Reference Checks: The Questions That Can Make or Break Your Practice

In many ways, the eye care community is isolated from the rest of the business world. While the corporate world is encroaching, most practices are still built around the owner who, generally, has little formal business training and may well remember the days when a handshake was enough.

As recruiters, we often start our relationships with vision practices who have recently gone through a frustrating and often messy termination. Unfortunately, the doctors who leave the biggest messes easily find other employment only to leave a similar wake of destruction in their next office. Why is it so easy for these doctors to ruin one practice after another?

Vision Practices, as a group, routinely fail to protect the practice, staff and patients by performing a simple reference check. The importance of reference checking is well-documented in the larger business world.

Simply checking license history is no longer enough. You have the right to ask for references, and you should not settle for personal references. Ask for contact information of previous employers or faculty, if appropriate. Here are some practical steps to help make a reference check call easy, informative and less time consuming.

Confirm the details

Do not be shy to ask how the reference knows the job seeker. Find out how long they have known each other. If the reference is a former employer, ask for dates of employment. Ask what their function was in that position.

Decide what you want to know before you call

When we perform reference checks on behalf of our clients, we ask the reference to rate the job candidate on productivity, the quality of their work, their oral and written expression, their working relationships, their motivation and initiative, and their punctuality and attendance.

Know what he/she does well

Ask the reference what they would consider to be the job seeker’s greatest strengths in the position. Also, ask what the employer’s expectations were and how well the job seeker fulfilled them. Do they work better independently or under direct supervision?

Know where the job seeker could improve

This is a great way to ask for constructive criticism in a way that will not make the reference feel uncomfortable about giving a bad reference. Be sure to ask if the job seeker was open to critique and if progress was made toward improvement.

Would the reference hire or re-hire the job seeker?

This is straight to the point. If you hear “No,” make sure that you know why.

When you finish the reference check, be sure to thank the reference for the time that they spent with you and the information they provided. They may well have just saved you from a bad decision or enabled you to sleep well with the decision you will make.

ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

What to Look for in a Reference

A lot can go into a hiring manager’s decision of whether or not to bring you on as their next employee, including your skill set, work experience, personality, and professionalism. While a lot of emphasis and focus is often placed on the above items, sometimes the deciding factor may come down to how effectively your references portray you as the best fit for the hiring manager’s need.

Here are some guidelines to follow when providing professional references to a potential future employer:

1. Follow the employer’s instructions regarding references – Many job applicants often wonder if they should always include professional references on their resume or application. A good rule of thumb is if a job posting doesn’t request references, then don’t list any references on your resume. When a posting does require references, follow the instructions exactly as listed on the job application. Adhering to an employer’s instructions is always the first step to showing you’re a competent and detail-oriented applicant.
   
2. Choose references wisely – Obviously the most important step to selecting a good professional reference is, well, selecting a good professional reference. But which individuals from your work history would make the best references? Your professional references should all have the following qualities:
   
   1. Genuinely want to see you succeed and do well in your career
      
   2. Able to answer tough questions about you on-the-fly
      
   3. Witnessed you demonstrate both hard skills (specific, teachable abilities) and soft skills (interacting effectively with other people) in a work environment
      
   4. Well-spoken and able to clearly communicate your strengths, expertise, and professionalism in detail
      
3. Avoid workplace conflict – If you haven’t announced to your current employer that you’re looking for a new position elsewhere, carefully consider who you list as a reference if any of those references work with you currently. Make sure your coworker can be trusted to keep your search confidential until you decide to make the announcement in your own time.
   
4. Ask for permission – Reaching out to your professional references before listing them on a resume or application is not only a polite professional courtesy, but also gives you the opportunity to briefly update them on your recent work history and goals. While most individuals you consider as a reference will be willing to help you out, have a few extra potentials in mind in case one of them politely declines or expresses hesitation. Never make someone feel obligated to serve as your professional reference – their hesitation might be interpreted as negativity when your interviewer gives them a call, skewing your chances of landing the job.
   
