Usually a job interview can be a stressful task for an applicant. However, one thing that is easy to forget, is that the interviewer is trying to fill the respective role as well, making it a stressful task for them also. To ensure the best outcomes for both parties, it’s critical to ask questions of your interviewer as well. The following will list 5 questions you should be asking your interviewer during the application process.
What have the previous people in this specialty gone on to achieve?
This is a great question to ask as it sounds out your prospective employer’s suitability for you and your career. By asking this question, it puts the ball in the interviewer’s court to attempt to convince you to work with them. It offers an interesting insight to what the employer thinks of the role you could be filling as a locum or permanent doctor.
Why has the position become vacant?
It’s important for a doctor to understand why the position is available. Are there team issues, maternity leave, has there been some major personnel change? There could be a number of reasons why the role is currently vacant, and the interviewers answer to this question can give you a lot of insight into the facility you could be working at.
Culture and team dynamics are some of the most important factors in a workplace and an employer’s answer to a question like this can give you a rare glimpse into what the environment is like. However, it’s important to remember that the employer may be reluctant to answer this question, so watch out for generic or non-specific answers that don’t address the question.
What can you tell me about the hospital’s/clinic’s history?
Learning a little about the hospital’s or clinic’s history is a good idea when evaluating your suitability to work at the location you’re interviewing for. Details on team structure, culture, specialties and equipment are all things you could get from an interviewer’s answer, which can give you an idea of the direction of the facility and where their priorities lie.
For permanent roles specifically, you could ask about their history in relocating doctors and how they make the transition as smooth as possible.
What kind of processes are in place to ensure the team works cohesively?
When entering a new working environment, it is crucial to get up to speed on processes and team dynamics to be able to perform best from the outset. Asking the interviewer about these processes specifically will assist you in getting an idea on how management ensures the team is efficient and has a healthy dynamic, which can also give you an idea of how well things might be functioning behind the scenes.
When can I expect to hear back?
Finally, at the conclusion of the interview, it’s critical to get a transparent answer from the interviewer on when you should hear back on the status of your application. The tone in which they answer this could give you an indication on how they intend to wrap up the application process, and might even give you an idea as to if your interview has been a successful one.
Closing Thoughts
These are just a few examples of questions to ask your employer, there are many more that are specific to individual roles. The purpose of this article is to get you thinking of what you want out of your next role, whether it’s great culture, career experience etc, simply asking a few questions of your potential employer can be an immense help in judging your suitability for the role and ultimately deciding if it’s right for you.
If you’re interested in learning what locum or permanent opportunities are available through Australia or New Zealand, get in touch with one of our expert medical recruitment consultants today. Register with Triple0 or click here to search our latest jobs.
