Walking out of the office and into the bright sunshine, you have a spring in your step, a smile on your face, and the wind at your back. You just aced your interview and got a job offer for that great optometry gig – way to go, champ!
After doing your celebration dance in the parking lot, you realize you have a lot to do.
What happens after the interview?
Loose ends
First, there is some business to take care of.
You were offered the job – but you still need to accept the offer. Unless you shook on it in the office, don’t assume the employer knows you have accepted the job in your head – they aren’t mind-readers!
If you intend to take the position, confirm this to the interviewer ASAP. Call or email in order to get the message to them right away. Make sure that you claim your spot, so there is no question of your intention – and so that the employer won’t move on to the next candidate instead. Also, don’t forget – you may not have been offered the job on the spot, and your interviewer could need time to meet with other candidates, call your references, and decide that you are the cream of the crop!
If your interview didn’t end in a job offer immediately, send a written thank-you note to the office to set yourself apart.
The timeline
As excited as you may be about the job offer, it is highly unlikely that you will start work the next day.
There is usually a series of hurdles before starting a new job, and now that you’re wearing the big-kid pants, you’ll have to go through them. This starts with you accepting the job offer and ends with your first day on the job, but there are several steps in between.
Initial paperwork usually comes first. Your new office will likely give you a packet of information to complete, in paper or electronically, so fill this out when you receive it.
Frequently you will be submitted to a background check and a drug screening as a new hire, especially in the medical field. Background checks often take a week or two to process; keep this in mind, as it is not something your employer necessarily has control over.
The drug screening, in contrast is typically a rapid sequence of events – typically you will only have 48 hours to complete the drug test from the time you submit initial paperwork to actually having the test performed. There are many clinics with good appointment or walk-in availability to perform these tests, so often it is your schedule that needs to be a bit flexible here, so plan ahead.
Once you are cleared from the background check and drug screening, there may be more paperwork and administrative details to tend to, so check with your new employer.
If progress has come to a stand-still, follow up with your interviewer or new boss to make sure things are still chugging along.
This entire administrative process takes a while – expect a minimum processing period of at least 2-4 weeks between your interview and start date. Finally, consider the timeline of other important aspects in your life before your new job starts.
Your first paycheck likely won’t be received for 3-4 weeks after your start date due to pay cycles:
- Are your finances in order to cover living expenses until then?
- Do you need medical insurance gap coverage until your job’s plan kicks in?
- Are you moving to a new place?
Nitty gritty
There is bound to be various work-related planning you need to cover in order to be successful from day one. Important details to research include:
- What is the office dress code? Will you need to purchase new clothing? Is a white coat required, and if so, must you provide your own?
- What insurance plans does your office accept, and how do you become a provider? Will the office assist you with this process? (*This is key, as many insurance plans take 30-60 days to be added to their provider list, and the paperwork can be quite grueling - start early!)
- Does the office cover your Malpractice Insurance? If not, do you need to find your own plan and provide evidence of coverage?
- Will you need to create user profiles in the clinic’s software for EMR, appointment book, ancillary testing equipment, and more? Do you know how to use those programs or devices?
- Will you be formally trained or oriented on the clinic functionality, or is that something to learn on your own?
Patient zero
At long last, it’s here - your first day has finally come!
You’re undeniably excited, though the butterflies in your stomach won’t subside. To keep anxiety at bay before seeing your first patient, there are a number of things you can do to fully prepare for your first day or week of work.
- Map out directions to get to the office, and be early. Also, consider the time of day during which you are traveling. If you had your interview in the middle of the day, but now need to fight through rush-hour traffic in the morning, factor in that extra time.
- Bring a lunch. You won’t know where to buy food yet, or how long it could take.
- Clarify if your first day will be spent on orientation, or if you’ll be seeing patients straight away. Some environments ease you in, but others prefer the sink-or-swim method!
- If there will not be an orientation, consider going into orient yourself. Map out the general clinic flow, as well as where to find various supplies. Learn how to use the paperwork or software programs necessary to do your job. Training time should be paid time, so try not to volunteer yourself – you’ve got bills to pay.
- Your Safety Blankets: What equipment would you feel lost without? A contact lens fitting guide, or perhaps your cordless Heine BIO? If the office doesn’t supply your preferred equipment but you already own it, consider bringing it with you. You can always train yourself to eventually use the office’s alternate-style retinoscope or a different fundus lens than you are used to, but don’t get flustered right away.
New Beginnings
Everybody starts somewhere. Even if you are a newbie to the work force, there is a lot you can do to prepare for a new job.
Put your best foot forward, and you’ll be off to what hopefully is a great first step along your career path.
Happy to answer your personal questions in the comments below!