5. Get updated contact info – Be sure to get updated contact information for all of your references, and verify their information is up-to-date before submitting your resume or application. For each reference, include the person’s name, job title, relationship to you (co-worker, manager, etc.), company name, address, and contact info (at least one phone number and an email address, if possible). Going through the trouble of lining up the perfect reference is wasted time if they can’t be reached.
   

Occasionally check in with your references and make sure their contact info hasn’t changed. If you know a professional reference you listed has been contacted by your potential employer, it’s OK to thank them with one quick email or phone call for their willingness to help you out. Doing so will reiterate your professionalism and will leave your reference with positive feelings toward you that could potentially shine through in their next conversation with a hiring manager.

ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Looking at the Job Interview through a New Lens

Most companies conduct job interviews as a series of one-on-one conversations between pre-screened candidates and key decision makers. The goal is to gain more details about the depth of the interviewee's skills, and assess whether they will be a good fit for the role and the company culture. However, when you consider the efficiency of this method in the executive, managerial and professional space, there may be a better approach. If your company operates through more of a collaborative, team approach, that same methodology can be used to ensure you make a good hire.

 
Click to enlarge.

So what is a team interviewing process and what does it look like? "A team interview operates under the premise that top candidates typically excel during one-on-one interviews because they know all the right things to say," observes Nancy Halverson, vice president of global operations for MRINetwork. "They're well prepared and they're great under pressure. Putting them in a group setting turns the tables a bit, presenting a scenario where only individuals who have the ability to work well in a team will excel. Further, a team interview provides the opportunity for the company to conduct routine business exercises, such as brainstorming or planning sessions, where the candidate is asked to contribute to the group's discussion on anything from the development of a strategy, to shaping the required steps for execution of an upcoming initiative."

Unlike panel interviews, team interviews do not focus on rapid-fire questions from multiple stakeholders that can create a stressful situation for candidates. Instead, team interviews let decision makers subtly observe candidates in a seemingly more casual environment.

Halverson offers the following advice for why employers should consider bringing in the team to evaluate candidates:

A team interview helps employers quickly weed out candidates who are not a good fit. Great candidates who don't have the collaborative skills needed to succeed in the organization are eliminated at this stage, thereby expediting the interviewing process. A swift interviewing process is critical in the candidate-driven professional space: it means a faster hiring process for the company, which in turn increases the ability to keep top performers, who have several job opportunities at their disposal, engaged in the process.

This scenario provides more objectivity during the interviewing process. Having multiple team members interact with candidates in a group setting and observe their behavior, is much more effective than just evaluating candidates from the perspective of one interviewer.

The sharing, cooperative aspect of team interviews caters to the work environment that many Millennials seek. This will become increasingly important as Millennials become the majority of the 2020 workforce.

A team interview can help companies avoid wasting time and money on a bad hire. Just because a candidate is talented and skilled, doesn't mean he or she would be right for your organization.

As the executive, managerial and professional labor market becomes increasingly candidate-driven, companies have to look for every way possible to shorten their hiring processes and keep their top picks from accepting other job offers. Team interviews expedite the recruitment process by replacing several individual meetings with key decision makers and condensing them into one group meeting. Halverson concludes, "A team interview is a great way to gain deeper insight about candidates' collaborative and interpersonal skills, while also giving them a glimpse of the company’s culture and approach to work. Job interviews should be a two-way exchange. If played well, this experience could be the thing that makes "A players" want the job opportunity as much as your organization wants them."

6 Tips to Ace a Video Interview

Video interviewing is quickly becoming a favorite medium for employers to connect with potential candidates. Knowing how to conduct or participate in a video interview and have everything go smoothly, however, takes some preparation.

