Interviewing Tips

DON'T BE NERVOUS! You're completing the most difficult phase of your professional career, and you're on the down hill slide. If you've been invited for an on-site interview, the phone interview went well, and you're one of three to four being considered for a job. The practice is as nervous as you are, because they know that there is significant competition out there, and you are a valuable commodity. They are going to put out their best effort to retain you as well, provided you are sensible and fit the personality of the team.

Your recruiter should tell you tips and techniques in dealing with the client you are meeting. Most clients include spouses on first visits; some do not. Occasionally, a firm may prefer to meet first with the physician to interview technically; often these clients prefer spouses visit the town rather than show up during the interview, or not attend the preliminary interview at all.

The client is interviewing the physician. Discuss with the spouse their role in the interview process. Often times a spouse will dominate conversations, and clients will not be able to adequately assess the candidate.

In General:

First Impressions: You only get one!

- Dress appropriately. If unsure, ask the person setting up the interview schedule to verify the dress code
- Be on time.
- Firm, but not crushing, handshake.
- Make eye contact.

• Lean "forward" during the interview to show interest (body language).
• Compile a list of the quantities and procedures performed in residency.
• Determine your practice requirements, and your ethical standards (including abortion). Communicate this with your recruiter.
• It may be to your advantage to compile a list of rotations and the procedures encountered during residency. This will distinguish you from other board-eligible residents, especially if the physician is looking for specific strengths.

Have goals and objectives in the interview; you are interviewing them, and they are interviewing you. The interview process is a two way street-- you are in as much control as the interviewer, because they like you from the initial screening, and they need to fill their position (or else, why would they be spending a considerable amount of money interviewing people?).

Go in with an idea of the information that you want to convey as to why they should hire you over someone else. Always work in these facts. STRESS your STRENGTHS!

Go in with an agenda, or selection criteria, of items that will influence your decision. Do not leave the interview unless these questions are answered.

Questions you might get in the interview

     (have answers ahead of time!)

• Tell me about yourself

  -chronological account is good. Start with undergrad
  -why you chose the undergrad / grad / med schools attended
  -family info
  -this will show organizational skills, that are often as important as content.
  

• What will someone else say about you?
• Why do you want to join our practice?
• What are your strengths / weaknesses?
• Why do you want to move to this area?
• What was the most difficult task you've performed in residency?
• What's the most difficult thing you've endured in your life?
• What will you expect from us?
• What will you offer us? (ie. Why should we hire you?)
• What are your short-term (1-3 year) and long term (5-10 year) goals?
• What clinical requirements do you have for your career?
• What level nursery will you accept?
• Are you dealing with managed care currently?
• Administrative responsibilities?
• Academic responsibilities - residents, teaching, research?
• Outside interests?
• Ethical Standards (ie. abortion, etc.)

Questions you might ask:

What is your call ratio. (home call?)

• Which hospitals do you cover?
• Are you responsible for training / covering residents?
• Financial Information. (this might be left until an offer is made, but it is recommended that this is known before signing.)

  -What is your financial position?
  -Were you profitable last year?
  -How much did you bill / collect last year?
  -What is per physician ratio?

• What do you do to control overhead expenses?
• What percentage of your practice is medicare / hmo / ppo / private ins?
• Why can you demographically support another physician?
• How has managed care affected your group / hospital / firm?
• How do you get new patients?
• Is there a business / marketing plan in writing. If so, and if you are interested in me, can I get a copy?
• Are you considering selling the practice / changing its structure?
• What are the requirements for partnership? Is there a buyin?  What is the Buyin Concept?
• What is duration of the contract? What is renewal process?
• Do you (interviewer) have any questions / concerns that remain answered? (The best way to obtain the job or make the sale is refuting concerns -- if they go unresolved, the deal will fall through!)
• I am interested in joining your team -- would you like to proceed from here? (Always ask for the job.)

Always stress your strengths. Critically analyze yourself as though you are in a hiring posture, and identify your weaknesses. Suppose you identify areas in your past that are less than perfect. Do not volunteer this information! We were at an on-site interview, where a physician mentioned that she quit a research job with no notice to work in a resort -- needless to say, she did not get the job. Always practice your interview as though you are the one making the hiring decision.

These are a list of questions. If you would like to rehearse with a member of our staff, we will be happy to practice with you.

Negotiating Tips

Negotiating is one of the more stressful components of the interviewing process. On one hand, you do not want to alienate the hiring firm, by demanding too much or making what they feel are unreasonable demands. On the other hand, you do not want to accept a contract with unreasonable requirements in it. Finally, you do not want to walk away from an ideal position because of a term or condition in the contract that could easily have been resolved.

ALWAYS CONSULT AN ATTORNEY EXPERIENCED IN MEDICAL CONTRACT COUNSEL.

The objective to negotiating is to pick the most important objectives to you, and negotiate them appropriately. You can give in on the lesser important points.

THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT IN NEGOTIATING TO REMEMBER IS THAT:
BOTH SIDES MUST FEELS AS THOUGH THEY WIN

If you let the other party "win" some of the battles that are less important to you, the negotiating process, and the job transition will occur smoothly.

Finally, if the physicians spouse "handles the finances",
MAKE SURE THE PHYSICIAN DOES THE NEGOTIATING!
The firm is hiring the doctor, not the spouse. Although the family decides what's important to them, the physician should do the talking with the client.

The major points of a contract to consider are:

• Compensation. Are you an employee, on a partnership track, or an independent contractor.
• Salary structure

-is salary hospital guaranteed. If so, there will probably be a forgiveness clause in the contract. CHECK WITH THE GUARANTOR -- if you leave the firm, you are not liable for repayment unless you leave the area (medicare requirements -- hospitals cannot pay practices to bring patients into the hospital). This is often misunderstood. You can often get the practice to back this if a hospital is guaranteeing the salary -- who would be willing to work for a year, and leave a practice, just to find out they have to repay the hospital a portion of the wages guaranteed in the start of the job.
-is it an income guarantee (you repay difference in billing vs. salary received)

• Restrictive Covenant - ie. Non-compete. None is better. Expect to have one.
• Malpractice Insurance - Occurrence or Claims Made. (Note -- a lower salary with occurrence malpractice might be a better "deal" than a higher salary with claims-made coverage. Tail coverage can be $50K - $100K.)
• Vacation / CME
• Health Benefits
• Relocation Benefits. Remember -- any relo benefits received are taxable income. Try to get the firm to directly pay movers, etc.
• Partnership. Some contracts contain partnership info; some do not. If the contract term is shorter than the duration to reach partner, then these terms may be changed in subsequent contracts. Often, these details are verbal, and seldom are they binding. Although in the initial stages of the job process partnership details will probably be discussed, the actual process of being invited as a partner is usually another agreement.
  

Always write down your list of requirements when you start interviewing. Then, during the interview process, if you become more flexible, or if your aspirations change, you can change your requirements. Don't let a party negotiate you to the point you will be uncomfortable or disappointed in a few months, just to secure a position.

We can act as a mediary during the negotiation phase to reduce tension, and to ensure both parties are comfortable with the agreements.