Pre-Reg help on Interview Questions and Answers

In this blog you will find Pre-reg interview questions and answers that will help you beat the competition. At Prospect Health we have spoken with practices who take on pre-reg optometrists to get their insight as employers to what they are looking for. Keep reading to find out the questions you should prepare for and the best ways to answers them.

The 3 main reasons your prospective employer will ask to interview you for a Pre-reg Optometry job is to find out the following…

• • • Do you have the skills to do the job and will you put the required effort in to complete your training (competency based questions needed)
    • Do you have the enthusiasm and passion to do the job and complete your training well
    • Will you be a good cultural fit into the business/practice

The below questions are the most frequently asked during a pre-reg optometrist interview and I have grouped them into sections so you can easily prepare for an interview.

Fact Finding

The employer’s objective is finding out the most they can about you to see if you will be a good cultural fit. It is important to get your personality across to your potential employer.

• • • Tell me about yourself?
    • Talk me through your CV?
    • How would you describe yourself?
    • How would your friends describe you?
    • What motivates you?
    • What are your goals/where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

In terms of delivery this should be your most confident part of the interview. If you struggle to talk through your own CV you’re setting yourself up for failure! You should practice your summary of your CV but ensure you make it specific for each pre-reg job you interview for.

It is a good idea to highlight specifics to show how you have overcome obstacles and challenges during experiences in your life so far.

Try an avoid too much focus on the personal aspects of your life unless specifically asked.

Propensity to relocate after your training

When it comes to getting a job as a pre-reg optometrist, employee’s will be looking for permanent, long-term prospects. Be prepared to answer the questions below as these which will define the potential in hiring you.

• • • What are your intentions when you finish?

Two major flags when answering these questions are responses such as ‘I will leave for something part-time or I will become a locum and pursue a masters’ as these both mean leaving once qualified so be sure to extol the benefits of working at the practice you are interviewing at.

If you are relocating for your pre-reg placement, make sure the practice know this as they could offer support and help as you settle into the area. Do not make it obvious that you would move straight home once you leave as they will not be as willing to invest their time in your training.

Any employer looking to take on a pre-reg will be doing so in the knowledge that you would add long term value to the practice. Therefore, it is very important you focus on how you sell your commitment to staying and contributing to the practice in the longer term.

Questions about your previous experiences…

Selling your experience is a crucial element of your interview and it will reflect your passion and proactiveness in optometry. If you haven’t had much experience, have you tried gaining any experience? If you have then this will show your commitment to your career. These experiences could be Holiday jobs etc or if you have not had experience in an optometry practice, speak about transferrable skills you have gained from jobs/experiences you have had such as retail.

How much practical experience have you had? For example, some employees may find that Manchester students tend to have a lot more practical experience than Bradford students. So make sure to emphasise what you excel at or have done a lot of.

Have you managed to gain any practical experience in the following scenario’s…?

• • • University Clinics
    • Part-time OA role in a practice
    • Any other retail role – you can talk about the transferrable skills you have gained e.g. Teamworking, communication skills, time management etc. These are all relevant and will make you a good optometrist in the long term.

The prospective company

It’s a really good idea to do some research about the company you are interviewing for and how they fit into the market they operate in. Are they independent, part of a group of companies, a multinational?

Pre-reg interview questions you maybe asked……

• • • What do you know about our business/practice?
    • How will you approach balancing the role and your revision for your assessments and eventual OSCE?
    • What do you think of our business/practice?
    • What improvements would you make to our business?
    • Why do you want to do your training in this practice?
    • What do you think the main challenges will be and how will you overcome them?
    • What would you do in the 100 days of the job?

By researching the company, you are interviewing for you can understand and think of ways you will help impact the company and display your eagerness for the job.

Other things you can do to bag yourself a pre-reg job

If you’re really keen you will go out and ask patients or people who already work in the practice what they think of the company and how it could be improved to get feedback before your interview.

The main thing to remember in any interview is to BE YOURSELF. Don’t make things up or act like you’re a completely different person as in the long run it will not hold you in good stead to retain the job (if you get it at all!).

 

 

Hopefully these pre-reg Interview questions and answers will be useful in your interview and we wish you the best of luck! If you need any more pre-reg advice then make sure to check out our Instagram page or pre-reg zone where we provide useful resources and vlogs. We also provide insightful blogs on our website ensuring you are one step ahead and will be successful in your career!

For any more enquiries give us a call on 01423813452 or email us at [email protected]