Here are a few tips to help you do your best:

1. Make a Good Connection - Before you can make a good connection with an employer during an interview, you must first ensure that your internet connection is up to par. Conduct the interview somewhere where you will have a steady internet connection with decent speeds. Stuttering video, skipping audio, or worse, a connection that drops out altogether, are all symptoms of slow internet speeds and might cut your chances of acing the interview painfully short.

2. Location, Location, Location – Where you decide to set up your webcam and conduct the interview plays a huge role in the quality of your overall presentation. Try to choose a quiet area with sufficient lighting and make sure what’s behind you isn’t distracting to the interviewer. If you will be conducting the interview from home, make sure any fellow cohabitants are aware of what you’re doing and won’t have to enter the room during the interview. Having a spouse or roommate dash across the background is not only awkward for you and the interviewer, but comes across as unprofessional. Finally, don’t forget to secure all pets and children in another part of the house with supervision to avoid any additional distractions.

3. Test All Tech – Several days before the interview, test your webcam, microphone, and computer to ensure everything is working correctly. Familiarize yourself with volume controls and any settings that might improve the quality of your interview. If you’re purchasing a webcam for the first time, look for one with HD capabilities and a quality built-in microphone. Prices on webcams and microphones have become very reasonable in recent years, so spending a couple extra dollars to avoid grainy video and choppy audio during your interview will certainly pay off and give your presentation a professional flare.

4. Dress Your Best – Although the interviewer will likely only see you from the waist up, dress in full professional attire as if you were meeting them in person. Opting for pajama pants in place of traditional garb may seem like a great idea, but you never know when you may have to stand up or retrieve something from the other side of the room that would reveal your entire outfit.

5. Don’t Interview from Work – It may seem tempting to interview from your office at work, but doing so communicates to your interviewer a lack of respect for your current employer. You also run the risk of a supervisor or fellow employee interrupting the interview, which can not only diminish your chances of landing the job, but cause conflict in your current employment situation.

6. Practice Truly Makes Perfect – Talking into a camera is very different than speaking with someone in person. Practice looking directly at the camera when you speak so that the interviewer can see your eyes. Try to avoid looking down at the screen or around the room when speaking, as doing so could communicate disinterest or disengagement from the task at hand.

As with any interview, prepare yourself ahead of time to answer questions in a concise manner that highlights your accomplishments and addresses how you would be of benefit to the employer. Although a Skype or FaceTime video interview can be very different from a traditional in-person meeting, following the tips outlined above can help make the process go smoothly and allow you to make a great first impression.


ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists,, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

4 Tips on Navigating the Hiring Process

As a job seeker, knowing how to interact with a hiring manager or recruiter plays an incredibly pivotal role in the hiring process. Even though an interviewing manager or recruiter might not be the final decision-maker as to whether or not you land the job, their assessment of your character, professionalism, and abilities will speak volumes during the application, screening, and interview process.

Here are four helpful tips for navigating the hiring process:

1. Maintain Open and Honest Communication – Communication is perhaps the most critical component of the entire hiring process. Make sure your resume or CV are updated with your most recent work history before applying to the position. If you’re working with a recruiter, provide as much information and as many details as requested. Be especially forthcoming early on in the process when it comes to your education, current employment status, and certifications. Even if you’ve been unemployed for a while or are lacking in experience, being honest and upfront with a hiring manager or recruiter communicates your trustworthiness and helps prevent any future misunderstandings. It only takes one dishonest detail to spoil your chances with a future employer and lose their trust, so honesty is always the best policy.
2. Respond in a Timely Manner – Part of establishing open channels of communication with a hiring manager is maintaining timely responses. Being prompt in your responses shows enthusiasm and communicates your interest in the position. If you’re going on vacation or will be difficult to reach for a period of time, be sure to communicate this beforehand with the manager or recruiter. Dropping off the map unexpectedly in the midst of the hiring process can result in missed opportunities, as employers are more likely to go with an eager candidate than one that’s passive in their responses.
3. Don’t Overdo it on the Follow Up - Showing enthusiasm and interest in a position are key to landing an opportunity. However, excessive follow-up and “reaching out” can be both annoying and detrimental to your chances of establishing a good relationship with an employer. If a recruiter or manager provides a specific timeline of when they will be in touch with you, always adhere to that schedule.
4. Respect the Employer’s Hiring Process – It may seem obvious, but in order to effectively navigate the hiring process, you must respect the employer’s process for assessing and interviewing candidates. As an applicant, attempting to “skip” the chain of command by bypassing a human resources manager to talk directly with the final decision-maker rarely works out in the candidate’s favor. Respecting the employer’s processes and following instructions lays solid groundwork for your candidacy. If working with a recruiter, understand that there are multiple processes going on behind the scenes. A good recruiter will be transparent and set expectations of when you can expect to hear back. Again, be respectful in adhering to the timeline the recruiter presents to you. If you don’t hear anything back by the time they specified, it’s OK to check in then and see how things are going.

