Standing out in an Interview: Hiring OD pet peeves

In Part One of the Standing Out in an Interview series, AOAExcel covered how body language, attitude, and engagement can affect the interview.For Part Two, our panel of practice owners – Dr. Ryan Powell of Missouri, Dr. Mason Smith of South Carolina, and Dr. Jason Wilson of Mississippi – share some interview tips as well as examples of their pet peeves from candidates throughout the interview process.

The hiring interview is often a hiring OD’s first encounter with an interviewee, and first impressions are lasting. Here are a few things ODs should avoid during a hiring interview:

• “Emphasize the specializations you’re interested in rather than say that you do not want to do an area of practice. Avoid completely restricting the areas you aren’t interested in,” says Dr. Powell.
• Dr. Smith emphasizes the importance of eye contact. “Always make direct eye contact. If you won’t look your potential employer in the eye, I assume you won’t build relationships with patients, either.”
• “Don’t ramble. Be concise but interesting,” suggests Dr. Wilson.
• Dr. Wilson also advises against “trying too hard to make yourself fit into the office – it needs to be a good fit for you, too.”

The next part in AOAExcel’s four-part series on performing well in interviews will include advice on preventing intimidation and nerves.

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