Acing the Interview: Landing the Job You Want

Charlotte H. Smith M.D. University of Washington Seattle Acing the Interview:Landing the Job You Want

Disclosures: • Charlotte H. Smith M.D. has no relevant financial disclosures.

Our Objectives: • Prepare for a successful first interview • To be aware of the types of interviews & strategies for each type of interview • To maximize your position as an attractive candidate • To use the interview process to determine if a position is a ‘good fit’ • To position yourself for optimal negotiations related to salary and benefits offered.

Interviews: Residency vs. Job • CV rules are similar. • Letters of recommendation strategies are different. • JOB interviews are different than Residency or Medical School interviews. • Strategies for engagement and preparation are different.

Acing the interview, entails 4 ‘P’s • Preparation • Practice • Presentation • Polish

Goals of a job interview: • Applicant: • To find out if you like THEM • Employer: • To find out if they like YOU • Both: • To see if it’s a GOOD FIT (and if it is, to move towards CLOSING THE DEAL!)

What are the most common interviewing mistakes? • Not being prepared. • Not presenting the right image. • Not sharing the right information. • Sharing the wrong information. • Not asking the right questions. • Asking in the wrong sequence. • Not following through afterwards.

Preparation: • MOST IMPORTANT aspect of a successful interview. • Before agreeing to or scheduling an interview, do your homework. • Why? • To save yourself & the potential employer, TIME, MONEY & GRIEF!

Put yourself in the potential employer’s situation…. • If hiring because they are TOO BUSY: • they don’t have a lot of time to spare. • If they are in a desirable location or practice: • they may have LOTS of candidates applying. • If they are NOT in desirable location/practice, • they are probably spending LOTS of money on a headhunter/ recruitment agency. • ALL medical practices are under time and money constraints in today’s healthcare environment.

You will want to BE STRATEGIC about which interviews you agree to: • Travel costs (if you are paying) • Time away • Massive confusion when trying to compare practices and opportunities

Before you agree to an interview: • Do your research to be sure it is an opportunity you are really interested in. • Consider: • Is it a location where you want to live? • Is it something you want to do? • Is it a practice situation that is desirable? • Will it work for your family/S.O.’s needs?

Find out as much as you can… • Community (cost of living, environment, schools, etc.) • Business environment (types of industry, etc.) • Healthcare environment (physician supply, liability issues, rate of uninsured, etc.) • Medical Community (hospital networks, number of physicians, insurance plans) • The Group/Practice you are looking at!

Group ‘Espionage’ • Physicians in the practice (reputation, how many, how long in the group, specialty areas, reputation, etc.) • Location(s) of the practice (hospital/ group affiliations, geographic presence, etc.) • How busy is the group? • Areas of expertise (inpatient, outpatient, niche areas)

HOW do you find out this information? • Internet: • Google the group (see if they have a website) • Google each physician in the group • Chamber of commerce for the city • AAPMR (or specialty society) website (where they trained) • AMA website • Medical Board for that state (demographic info, where trained, when graduated, etc.)

HOW do you find out this information? • Networking (MOST important for PMR): • Your residency program (Chairman, Program Director, faculty, former residents) • Alumni (AAPMR: physician search or state PMR societies to find out where they trained) • Friends (who live in that community) • Chat groups/list serves/ networking sites • Professional meetings

Networking strategies: Professional meetings- • Attend a lecture by a physician in the city/ practice you are interested in. • Balance between being inquisitive vs. annoying • STRATEGY: ‘compliment, question, pitch’ “I’m looking for opportunities in (city), do you know anyone that I should contact?”

HOW do you find out this information? 3. Call the County Medical Society • Speak with the Executive Director or President of the medical society. • Tell them you are a young physician who is considering coming to town to practice (who will be joining their association as a member) • Ask them who they think is best in the area you are interested in. • Write or call that physician (Be sure to name drop.)

HOW do you find out this information? • Call local hospitals/ rehabilitation facilities. • Go to their websites (to see who is the Medical Director, Chief of Staff and CEO) • Call their Admissions Office and ask to speak to their Director. • Use same strategy as for county medical society. • Ask for a tour of the facility (to see how full they are & to gather information.)

HOW do you find out this information? • Call the practice to see: • How long it takes to get a new appointment. • What insurance they accept. • If the physicians do only outpatient or also inpatient work. • Can they mail you a brochure or new patient packet?

Getting the Interview: Once you’ve researched the position, you’re in a good position to: • Write a cover letter of interest and mail it with your vita • Contact the practice • Arrange a meeting (if a formal interview is not offered or there isn’t a position advertised.)

Communicating by CV: • Creates a first impression. • Should be tailored to the position you are applying for (academic vs. pvt. practice) • Letter of interest- distinguishes you from other applicants. • References should be chosen to get you an interview: • Connections (former alum, etc.) • Area of expertise

You GOT the interview… • What does it look like? • Telephone interview • Serial interview • Group interview • Informal interview • What are the differences in each of these?? • How do you prepare for each of these?

The Telephone Interview • Increasingly common (especially as a first step, screening tool) & important. • Test of spontaneity & getting a ‘feel’ for the personality of the applicant. • Advantages: • Less stressful • Challenges: • Having impact (without visual connection) • Not being distracted

Telephone Interview Strategies: • Try to schedule a time to talk (if at all possible) • If you are on a cell phone, ask if you can call right back on a land line. • Go to a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted or distracted. • Have your notes, questions, CV & cover letter available • Take the call standing up & use gestures.