Each recruiter and company will have their own unique hiring process. Regardless of the position you’re applying to, though, establishing open channels of communication and maintaining a professional demeanor throughout every correspondence are good policies for landing an interview and ultimately getting the job.

For a complete listing of all of our current job opportunities, please visit our job board. Or, if you’re looking to add a new associate or staff member to your practice, contact us and begin your search today!

How Well Do You Know Your Employees?

Winter storms may have caused employment to be a bit sluggish, but as we move into spring, job growth continues to accelerate. Staff retention is becoming a top priority in 2014 for employers, as confidence builds in the economy and job market, making companies more vulnerable to losing key talent. Organizations will have to ask themselves tough questions about how attractive they are to candidates and employees, and whether they are doing a good job of communicating career development opportunities that have the potential to mitigate costly staff turnover.

  Click to enlarge.

According to many recent surveys, employee turnover is projected to rise significantly as the job market improves. This means that employers will need to place greater emphasis on employee retention to complement their recruitment strategies.

"While companies can develop and deploy a host of retention strategies focused on engaging staff and strengthening employee morale, one simple thing they can do is assess their employees' perception and awareness of internal mobility or career-tracking programs," says Nancy Halverson, vice president of global operations for MRINetwork.

The recent LinkedIn Exit Survey reveals that there is a considerable disconnect between employer and staff awareness of employee mobility programs. According to the survey, HR and talent acquisition professionals overestimate employee awareness of their internal mobility programs by more than 2X. Further, respondents in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and India overwhelmingly say it is easier to locate an open position outside of their company, than to be promoted within.

Halverson provides the following tips for building awareness of internal mobility programs:

• Brainstorm how your organization can develop an internal mobility program, if one doesn’t already exist
• Begin discussing internal mobility programs during the onboarding process
• Leverage and publicize internal mobility programs through employee referral programs to raise visibility
• Communicate internal promotions through multiple internal and external channels to create stories about employee advancement within the company
• Routinely assess employee awareness of the organization’s internal mobility program and adjust communication channels accordingly

Employee mobility programs have always been a great tool to encourage staff retention. Now they are increasingly important as companies face growing talent shortages due to skill gaps, and more workers begin to feel confident about seeking other job opportunities. Halverson adds, "Ultimately, internal mobility programs should be built into the company culture and employer branding efforts. Current and future employees should not only have a clear understanding of the career opportunities available within the company, but also see that there are viable paths for advancement."

Bits of Wisdom

In speaking with Vision Practice Owners and Optometrists/Ophthalmologists who are seeking employment or other practice opportunities, we find ourselves, as recruiters and consultants, saying a lot of the same things.  ETS Vision’s team would like to share with you some top bits of advice.

