely to be asked these or similar questions. Do not appear at a loss to answer. Also, do not shoot from the hip. Have a well thought-out answer for each question and any other surprise or killer questions you ve heard of are being asked these days. It is important for you to look calm, confident, and in control. This set of impressions can be created by dressing well, sitting up straight in your seat, and looking the interviewer in the eyes. If you are well rehearsed, you will be able to relax and be your natural self. Size up Your Prospective Employer You want a practice that s right for you. So while a prospective employer is evaluating you, make sure you are also evaluating the practice opportunity. Use the following section as a guide for creating your own series of questions. Be sure to have a well-organized list in a format easy to use during the interview. You can copy the following section and take it to each of your interviews.
What is the exact nature of the group? What is the status of the group/practice? Its stability? Mix of patients? Number and types of procedures? Number of doctors, turnover rate, and annual growth? What is the makeup of doctors in the group/practice? Their average age, variety of residency training, number of Board Certified doctors, future physician/staff hiring plans? What is the character of the group/practice? Are they active in the community? Do they attend annual conferences and seminars? How are the group, clinic, and practice managed? Day-to-day, long-term plans? Are there any negotiations underway between the practice group and the hospital or other managed care groups that may affect compensation or working arrangement? What will my responsibilities be? Are there any additional duties, community work, meetings to attend, clinical obligations, call schedule, in-house codes, teaching responsibilities that I ll be required to perform? What are the benefits of the compensation package? What is their value? Insurance, vacation time, and stipends? See page. (Let the interviewer broach these topics.) How are decisions made in the group?
What is the payer and medical workload mix? How are patients generated-referral patterns? This list of recommended questions is not intended to be all-inclusive. You may think of many other questions to ask. Make sure you ask every question you have. Also, make a note of the answers so you can have them at your fingertips when making a decision after a series of interviews. Use a list of questions at the interview. Having an agenda of questions will impress interviewers and provide an easy-to-use script for exchanging information. Remember, your interviewer may not be a professional interviewer, having a prepared list saves the potential embarrassment of not knowing what to talk about next. It also helps you remember the questions you want to ask, but might forget under the pressure of the moment. In addition to bringing along your questions, also bring along extra copies of your CV, reference names with phone numbers, a note pad in an attractive folder, and a pen. It is a good idea for you to demonstrate as much knowledge about the practice as possible during the interview. Your TIVA HealthCare, Inc. Physician Placement Specialist can help prepare you in this regard. Solid preparation shows you are a serious candidate, interested in the position. It also provides you with information on which you can base intelligent questions. Many interviewers also want to meet your spouse. These interviewers are willing to pay the travel expenses for your spouse. Always ask if your spouse is invited to the interview and, if so, is the interviewer going to pay for your spouse s expenses. There are four different forms that an offer may take: 1. An appointment letter. These tend to be one-page letters. They are simple and straightforward. They are more common with academic facilities and are legally binding. 2. A formal contract. These documents can be many pages in length. They can be complex and confusing. We recommend you get legal counsel to advise you before signing. Retaining legal counsel will ensure that you understand exactly to what you are committing.
3. A letter of intent. These documents articulate the job offer and outline many of the elements that will be formalized later in a contract. These documents can be legally binding. Make sure you know if it is binding or just an outline for further negotiations before signing. 4. Verbal offers. Some groups believe in doing business with a handshake, but it is not very common. Lastly, the subject of negotiation is an important part of the process of securing a practice. There are many good books on the subject of negotiating. Your TIVA HealthCare, Inc. Physician Placement Specialist is also a trained negotiator and can give you many pointers to help guide you through the contract signing process. TIVA HealthCare, Inc. Physician Placement Specialist spends an average of 30+ hours a year in customized training sessions that include communication skills, negotiating strategies and tactics, marketing, sales, telephone and interpersonal skills. Each consultant possesses a bank of talents you can draw on during your search for the right practice. After the interview, we recommend sending a quick follow-up letter to thank the interviewer for introducing the opportunity and to submit your travel expenses. The sooner you send this letter, the sooner you will be reimbursed. The sample letters on the following pages will save you time. Also, sample letters to accept and decline a practice opportunity are included. You owe all interviewers the courtesy of a written reply. The letters in this section can help you handle this chore as quickly and professional as possible. TIVA HealthCare, Inc. can be your best friend in finding the right practice. From guiding you through the basic decision-making process to helping you draft your CV, uncovering the right opportunity, and signing a contract, we will be with you every step of the way. Our fee is paid by the practice or hospital that hires you. Most interviewing costs are also paid by our clients. There is no cost, risk or obligation of any kind to you.