Job interview at a veterinary hospital tips
What computer programs do you have experience with?
They will most likely have a scheduling software in place, or even a medical billing software, if you apply for a job with a bigger vet clinic. It is important to ensure them that you are tech savvy, and willing to learn to work with any software they use in their veterinary practice.
Nowadays one can find online tutorials for everything, and you have no doubt that you will learn how to work with the programs they use. You should mention your skills with basic office software, such as MS Word, MS Excel (or the alternative for Mac), MS Outlook, PowerPoint, and any other common software you have experience with.
Interview Questions for Veterinary Receptionists:
Highlights technical skills and industry experience.
3. As a customer care representative in an animal care facility, you may deal with emotional patients from time to time. If a client lost their pet and started crying in front of you, how would you react?
While you typically wont know the employers specific protocol for situations like this, you should provide an answer that demonstrates how you would offer comfort or privacy to the pet owner. Its important to show that you can provide compassion in such situations.
Example: In situations like these, I would try to support them as they begin to cope with their loss. In a soft voice, I would tell the pet owner I understand their reaction and ask if theyd like to take a seat in a private room or have a cup of coffee as they process their emotions.
6. What tools and technology do you have mastery over?
If youve been a receptionist before, its likely that youre familiar with office machines, computers and software. These tools are similar to those used in veterinary offices, so try to describe all of your competencies in this area.
Example: Im familiar with scheduling software, word processors, data compilers and filing software. Ive used these tools in my previous roles as a receptionist and think they would be relevant in working in the veterinary clinic.
8. Are you a good at multitasking? Can you describe an experience where you multi-tasked effectively?
Veterinary receptionists must be good at multitasking to handle the various competing responsibilities that come with their role. When answering this question, describe an experience where you deftly handled multiple tasks at once to show your competency in such circumstances.
Example: Im very experienced with multitasking. In my previous role as a secretary, I answered phones, scheduled meetings, addressed client complaints and managed a waiting room simultaneously each day.
5. You present an invoice to a client. They see the total in dollars and get upset, beginning to raise their voice and getting angrier by the second. What do you do?
Again, how would they picture that scenario, and how would they respond? It’s also OK during these real-life scenarios for the candidate to say, “I would follow the practice’s protocol,” meaning they understand there will be a protocol to learn, but do not let them stop there. If needed, prompt them more by asking, “so what do you think an appropriate protocol would include for this situation?”
What you may be hoping to get is for them to respond is perhaps “move the angry client to another room or part of the practice, and ask if they want me to review the invoice,” as well as them knowing who to go to next to intervene if needed, such as the front office supervisor or practice manager.
For the real-life scenarios, keep in mind that the candidate may have customer service experience from a different type of business, so you may want to either help them visualize the scenario by describing it in more detail. You can also turn the question into a type called behavioral interview where you ask, “what DID you do?”
So perhaps “what did you do when you were faced with an angry customer at the dental office, restaurant, retail store?”