For Vision Job-Seekers

• Don't compare your offer to your friend/colleague’s offer or contract. He or she will likely inflate or lie about it.
• Don't move to Southern California.
• 4 out of 5 practices pay on collections. It’s just a fact.  Don’t limit your options based on this factor alone.
• High compensation percentages are great, but always remember that 40% of zero = ZERO.
• When considering geographic location, think about what you're really looking for. Do you need to be in "x" (major city) everyday, or just have access to that major city?
• Never pay to find a job, unless you’re a professional athlete.
• Be responsive to potential employers when they reach out to you.
• Keep track of the practices, groups, and companies to which you apply.  It’s embarrassing when you’re called and you don’t know who you are talking to.
• The grass will always appear greener on the other side, but very often it is not the case.
• Don’t pretend to be a contract expert.  Get advice from experienced professionals when needed.
• Practices are not good or bad because they are “corporate” or “private.”  Individual office management is mostly the reason practices are good or bad places to work.
• Do you want to be a little fish in a big pond or a big fish in a little pond?
• What is more important to you? Location or opportunity?
  

For Hiring Practices/Practice Owners

• Don't hire an associate to allow yourself more time off or fewer days per week and expect to make the same (or more) money.
• Great associates or partners are not found or hired in a matter of days.  It takes at least a few months.
• Listen to your office staff when making new hires.  If your team can’t stand your prospective associate, it will not go well very quickly.
• Don’t pretend to be a contract expert.  Get advice from experienced professionals when needed.
• The best talent is not necessarily local talent.  Be open to out of town prospects.
• Old dogs can learn new tricks. It just happens differently.
• The hardest associate to hire and keep happy is your very first associate.
• Hire the best for your practice, not the first available.
• You get what you pay for.
• Personalities can't be changed, but clinical skills can be learned.

ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

Electronic Cover Letters

Attached you will find my resume. I have 7 years of Medical Receptionist experience but no dental office experience.  I read that you need to have dental office experience and I don not have that but still feel that I would be a good choice for the job. Thank you for looking at my resume.

Writing a cover letter can be tough.  However, it is an important to getting your foot in the door.  Above is a cover letter that I recently received.  Yes, that is it, spelling error and all.  Honestly, I did not even open this individual’s resume, but it did get me thinking about what other individuals need to do to improve their chances at getting the attention of a potential employer.

In this day and time, the cover letter is especially crucial since communication is electronic.  When your resume is an attachment, this is your first chance to make an impression on a potential employer.  Unless you are copying and pasting your resume into the emails, which I do not recommend, your resume is not staring the reader in the face.

So, what can you do to stand out and get the reader’s attention?

First, address the reader.  Now, in this person’s defense, she was applying to a blind ad.  She could have, however, addressed the email to the hiring manager or with a “Dear Doctor”.

Next, let the reader know which position you are interested in.  They could have more than one opportunity available.

Then, focus on the positives.  The phrase that jumps out at me in this letter is “no dental office experience” a requirement for the position.  She even goes on to say that she read that it is a requirement.  Focus on what you have. 

A few other points to hit on in the body of this email, spell out simple numbers.  Spell check is a wonderful thing-use it.

Finally, there is no way to contact this individual in the email.  What if the attachment does not work?  Always, always, always include contact information! 

Below is a simple letter that would have made a much better impact for the job seeker.

Dear Doctor or Hiring Manager,

Attached you will find my resume for the opening you have available for a dental receptionist.  I have seven years of experience working in the medical field as a receptionist.  I am computer savvy and have strong customer service skills; I believe that my skills would transfer well into your practice and would welcome the chance to interview for your opening.  Please feel free to call me at (xxx)xxx-xxxx if you have any questions or would like to schedule a time to meet.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Regards,

Your Name

A few extra minutes and minimal work can mean the difference between your resume getting deleted or you scoring the interview.  Take your time!  Happy job hunting!


Tiffany Worstell is a nationwide Recruiter for Vision Staff at ETS Vision. She can be reached at tworstell@etsvision.com or 540-491-9112. ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com

What Does Your Interviewing Process Say About Your Company?

