13 Optometrist Interview Questions to Ask When Hiring for Your Practice

Finding an optometrist that best fits the needs of your practice is becoming increasingly difficult. Fortunately, the right optometrist interview questions can enhance your chances of finding the ideal candidate for the role.

Before developing questions for your interview process, understand the role’s requirements by reviewing the responsibilities and key optometrist skills the open position requires. You must ask a combination of technical, behavioral, situational, and culture-fit questions and measure their capabilities and compatibility with your practice.

Let’s explore some interview questions you could ask an optometrist candidate and the reasons for asking them.

1. What Is Your Most Memorable Moment in Optometry?

This icebreaker encourages the interviewee to open up and be more comfortable. Conducting your optometrist interview in a professional and welcoming manner creates an environment where candidates can effectively showcase their skills, experience, and personality.

2. How Would You Advise a Client on Techniques to Maintain Healthy Eyesight?

This question assesses the candidate’s knowledge of the basics of optometry. Look for responses that include practical advice and preventive measures for maintaining healthy eyesight.

Key aspects to evaluate include the candidate’s confidence, the quality of their recommendations, and their ability to provide clear and easy-to-understand guidance for patients.

3. What Are Your Long-Term Career Goals in the Field of Optometry?

Understanding a potential new employee’s professional interests is essential to providing effective mentorship. This question helps clearly evaluate a candidate’s potential and how they might contribute to the success of your practice.

4. How Do You Remain Updated With the Latest Advancements in Optometry?

This question can demonstrate your candidate’s engagement within the industry and reveal their genuine enthusiasm for their work.

A candidate passionate about their career will likely stay informed on recent research and the latest industry developments and technologies. Candidates responding positively to this question will likely thrive in a supportive work environment, potentially reducing turnover rates.

5. How Would You Handle Conflict Between You and a Member of Staff or Between Staff Members?

Conflict is inevitable, given the significant amount of time staff members spend together. Therefore, any optometrist joining the team must understand how to diffuse tension and manage conflict effectively with emotional intelligence.

An ideal candidate should have strong mediation skills in staff conflicts, along with an ability to listen to both sides, work toward an agreeable solution, and contribute positively to team dynamics.

In case of conflicts with another staff member, they should show openness to feedback and a willingness to acknowledge their mistake if necessary.

6. How Do You Handle a Dissatisfied (insert prescription/treatment type here) Patient?

This is a key optometrist interview question to gauge the candidate’s customer service skills and problem-solving abilities when a patient is unhappy with or rejects their recommended prescription or treatment.

An ideal candidate should be willing to listen to patient concerns, demonstrate an understanding of the issue, and work collaboratively to find a solution that meets the patient’s needs. It would be beneficial if they could highlight relevant experiences with similar situations.

7. Describe How You Handled a Situation Where You Shared Difficult News With a Patient Regarding Their Ocular Health.

This prompt aims to evaluate the candidate’s empathy and communication skills in delivering difficult news. They should describe how they explained the situation to the patient clearly and demonstrate a thoughtful approach to conveying the information.

Focus on how the candidate managed the patient’s reaction and what steps they took to provide support and potential solutions. This will help you assess their ability to handle sensitive conversations with compassion and professionalism.

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8. Discuss Your Optometrist Skills and Experience Working With Patients From Different Age Groups.

With this question, you can get the candidate to discuss their experience working with populations ranging from pediatric to geriatric patients. Ask them for the details of specific cases where they demonstrated their skills and expertise in handling patients from these age groups.

They should also be able to offer strong references that confirm their stated experience. A lack of adequate references is, on the other hand, a potential hiring red flag.

9. What Approaches Do You Use to Assure Patients Who Are Anxious About an Eye Procedure?

It is essential for patients to feel heard and understood. A candidate’s response should highlight strong interpersonal skills and a genuine ability to empathize with patients.

An ideal candidate will explain procedures in simple terms and reassure patients of the safety and necessity of the procedure.

10. Describe Your Experience With Advanced Diagnostic Equipment.

Your ideal candidate should be able to detail their technical skills and experience with advanced diagnostic equipment. They should establish familiarity with these tools and discuss how they’ve used them in previous roles to enhance patient care.

This insight will help assess their proficiency and ability to leverage technology for effective patient diagnosis and treatment planning.

11. What Would You Do to Occupy Your Time on a Day When You Do Not Have a Lot of Patients Scheduled?

The ideal response to this question should indicate that the candidate is a self-starter with strong organizational and time management skills.

Given that a new recruit may not have a full patient load initially, the candidate should show a proactive approach to growing their patient base and contributing to the smooth operation of the practice.

12. Explain the Process of Conducting a Comprehensive Eye Exam.

An ideal answer should provide an accurate, detailed step-by-step breakdown of conducting an eye exam. The candidate’s answer should include all the required tests, from the visual acuity test to ophthalmoscopy, without omitting any mandatory exams.

The candidate should mention that these exams may also include questions regarding the patient’s medical history, current medications, and any other specific vision concerns.

13. What Is Your Understanding of the Role of an Optometrist in a Healthcare Team?

With this question, your candidate can demonstrate their understanding that their role extends beyond treating patients in the health facility. Optometrists work closely with other healthcare professionals, including ophthalmologists and primary care physicians, to ensure comprehensive care.

Therefore, the candidate should share examples of their involvement in team-based projects and highlight their ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues.

Hire the Right Candidate With These Optometrist Interview Questions

Finding the questions to ask an optometrist in an interview for your practice does not have to be difficult. Use the examples above as a guide to finding the right hires for your team!

Post your jobs or search for qualified optometry talent on iHireOptometry and start your journey toward building a successful team. You can also explore our Resource Center for more hiring and interviewing insights.