PREPARE

It sounds silly but it really helps if you prepare for an interview.  Ask yourself sample questions.  Some of these questions can be found on my website under the Practice Search Tips button.  Better yet, find someone who will ask you the interview questions.

DON’T BE NEGATIVE

Never say anything that is negative during the interview.  This is particularly true of any negative comments about your current employer or practice.  These comments can be construed by the interviewer as comments that you would make over time about your new jobs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Do research on the practice/facility so that you can speak to it during your interview.  If you’re working with a recruiter, ask him/her to give you as much information about the practice/facility as possible; most places have a website that you can visit.  Try to find out about the organizational culture and structure, the job responsibilities, and the reason why the practice/facility is looking to add someone.

ASK QUESTIONS

The interview dialogue should be like a good conversation with both parties actively involved.  A good question is “What can I tell you that would convince you that I am the best one for the position?”  Questions such as this that focus on what you bring to the table are better than asking what the practice/facility can do for you.

It is worthwhile, if not necessary, to document the job contacts you’ve made.  It’s best to start documenting this information when you start your practice search.  This is important too because the practice search process is often an extended one which takes months from start to finish.  Document who you talked with, when you talked with them, their contact information and what you talked about.

You will get alot of information about alot of different practice opportunities so it is important to have a process of retrieving it at a later date.  It can be a paper or an electronic storage system.   You should file it by each practice opportunity.

You may need to contact someone that you haven’t heard from in months.  Or, they may contact you and if you have taken notes and filed information, you will be able to talk from an informed point.  It’s always impressive when you can recall and provide information to the caller about the points of their opportunity.

A physiatrist recently went on a job interview and was checking his blackberry several times during the interview.    The employer later informed me that he was not interested in the physician because he did not seem to have an interest in the job because he was  checking his blackberry often.  When I checked with the doctor, he said that he was on call so that was why he was checking his blackberry and that he indeed had an interest in the opportunity.   This was an unfortunate turn of events.

Don’t use telephones during an interview.  If this is not possible, explain the reason to all the interviewers and limit your use.

The most common interview  no-no’s are appearing disinterested, appearing arrogant, and talking negatively about current or previous employers, according to Career Builder’s poll.  It’s important to inform the practice/hospital of your abilities but not to the point of bragging.

Always leave plenty of time to get to an interview.  It’s easy to get caught up with patients, get caught in a traffic jam, or get lost.  First impressions are key and late arrivals do not make a good impression.

To show your interest, look at the person who is talking with you.  If you truly are disinterested, maintain an aura of interest because who knows, you might run into the same practice/hospital another time so you want to leave a positive impression.

What should you say about why you’re looking for a new position when you’re leaving a bad job or you’ve been fired?   As I’ve said before,  you should never be negative about your current employer.   You can be negative about a situation but not about a person.  When negative about a person, the interviewer thinks that you will end up being negative about him/her in a year or two.  You can be negative about an aspect of your work but be sure that it isn’t about something that is vital to the new position.  A common answer is that you’re looking for professional growth and advancement and that your current place of employment doesn’t offer this ability.    You could say that the doctors in positions above you, don’t seem to have any plans to leave so there is no room for growth.

If you’ve been fired/laid off, then honesty is the best policy.  You can explain that there were differences of opinion.  Again, be sure that this explanation will not describe a situation that will happen in the new job.

It’s best to start looking for a new position as soon as you know you want a new position.  For residents, you should begin at the start of your senior year.   The job search process takes awhile – the time it takes to get a new state license, to obtain a contract from the employer, to negotiate a contract, etc.  NJ and CA are some states that take 6+ months to get a license.  Starting early as with everything is advantageous however some employers aren’t actively looking until October/November when the Annual AAPMR meeting occurs.

On the other hand, it’s never too late to start looking when you’re a resident because even if you start looking then, there will be positions available that for one reason or another haven’t been filled.  It’s not that all positions that have been available for awhile aren’t good.  Sometimes, the parties can’t come to a compromise or the practice settles on one doctor who then decides to take another position.

Don’t be afraid of a group interview.  As daunting as it might sound, think of it as a one-on-one to lessen any fears.  Just like for any interview, practice beforehand, find out as much about the hospital/group beforehand and remember exactly what is on your curriculum vitae as otherwise what you say will be taken into question.  In the case of a group interview, practice working a room.  Group dynamics is like team dynamics.