Grabbing the attention of top candidates can be challenging for employers trying to court their first picks in the executive, managerial and professional job market. These applicants are typically interviewing with multiple companies and have additional options at their disposal. Employer branding and a streamlined recruitment process are just a few of the strategies companies are using to make themselves more attractive in this candidate-driven market. While these strategies can help make the recruitment and hiring process more efficient, many employers forget to consider the subtle messages they could be conveying about the company, through the interviewing process itself. This oversight can create a lasting impression that turns candidates off before an offer is ever made.

With a shrinking talent pool and increased competition for top candidates, employers have to not only sell the company well, but also conduct an interviewing process that presents the company and its corporate culture in the best light possible. "When companies approach the interviewing process from the candidate's perspective, they are much more likely to create an experience that is mutually engaging and appealing to the 'A' players in their markets," says Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork.

The interviewing process should be an opportunity for both parties to evaluate a professional and cultural fit with the company. Yet, consider as an employer that perhaps you are additionally sending out unintended messages about weaknesses in the company culture or work practices.

Have you reflected on the following?

1. Is your process executed in an organized, seamless manner?
2. Are the company representatives experienced at interviewing candidates, or are they just winging it?
3. Are the interviewers polite and sincerely interested in learning more about the candidate's background, or are any of them annoyed that the interview is taking them away from their work?
4. Does the company do its best to follow-up with top applicants and keep them engaged or do several days or weeks go by without any feedback from the interviewer?
5. Is the interviewing process lengthy or is it respectful of candidates' time?

If you answered no to any of these questions, it may be time to re-evaluate what the company's interviewing and recruitment practices say about the organization. "Just as employers are concerned about making a bad hire due to poor cultural fit or lacking skillsets, candidates are equally concerned about working for companies that seem disorganized, unprofessional, unreliable or inconsiderate of their employees' needs," notes Romaine. "Even the slightest glimpse of poor work practices can send top candidates away from your organization and straight to a competitor."

At the end of the day, the interviewing process is as much about candidate discovery as it is about employer branding. It is therefore important for employers to evaluate whether their practices are attracting or detracting key talent from their organizations.

Is Your Quest for the Perfect Candidate Hampering Your Company's Recruitment Goals?

Until a few years ago, prospective Google employees had to endure a hiring process that could involve more than 10 interviews. The resulting length of the hiring process created a time-intensive ordeal for hiring managers, causing the company to frequently lose top talent to its competitors. Two years ago Google overhauled its process and limited each candidate to five interviews, recognizing that the longer candidates are on hold, the more time they have to get another job offer or accept a counteroffer.
While Google's previous 10-interview process is atypical, many companies employ a lengthy interviewing and hiring process. Some organizations recruit in this manner because of lingering practices developed during the recession when companies focused on filling only the most vital roles, incorporating lengthy interviewing processes to avoid making hiring mistakes. Other employers simply argue that their process has historically proven to be successful in ensuring great hires within their organization. In either scenario, these companies don’t realize that lengthy interviewing processes are no longer effective in today’s executive, managerial and professional job market. In this space, which is largely candidate-driven and where the talent pool is small, top candidates are being courted by several companies and have many options at their disposal. A prolonged search not only hampers companies’ ability to recruit the best candidates, it also keeps employers from seeing the potential of well-qualified individuals who may be missing some of the job requirements.

Employers frequent look to recruiters to help them locate talent that are a perfect match to job descriptions, however the purpose of all new hires should be not only to match job requirements but also to bring in people that have the growth and leadership potential to help companies move their businesses forward.
"It's important to learn to recognize potential in candidates who can become 'perfect' employees through guidance and leadership," advises Rob Romaine, president of MRINetwork. "Don't focus only on how closely they match your job description, but also consider whether they can evolve into the current role and beyond."
MRINetwork recruiters typically offer the following advice to companies trying to evaluate whether they should streamline their hiring processes:

1. Determine if your interviewing process is time-efficient and considerate of candidates’ time. The best candidates are typically employed and are interviewing with multiple companies.
    
