Ask These Questions to Stand Out in Your Next OD Job Interview

You’ve spent the time perfecting your resume, triple-checking your application materials, and you’ve made it to the next step: the job interview. You’ve prepared your responses to questions about your background, education, specialty, and more. But have you prepared what you will ask a prospective employer when it is your turn to ask questions during the interview?

Coming to your interview prepared with specific, thoughtful questions is a great way to demonstrate that you have put careful consideration into the practice and the position you are interviewing for. Here are five questions you can consider asking to stand out during your next optometric job interview:

• Can you please describe what my typical day might look like in this practice? This question can help you get a sense of the workflow of the practice and how your role fits into the workflow.

• Where was the practice 3 years ago and where would you like to see it 3 years from now? By asking about the history and the future of the practice, you demonstrate a true interest in the development of the practice. An employer will have the opportunity to celebrate the progress the practice has made and highlight areas of growth opportunity.

• What would it look like if I wanted to specialize in ________? If you have a specialty like ocular disease, mentioning it in the interview gives you the opportunity to learn more about whether you will be able to develop your specialty in the role you are interviewing for and how your skills may add to the practice.

• Is there a path to potential partnership or ownership? Some practice owners are hiring with the intention of eventually leaving their practice in the hands of the trusted OD they’ve hired and nurtured. If ownership or partnership is of interest, mentioning it in the interview can demonstrate that you are serious about the future of the practice and ambitious with your own career.

• How do you see me fitting into the team and the practice culture? Is there anything I should know about to help ensure I’m the best fit for the practice and vice versa? This question presents a hiring OD with the chance to share features of their practice that are not available on the practice’s website. Every practice has a unique team with a variety of backgrounds and interests, and learning more about the culture of the practice can help both you and the employer understand how you might fit into the team.

For more advice and best practices from doctors of optometry, visit the AOAExcel Career Center. In addition to informative resource updates, the Career Center hosts an optometry-exclusive job board and resume database that makes searching for qualified candidates and exciting opportunities simple.