5 Tips To Prepare And Nail A Physician Phone Interview
For many locum tenens jobs, your phone interview is the final gateway to being hired for the position. Even when applying for a permanent position, the phone interview is a key part of proving that you are qualified for the role.
While the interview is your chance to find out more about “hard to navigate” factors of the facility, the interview is ultimately the chance for your potential employer to see if you are a good fit for the facility. We’ve put together our top five tips on how to prepare for and nail a phone interview to set you up for success.
1. Do Your Research Beforehand.
Going into a phone interview with a clear foundational knowledge of the facility itself and the job details will not only show a sense of professionalism, but will also show that you are very interested in the role.
Spend some time before the interview to read up on the facility and types of patients it serves. Remind yourself of the job details and what will be expected of you. The job description on Nomad is a great place to start and you can click into the Facility Profile to learn more about where you will be working.
2. Prepare Your Interview Space.
While it may be more convenient to take a phone screen during your transit or in your break room, the importance of a quiet interview space is paramount. If your interviewer has a hard time hearing you or the connection isn’t strong, that sends a negative signal to your interviewer about your commitment to the position.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted and set aside the time to make sure you can be in that place during your interview. Have your CV readily available so you can reference it if needed. When talking about your experience, make sure to highlight your most recent experience that is actually relevant to the job.
3. Be Honest About What You’re Comfortable With.
During your interview, the depth of the questions you may be asked will vary based on the job type and your specialty. Locums job interviews in particular, tend to be more in-depth as most hiring managers will make a decision from just that interview.
Be prepared to answer questions about what procedures you are comfortable with and how recently you’ve done them, particularly if you will be asked to perform very specialized procedures. Be honest with yourself and the interviewer in your answers so that you don’t get caught by surprise on the job with a procedure you haven’t done in a few years.
4. Be Personable!
The person on the other end of the line may be your interviewer on the call, but if you end up taking the position, they will be someone you see at work! You could be speaking with a hiring manager, the medical director, or even the department head.
Don’t forget that this is someone you may actually be interacting with on a daily basis, so don’t be afraid to be personable! Smile and make a joke. Make some small talk. And at the end of the call, don’t forget to express your thanks for their time. Building a relationship with your interviewer will leave a very positive impression and kickstart a relationship that you may continue to cultivate while on the job.
5. Have Clear Availability For Your Interview.
When scheduling a phone interview, make it clear what times you are available. Simply saying things like “I am free tomorrow afternoon” or “Call me anytime on Wednesday” are too vague and put the pressure on you to be available for a large span of time.
Instead, pick a few hours that are convenient for you to be near your selected interview space, when you know you will be free. Your interviewer will then be able to find a time that matches with their schedule so that you both know exactly when to expect the call.
To help expedite and simplify this process, we’ve developed a phone call scheduling feature on Nomad that pops up as soon as you submit an application.
Using this feature, you can choose times based on your availability and leave the most convenient phone number for your interviewer to contact you. Make sure to select the correct time zone so there isn’t any confusion.
You can also leave any additional notes about certain times you prefer or any additional information they should know.
Once you submit your phone interview availability, the facility will receive a message that you have submitted availability and they will be able to respond with a time that works for both of you.
Phone interviews are a crucial part of the application process, but they don’t have to be a stressful one! Taking the time to learn about the facility and being prepared to answer questions about your experience will help make your phone interview feel more like a great conversation.
If you’re ready to try out our phone interview scheduling feature, click here to search for and apply for your next job!
Best of luck,
The Nomad Team
nomadhealth.com
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