You may want to introduce yourself when you walk into the room.  This shows that you are able to lead and have initiative.  Just like in a one-on-one interview, listen to what is being said and not said.  Use these as clues to how and what you will respond.  Also, just like in a one-on-one interview, be assertive, not aggressive; be calm and discuss your skills and how they will benefit the group.  If one person in the group interview isn’t engaged, try to draw them into the conversation.   Don’t get intimidated by the group to the point that you’re afraid to ask questions.

Don’t try to be someone you’re not.  The group is trying to figure out how you will fit in.  You want them to know what you do best and enjoy the most.

You’ve done it before. . .  interviewing that is.    You’re not a newly graduating resident.  You have experience, know-how, wisdom, and more.  Prepare for an interview?  No, you’re thinking, I don’t need to.   Give thought to what I’m going to say in the upcoming interview; no, you’re thinking I don’t need to.  Yes, you should!  Just as the newly graduating resident might be perceived as being green, not confident and shy, the opposite is true of many experienced doctors who interview.  That is, experienced doctors are sometimes perceived as being too knowledgeable which often is perceived as being too set in their ways to be flexible.

Being overly confident during an interview may be perceived as being obnoxious which converts to the thought that the experienced doctor will be overly demanding of staff.   Experienced doctors who talk too much during the interview are perceived as not being good listeners so therefore not being good team players.  Also the old saying goes that the more you talk, the more you show what you don’t know.

Not asking questions at an interview is perceived as being overly confident and that the same doctor will not be open to working with the new administration.  Just as the resident needs to learn in an interview to find the balance between speaking up and listening, so too does the experienced doctor.  However for the experienced doctor, it’s more the converse in that the experieced doctor needs to listen more and speak less.

Here’s a list of questions to ask physicians you are interviewing for a position with you:

1.   Give me an example of your leadership skills.( If your job qualifications involve leadership.)

2.   Give me an example of your problem-solving skills.

3.   Wht is your secret to handling difficult patients?

4.   For experienced candidates:   How have you contributed to the growth of your medical group’s practice?

5.   For experienced candidates:   What would you change about your current situation?

6.   What are you most proud of regarding your professional accomplishments?

7.   How does this opportunity compare with others that you are considering?

8.   What do you think of our community and its amenties?

9.   If an offer were extended, what would you be looking for in terms of a compensation package?

10.   What attracts you about our opportunity?

11.   Where are you considering practice opportunities?

12.   What are you seeking in your new position?

One of the advantages of using  my services is that I try to collect as much information upfront about an opportunity as possible.   Because all I do is physiatry recruitment  , I know the “lingo” of physiatry.    A simple  example is that  I know and take the time  to ask how many inpatients the hiring entity  expects  the new  doctor to see when a position involves inpatient.   And, if you want more information, I will gladly ask the practice/hospital.   I will do so without revealing your name.     This enables you to get information that you would  may not feel comfortable asking directly.

The same applies for the sometimes uncomfortable subject of compensation.   I try to get as much information about this upfront.   Sometimes the hiring entity says that the compensation is based on experience.   If you want to know a salary figure,   I will ask   you about your years in practice, whether you’re Board Certified and in what fields, so that I can get a reasonable income figure from the hiring entity.

I suggest that you don’t reveal your current income during the interview process.   I’d say something like “I am open to a compensation that is fair and reasonable for the area and my experience.”   You should review your answer to the compensation question and rehearse it in advance so that it sounds confident and natural.

The other day a physiatrist called me.     I asked him how the new venture that he talked about a year or two was going.   He said not well and that’s why he’s calling about practice opportunities.   He also added that I had a good nose because I had commented when we first talked about his new venture that I had some hesitations about it.     It seems that ventures often have overriding financial goals that ultimately discourage a well-meaning physician.

The title of this article, It’s Wrong, refers to situations that you encounter when you’re looking for a job that ultimately make you say “It’s wrong. . . it’s not a good job for me.”   Here are some examples.

First, if it smells like a fish, it probably is a fish.   Said another way, if your gut tells you something about the practice isn’t right with you, go with your first instinct.   Perhaps it’s the lack of chemistry you have with the doctors in the practice or maybe it’s their philosophy or practice culture that doesn’t jive with your philosophy.

There are red flags, too.     One is whether the position is new or a replacement.   This is one of my basic questions when I’m asked to fill a position.   Being a replacement alone is not a red flag.   You have to dig deeper and find out the reason the past doctor left.   It’s also good to know the attrition rate of the doctors in the practice.   What is the practice’s track record for keeping their doctors?

Another red flag is if the position is with a private practice and is an employee forever position.   Most positions offer the potential for partnership.   If even the potential for partnership isn’t offered, then that’s a red flag.   The subject of partnership potential is an article in and of itself as oftentimes, it’s very nebulous.