“Do you have any questions for me?” As a job seeker, this is something you can expect to be asked on your next healthcare interview. Yet, it’s a time when even some of the most experienced healthcare professionals draw a blank.
If your natural response is ‘no,’ this is a mistake that can cost you. Not only does it demonstrate a lack of interest in the role, but it’s also a missed opportunity to uncover vital information about the opportunity and further highlight your strengths. Remember, an interview is a two -way street. The employer is asking questions to learn more about you—but they are being assessed by you as much as you are by them.
As a result, you’ll want to go into your next healthcare interview with some well-rounded questions about the role and the organization. Here are a few to get started with:
About the role
What are the patient volumes and day-to-day job responsibilities like?
If this hasn’t already been addressed, you’ll want to ask about the factors that will impact your workload and overall work-life balance. When asking these questions, be sure to get specific information about:
- Daily hours + weekly schedule
- The volume of patients the facility sees
- The typical case load for your role
Asking healthcare interview questions about expectations regarding scheduling, patient volume, and case load can help you determine if the role is the right fit.
What is the team dynamic and structure?
To further determine whether you’re comfortable with the patient volume and expectations of the role, you’ll want to inquire about the team structure. For example, what is the ratio of NPs/PAs/MAs to physicians? What are the typical patient-to-staff ratios?
You should also prepare specific questions about the way the practice operates, including their reporting structure. You’ll want to weigh your prospective employer’s answers with what type of environment you are most comfortable with when making your decision.
What characteristics and skills must the hire possess for success in this role?
By learning about the essential traits as well as the clinical skillset needed for success, you can follow up to their response by talking about why that makes you a good fit for the role. When explaining this, tell a story about an experience that highlights the skills they’ve mentioned.
If you don’t possess one of these skills, this is a great opportunity to say how you’re looking for professional growth, as well as to build your experience in this specific area.
What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
Asking this healthcare interview question is a great way to know what you’d be walking into if offered the role. It can also be a golden opportunity to highlight your abilities, show you are proactive about identifying potential issues, and demonstrate a willingness to learn. Depending on their response, you can explain how you have approached similar challenges in the past and how this experience makes you a great fit for this role.
What is your 30-60-90-day plan for onboarding? What impact will I make?
Your onboarding experience at the organization is critical to your long-term success, so make sure you ask a question about it on your next healthcare interview. This type of plan will outline the employer’s job expectations for you over your first 90 days. They should have a good idea about specific goals, dates, and who you will work with to accomplish these objectives.
Beyond onboarding and training, the answer to this question can help you further understand your impact. When asking about your potential impact, you’re signaling to the employer that you care about the organization and want to do well.
About the organization
What are the long term goals of the department/organization? How can I specifically help accomplish these goals?
The answer to the first question can tell you the general direction in which the organization is headed, which can help you determine if your goals align. Following up with the next one can help you show the organization you are interested in the future of the facility and how you can contribute to their success.
What is the leadership team like?
Learning more about the leadership team and who makes the top decisions should be one of your top priorities during a healthcare interview. Does leadership come from a medical or more corporate background? Are any of them nurses, physicians, or from a different clinical background? These questions can give you insight into the position’s growth potential as well as the relationship between administration and staff.
How do you measure or evaluate success?
Depending on your role or title level, it may be important to learn how clinicians are evaluated, as your performance—or even job security—could depend on specific metrics or expectations. The employer will appreciate that you want to be successful, and you’ll be able to determine whether you feel like you can meet their expectations.
Plus, this can also give you more insight into the overall culture. For example, if you’re getting the impression that the organization is heavily focused on billing, this could point to a more volume focused environment. This is important information to know if you feel you’d perform better in a different setting.
What do you like most about working here?
When there is so much ground to cover on a healthcare interview, not everyone thinks to ask this question. However, it’s one of the most impactful questions you can ask! People like to talk about themselves, and interviewers are no exception. Asking this question is a great way to connect with the interviewer on a deeper level and gain unique insight into the organization’s culture.
