42 Questions to Ask an Optician in an Interview (With Sample Answers)
During an interview to become an optician, the hiring manager will often ask you a number of questions to find out more about you, your skills, and how well you fit the job. To improve your chances of getting a job as an optician, it’s important to highlight your relevant qualifications. If you know what questions the hiring manager might ask, you can feel more confident during the interview. In this article, we list the questions you might be asked at an interview to become an optician. We also give you some sample answers to help you think of your own.
General questions for an interview with an eye doctor
To find out more about you, hiring managers start interviews with simple questions about you and your personality. Your answers can help them decide if you would be a good fit for their company. They can also tell from your answers whether you really want the job or not. Here are some basic questions you might be asked at an interview to become an optometrist:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Where do you see yourself in ten years?
- What do you want to do with your work?
- Why did you want to work here?
- What do people say about you at work?
- Why are you interested in working for us?
- Tell me about the job you’d like to have.
- Why did you want to become a doctor of the eyes?
- What do you do best as an eye doctor?
- What’s the worst thing you do as an eye doctor?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- How soon can you start?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- How much would you like to make?
Questions about work and history from the past
During an interview to become an optometrist, you will often be asked about your past jobs and where you went to school. These questions help the person hiring you decide if you can do the tasks of the job. Here are some questions a hiring manager might ask you about your experience and background as an optician:
- Tell me about what you do as a doctor of the eyes.
- What did you learn in school or on the job that helped you get ready for this job?
- What does a doctor of the eyes have to do?
- How do you keep your skills as an eye doctor sharp?
- What does it mean for a store that sells glasses to have good customer service?
- What do you use to straighten out the bent frame of a patient?
- Explain intraocular pressure.
- What should a general optometry office have in stock?
- What do you think is the most important skill for an eye doctor to have?
- What is a lazy eye?
- Tell me about the things an eye doctor uses.
- What’s the difference between an ophthalmologist, an optometrist, and an optician?
In-depth interview questions
Near the end of an interview, hiring managers usually ask you questions about the job to see if you are a good fit for it. They might also ask you detailed questions to find out how you would act in different situations. Here are some questions they could ask to learn more about you:
- As an optometrist, you should always put the needs of your patients first. How do you make your patients feel valued?
- How can you tell if someone’s glasses are the right size?
- Tell me how you follow the billing instructions for an insurance claim.
- How do you work with other medical staff, like optometrists or ophthalmologists, to make sure that patients get good service and care?
- Tell a customer what you do in order to sell them a pair of frames.
- How do you change the way you do things for younger patients?
- How do you keep going as an optician when you have to do the same things over and over?
- Have you ever disagreed with your boss about something? Tell me what went wrong and what you did to fix it.
- How do you help a customer with a prescription decide between contacts and glasses? How do you answer?
- How would you stop a fight between two people you work with?
Sample interview questions and how to answer them
If you want to become an optician, look over the questions you might be asked at an interview and think about how you might answer them. You can practice your answers to interview questions in front of a mirror or with a friend or family member. You can use these sample answers to these optician interview questions to help you come up with your own answers on the day of the interview:
1. What would you do if you misread a doctor’s order and sent the wrong contacts to a patient?
Hiring managers ask this question to find out if you are willing to admit when you make a mistake at work. By asking this question, they can also find out how good you are at finding solutions to problems. Tell us how you came to admit this in your answer. Make sure to say what you would do to say you’re sorry and make things right.
Example: “I would start by checking a doctor’s note and prescription twice to make sure this doesn’t happen again. If I made this mistake, I would immediately start a new order with the right information and apologize to the customer.”
2. Explain how bifocal lenses are different from progressive lenses.
People with different eye problems and needs go to an eye doctor. As an eye doctor, you need to know what each person’s needs are so you can help them. When hiring managers ask this question, they want to see how well you understand the different types of lenses and how they work. They want you to give a response that shows you can help customers in a good way. Explain how bifocals and progressive lenses can help people see better in your answer. Also, when you make suggestions, show how well you can think things through.
Example: “Customers use bifocals and progressive lenses the same way, but progressive lenses have many focal distances that change as your vision does. Even though they change quickly, these lenses are clearer. To make a suggestion, I’d talk to the customer and figure out which one best fits their needs.”
3.How do you know if a customer’s best option is contact lenses?
The person who is hiring wants to know how well you know about the job. They want you to explain why you wouldn’t tell everyone about contacts. In your answer, tell them that you know what could happen if they take your advice. Show that you understand that not everyone can wear contacts.
Example: “Even though many people would rather wear contacts than glasses, they aren’t always the best or safest choice for everyone. I would tell them not to wear contacts if they work in a dusty place or if they have dry eyes a lot.”