5 Truly Frightening Physician Interview Stories
Job Interview Nightmares to Avoid this Halloween, and Any Time of Year!
Physicians are highly educated, intelligent people, but even doctors can occasionally ruin an interview. Believe it or not, even the most successful, brilliant clinicians may not always automatically “ace” a job interview. That's where an experienced recruiter can (usually) help!
Recruiting consultants at The Medicus Firm screen and vet candidates thoroughly prior to the first on-site interview, including reference checks. Also, recruiters provide pre-interview preparation for candidates, to advise them on the best practices for interviewing. However, not all interviewees are able to make themselves available for their pre-interview preparation, and despite careful screening, no one can predict nor control how a job seeker will behave on an interview.
With a team of over 50 recruiters nationwide, many of whom have been in the business 15-20 years, the recruiting consultants at The Medicus Firm have experienced a lot of great interviews, and some not-so-great interviews over the many years and thousands of candidates. Here are a few of the most unbelievable physician interview flubs of all:
The Intoxicated Interviewer:
“We interviewed a physician who got drunk at dinner, hit on the CEO’s wife, then stayed after dinner to buy more wine for everyone in the restaurant on the hopsital’s tab, racking up a $600.00 bill!”
MD = Magic Dude?
“I once interviewed a primary care physician who showed up to their interview in shorts and a tank top. He said he thought the ‘white coat’ intimidated people, so he refused to wear one, and proceeded to perform magic tricks in front of the senior executives and other doctors at lunch.” -Chris M.
Poor Time Management
“One doctor asked to utilize her computer during the interview because she was behind on entering patient notes, so she needed to do so remotely to meet a deadline. She spent over an hour [of the interviewer’s time] entering her patient notes.” –Lauren G.
Transportation Troubles
“One doctor informed me the day before her interview that she didn’t have a driver’s license, and therefore wouldn’t be able to rent a car from the airport, and wanted us to ask our client (the potential employer) if they could drive more than two hours each way to pick her up and drop her off at the airport. Also, one other candidate tried to back out of his interview by faking a car wreck and pretending to call from the hospital, but his wife later told us there was no wreck.” – Brian C.
“A physician flew in from out-of-state for an interview, and we were touring him around the community, along with our client (his would-be future employer) who was with us in the backseat. The physician started falling asleep in the car. He then proceeded to fall asleep in three more meetings throughout the day. When I say fall asleep in meetings, literally in the middle of conversations, his head was bobbing with his eyes closed. I still work with that client, and we laugh about it, but in that moment, it was unbelievable!” – Jason F.
Physician Interview Tips:
For a less frightening interview experience, avoid any of the above! Please be punctual, polite, and dress appropriately - if you are unsure about what to wear, or have any questions about your interview and what's expected of you, be sure to ask your recruiting consultant! Also, if you have any medical or health issues that could impact your travel needs, it's best to discuss with your recruiter prior to your interview, so that the employer will be prepared to accommodate all needs of you and your family.
Be careful when attempting humor - a joke gone (horribly) wrong is another common way to ruin an interview and get denied an offer. What's funny to one person may be offensive to another. Don't discuss or joke about any potentially sensitive topics - especially politics, religion, etc.
In sum: Always be yourself, but be the most professional version of yourself!
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