Building a great staff is the first step to growing your practice's good reputation, profits, and innovation techniques. Therefore, the questions you choose to ask during interviews should be calculated carefully.
In order to get a good feel for a candidate, we think a mix of technical, personality-based, and situational questions is most effective. You could also follow in the footsteps Danny Clarke, an OD with a $3 million practice, and use personality test questions from Myers Briggs or DiSC Profile.
Our 12 questions searching for the best optical practice candidate were received well, so we wanted to help guide your interviews for each individual member of your staff. Keep reading to know the 12 best questions to ask during your optician interviews.
The Best Optician Interview Questions 
Overall, we kept the questions open-ended so that the candidate can showcase the breadth of their experience and personality rather than provide short answers. Although you probably won't get a chance to ask all 12 questions, you can cherry pick those that apply most directly to your practice.
1. Take us through your process when you're working with a new patient.
This is a good first prompt so you can get a feel for how the candidate treats patients, what they prioritize, and how good they are at explaining procedures.
2. How do you adjust a manual lensometer for your eye?
If you have a personal preference for lensometer adjustments, this is the opportunity to see if your medical opinions align.
3. Describe a time you worked with a difficult patient or coworker. How did you handle it?
It's always a good idea to know how the candidate works in less-than-ideal circumstances. Also, this question will weed out candidates who aren't conscientious enough to learn from tough situations or past mistakes.
4. Why do you enjoy being an optician?
Aside from technical expertise, you want your optician to fit nicely in with your team. You'll be able to get a feeling for candidates that are truly positive about their job versus those who see it as just a means to an end.
5. How do you adjust your process for senior citizens? Children?
Depending on your client base, you can adjust the demographics for this question. If your practice has a diverse patient base, you'll need to know that the optician you hire has experience working with a range of people. Not every patient is the same, so the procedures shouldn't be the same.
6. What is your comfort level with filing insurance claims?
Even if you have an optometric biller or outsource your revenue cycle management (RCM), it's always helpful to have a staff member with multiple skills. If insurance claim filing is a big part of your optician's work load, they should be able to speak eloquently about reducing denial rates and managing the claim lifecycle from start to finish.
7. Are you familiar with practice management technology or EHR software? Which platforms have you used?
If you utilize any software in your office, it's almost crucial that your new hires feel comfortable incorporating technology into their workflow. You'll save time and money on training if you hire an optician who is already tech-savvy, too.
8. What is your approach to inventory management?
Seeing as inventory management is a big part of the optician's responsibilities, it's helpful to know their mentality. Are they conscious of inventory turnover? And unsold merchandise? SKU codes?
9. How would your friends describe you?
This question helps make the interview more of a get-to-know-you conversation.
10. How do you account for errors when fitting a pair of glasses?
A thorough optician considers all the variables that come with patient care, even for something as simple as a glasses fitting.
11. What makes great customer service as an optician?
Your opticians are also your sales people. They have to be well versed in responding to objections, convincing patients why they should by from your practice instead of online retailers, and generating positive online reviews through excellent customer service. Therefore, it's important to know they're on the same page with you.
12. How will joining our practice help your career goals?
In order to prevent high turnover, make sure the candidate is someone who won't outgrow your practice after a year. If your practice experiences rapid growth over the next few years, you want them to be there by your side.
Want the inside scoop directly from ODs like yourself? Download our free ebook below.
