1. Skype

As a rule, interviews at this stage are more focused on discovering which candidates are a fit for the organization, and on eliminating any whose goals create a conflict for hiring. It may seem obvious, but you could expect a candidate who answers “To be a solo practitioner” when asked for a career goal to be less appealing to a hospital recruiter than the candidate who answers “To work in a hospital setting where I can participate on committees and provide care on an inpatient and outpatient basis.” Neither is an untoward goal, but only one of those answers is going to make the recruiter want to move the candidate forward. Here’s an example. For the screening interview, the answer to “What is your weakness” should be somewhat general: “I’m anticipating that I’ll need help initially with the hospital’s electronic record system. I have some EPIC background, but I know everyone uses the system a little differently.” Whereas, when interviewing later in person with the department head, you might go more in-depth: “I’ve discovered that I do best in a new position when I get a good foundation of training in the first few weeks. That’s not a weakness so much but an antidote to developing a weakness. I’m a solid learner but I’m very process-oriented.

I’d say my biggest concern for this position is getting up to speed with the electronic records system you’re using. Can you tell me more about how you train the doctors in that process?”As you can see, the answer for the in-person interviewer is not only more detailed, but it also turns the answer into a request for more information. That’s a good technique for in-person interviews, but not as much with screening interviews.

Screeners not only have less time, but likely have less detailed knowledge of the actual functioning of the position.Winning over the screenerTo move from simply answering the screener’s questions to winning his or her favor is not as difficult as you might think. Follow these 10 tips and you’ll be surprised how quickly you advance to “favored candidate” status. Reply promptly. Screeners might be coordinating dozens of candidates at a time for multiple openings. Your quick and professional response will be noted. Schedule quickly.

Skype

If you can accept the first offer of a conversation by simply shifting your schedule a little, that accommodation will make the screener’s life much easier than having to go back and forth with you on multiple options. Forward another copy of your CV. Of course, they already have it.

Or do they?. Greet the screener as a person.

You can’t be too familiar, of course (never say something personal, like “You sound tired today”) but you can certainly be warm (“I’m so glad you were able to fit me into the schedule this week; thank you for making this arrangement for us to talk”). Answer questions clearly and succinctly. If the screener asks why you chose your specialty, a short anecdote about your motivations is more appropriate than a long-winded story about an uncle’s medical crisis. Express interest in the position. The screener wants to move people forward who want the job, so save your hesitation for later conversations. Don’t ask detailed questions. Screeners generally do know the schedule and next steps in the process.

They’re less likely to know the call rotation or about opportunities for additional training on the job. Save the in-depth questions for later in the interview process. Follow up with a brief correspondence. A short email thanking the screener for the conversation and confirming your desire to move forward helps remove all doubt about your interest in the job. Show your gratitude. You can’t see the work the screener is doing behind the scenes but you should know that it can be quite extensive at times. Scheduling and interviewing physicians is one of those “herding cats” roles that doesn’t get enough appreciation.

Win or lose, be graceful. It’s easy to say thank you when the screener tells you you’ve been advanced to the next level. More difficult, but probably more important, is the graceful treatment of the screener who explains you’ve been eliminated from consideration.In sum, it’s good to remember how small the world really is. Depending on who the screener works for, you may run into him or her again in this or a later search. Take a moment to say thanks once more for the effort on your behalf and you may find your etiquette pays off sometime down the road.