The Serial Interview • Itinerary may or may not be given to you. • Meet with multiple people individually throughout the day • Decision may be made by consensus • Opportunities: • Get different perspectives • Get different pieces of information • You have multiple opportunities to ‘dazzle them’ or recover from mistakes. • Challenges: • Fatigue • Staying fresh

Serial Interview STRATEGIES: • Be consistent and tell the same story (possibly with different emphasis) • Ask questions that are appropriate to each person. • Treat each person as if they are the most important person involved in the decision making process.

The Group Interview • Solo applicant interviewed by multiple individuals (3-20) at the same time. • Opportunity: • You get to observe the group dynamics. • You should be able to get all of your questions answered. • Challenges: • Not letting nervousness adversely impact your interview. • Connecting with each person individually.

Group Interview STRATEGIES • Ask for a list of who will be in the group + their position/title (ahead of time if possible) • Ask for them to introduce themselves at the beginning (write down/ check off their name & position) • Make eye contact with each person as they are introduced and as they speak. • Be mindful of your facial expression and body language.

The Informal Interview • Occurs when you ‘bump into’ someone (at a conference, meeting or in a hospital) • Informal interviews are just as important as formal interviews. • Why? • Only ONE chance to make a FIRST impression. • Impressions are made with every encounter. • PRESENTATION is critical at every point.

Preparation for ALL types of interviews: What to have with you • Make a ‘cheat sheet’ with: • Names of physicians/ staff • What you know about that practice. • Prepare Questions • So you don’t forget to ask anything. • So you have something to fall back on. • Bring extra copies of your CV with you to the interview

Preparing for the interview: • Anticipate questions that you will be asked • Prepare questions that you’d like to ask • Be able to articulate your good points using the Value Added Concept.

What Questions Should You Ask? • Your questions should reflect well on you. • You should ask questions at the right time. • Your questions should be directed to the correct person. • Recognize that they may not be able to answer your questions immediately.

Resources: Salary & Benefits benchmarks • MGMA Physician Compensation & Production Survey (www.mgma.com) • AMGA Medical Group Compensation & Financial Survey (www.agma.com) FREE SITES: • Merritt, Hawkins & Associates -(www.merritthawkins.com) • Cejka Search (www.cejkasearch.com/compensation/amga_physician_compensation_survey.htm.) • Medical Economics (www.modernmedicine.com)

The ‘Value Added Concept’ • What value will you add to their practice (beyond your clinical skills)? • What can you contribute that will help their practice grow & thrive? • Examples: • EMR/ Website development experience • Ability to speak Spanish/ other languages • Being well known/ connected in a community (i.e. ability to generate referrals)

How to Communicate on Paper or via the Internet: • Your CV, letters & emails create a first impression. • Always convey a professional image: • No misspellings/ grammatical errors • High quality paper. • Signed in black ink. • No text abbreviations (‘2’ for too, ‘gr8’, etc.) • Avoid being too casual.

Your Internet Presentation • ‘Research’ yourself: • Google yourself • Review your Facebook & other profiles. • Make sure that you don’t have anything posted that projects less than a professional opinion.

What to Share? • You want to share information about yourself that reflects positively on you. • Why you would be a good addition to the group. • Your training/ experience • Your personality/character • ‘Added Value’ you bring to the group • Try to achieve a balance between: • your positive traits; and • praising others (your residency program/mentors, the group, etc.)

What NOT to share? • NEVER speak badly about • Your residency program • Your faculty • Previous jobs • Anyone……. • Don’t get into your personal issues/ struggles

Polish: The final touches • Be appreciative of everyone’s time • THANK them • in person (at the time of the interview) • in writing (mail within 24 hrs) • Ask for business cards from each person you met with. • Write down pertinent details (what you learned), impressions and unresolved issues immediately when you get into your car

The Thank You Letter: If your interested in the position • First paragraph: express appreciation for the opportunity to meet with them • 2nd paragraph: Reiterate interest in the position and why you think it would be a good fit. • 3rd paragraph: Promise to call in a few days to see if the group has reached a decision and/or to see what the next steps will be. • Include your contact information in the letter.

What if you DON’T WANT the Job? • Write a thank you letter expressing appreciation for their time. • If you know the opportunity wasn’t right for you, let them know as soon as possible (You don’t need to go into details why.) • Try to make a decision within 2 weeks.

Phases of closing the deal: • Phase 1: Find out the group’s needs & expectations • Phase 2: Match these needs & expectations with your willingness & abilities to meet the needs • Phase 3: See what the group is able to offer • Phase 4: Negotiate the offer to the best of your ability • Phase 5: Evaluate the final offer to see if it fits your short & long term goals. Decide to accept, reject or re-negotiate.

Final Instructions: • If you don’t find a job by June 30th, don’t panic (because you may be even more marketable after that………) • If you get a job you HATE, you can always CHANGE (and most physicians DO) • Don’t forget to have FUN (because this is what you’ve been working for……)

Questions?????

Acing the Interview: Landing the Job You Want