2. Review whether you struggle to hire your top picks or if you are losing them to counteroffers and other job offers.
    
3. Keep the lines of communications open. Explain each step of the interviewing process to the candidate up front. Provide feedback within 24 hours of the interview and explain next steps to keep them engaged in the process.
    
4. Consider what your interviewing process says about your company culture and brand. A lengthy process could give the impression that there is always a lot of red tape with getting things accomplished or approved. It can also give the wrong impression that you are no longer interested in the candidate.

Adds Romaine, "The most successful companies realize that recruitment is not about finding candidates that perfectly match job descriptions." "It is about matching talent that have the experience, skills, maturity and cultural fit to impact the company and lead it into the future. Most job-related skills can be taught within three to six months, but intelligence and leadership skills are something candidates either have or they don't. It is up to hiring managers and highly-skilled recruiters to be able to discern whether talent have the potential to not only fit into a given role, but also become strong leaders in the company."

Job Searching in a Saturated or Difficult Job Market

The job market for associate optometrists is improving across the country.  However, it is still competitive and often challenging in many larger metro areas in the U.S.  There are not enough jobs available for the number job seekers in saturated areas such as Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. At ETS Vision, we speak with optometrists everyday who are having a very hard time finding opportunities.

 

Don’t Get in Your Own Way: The biggest disservice you can do yourself is to think you are the only qualified applicant for the job. In a saturated market you have to sell yourself much more than the practice has to sell itself to you. For example, I recently worked with a practice in San Diego, CA. I had 6 applicants within 2 hours. By the end of the first week, I had 30 to 35. Your resume, cover letter, attitude, and the things you say have to express what you bring to the table to benefit the practice. What skills and experience do you have that will benefit the practice? What sets you apart? Can you speak Spanish? Do you love working with kids? Can you do specialty contact lens fits? Can you bring new patients into the practice? Don’t move the conversation straight to how much they will pay you. You don’t even have the job offer yet, and this approach can cost you the job.

 

Expand Your Options: Most job seekers we speak with would much rather work for a private practice or small group practice. Corporate optometry is a last resort or often not something they even want to consider. However, large group and corporate optometry is a large part of the industry and continues to grow. These practices can offer you stable employment, great training, a guaranteed minimum salary, and benefits. If private and small group practices are not hiring in your area, don’t limit your options. 

 

Use an Independent Recruiter: A few optometry recruiters, like ETS Vision, have contacts with practices throughout the U.S. Most often we are working on openings that are not advertised in any other channels. Our clients entrust us to locate the right talent to grow their practices. We speak with job seekers in order to understand their goals and experience. We have the ability to market strong candidates to practices with whom we have built relationships with over the years. Sometimes it’s who you know, and recruiters are good to know. 

 

Volunteer: Many new graduates can benefit from this in difficult areas. Volunteering can help build or maintain skills. It helps you learn chairside communication and build patient rapport. It can even help you connect with other practitioners, and possibly lead to an employment opportunity. Look for volunteer opportunities in free clinics or giving your time by participating in free vision screenings that may be offered in your community. 

 

Shake Some Hands: Go to optometric society meetings. Get online and join discussion groups. Get on LinkedIn. Hand out business cards to every optometrist you meet. Drop in and say hello to offices and leave a resume/CV. You can’t be shy in a saturated market. Let people know who you are, and let them know you are looking for an opportunity. 

 

Multiple Part-Time Jobs: Most saturated markets have more part-time openings available than full-time. You should definitely consider trying to get 2 or 3 part-time jobs if you need a full-time income.

 

Relocate: It’s an extreme measure for many, but for some it can mean the difference in having a career or several short-term, part-time positions or nothing at all. Relocating expands your options exponentially. Just make sure you are not expanding your options of relocation to another heavily saturated area.

 

Optometrists - What To Know Before You Accept an Associate Position

Finding a new associate position can be a daunting process for both new and experienced optometrists.  While making a good impression on an interview is important, it is equally important to learn as much as possible about the practice. Here is a compilation of questions from job seekers who I have worked with over the years. I hope that this list will make the decision process less intimidating.

Relationship
-Employee or Independent Contractor?
-Employee at will?
-Is the doctor open to restrictive covenant in case of future ownership?
-Is the doctor open to a transition period, if needed? (After purchase)

 Type of Practice 
-What type of practice is it (full scope, pediatric, etc.)?
-Age of the practice?
-When/what do you refer out?
-How many treatment lanes?
-How many opticians?
-How many technicians?
-How much is the practice overhead?
-How long has each employee been there?
-What does the practice do to market itself?
-How many FT and PT staff?

Patients
-What is the patient pool like?
-Have the number of active patient records been reviewed?
-Is the practice growing or declining in number of patients seen, new patients attracted, and young patients?
-Average number of cancellations per week?
-Average number of patients seen by associate per day?
-How far ahead is the doctor book filled?
-How far ahead is the associate book filled?
-Discounts/Bartering/payment plans?
-PPO type of insurance? Insurances: accept all kinds or just selected ones?
-How much is the discounted price of the PPO compared to the fee schedule?
-Medicare or Medicaid acceptance?
-What percent is FFS, cash and discounted PPO?
-When was the last fee increase?
-Are the fees low, high or average for the immediate area?
-Do you offer patients credit?

Schedule 
-Days, hours, on call, etc.
-How many office hours and days per week is the office open?

Duties
-Job description (separate document) or general description

-Is the doctor responsible for pre-testing?
-What were the most of the cases being done by the associate?

Facilities
-Supplies, equipment, support, etc.?
-Is the practice EMR compliant? If so, what system is being used?
-What is the square footage of the office? Can it be expanded?
-Average age of equipment?
-Do you have a confirmation system for appointments?
-How do you deal with NO Show?

Term of contract
-How long?
-What is the required notice period should either party wish to terminate the relationship?

Compensation
-Is there a guaranteed salary, draw, daily rate or hourly rate?
-Is commission determined from collections or production?
-If collections, what is the collections rate in the practice?
-What percentage of production/collections is used to calculate income?
-Is there a chance to increase compensation in the future?
-Taxes withheld?
-How will the associate be paid? (Weekly/bi-weekly/monthly)
-How much on average was the last associate making?
-What was the average associate production per day?
-Can I get a fee schedule of the practice?

Benefits
-Medical Insurance: health and dental?
-Malpractice insurance?
-Disabilities insurance?
-Required CE courses? How much and for how many hours a year? Are they paid for/reimbursed? Is there a stipend?
-Retirement?
-Sick days…….. # allow per yr…..
-Personal days/vacations…..# per yr allow……
-Holidays?
-What benefits are given to the staff?

Expenses
-Define, list, when paid, etc…..
-Will the practice support the acquisition loan (in case of future ownership), pay the overhead expenses and afford a reasonable income?

Other Questions and Notes
-What is your practice Philosophy and Goals? For the Practice and with new patients?
-Have you had associate before? How many? How long did they stay? What was the reason for the associate resignation?
-How do you advertise?
-Who determines how long I have to spend with new patients/initial exam and record?
-Is there a particular doctor in the area who is your main competitor?
-Who sees the patient first (technician or optometrist)?
-Why was the partnership offer turned down by an associate (if applicable)?
-Will I be able to visit the office during regular working hours?

Partnership/Buy-in/Sale
-Discussion/Formula/Price
-What will be the time frame for an associate position before we can talk about partnership/buy-in/buy-out?
-Is there an option for future ownership? Are you considering a move out of state?

Restrictive Covenant
-Define

Chante Smith is the Western U.S. Account Executive and Recruiter for ETS Vision. She can be reached at csmith@etsvision.com or 540-491-9105. ETS Vision is a Vision Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, and Vision Staff throughout the United States. www.etsvision.com