While our economy booms, college graduates everywhere are looking for their first jobs. It is an incredibly exciting time to be preparing for a position in the medical field. Medical assistants stand to make a significant difference in the lives of the patients whom they are working with.
Simply obtaining a diploma is not enough to guarantee a job interview in this competitive market. As you prepare for your upcoming interview, there are some things that you can do to stand out from your competition and land your first job as a medical assistant.
Look forward to a rich and satisfying career as you share your passion and talents and create great relationships with both colleagues and patients.
Show off Your Stellar Grades
While obtaining your diploma is important, students’ grades are a strong indicator of their work ethic and level of understanding with regard to course material. Hiring managers may look at school performance and make judgments on what kind of employee the candidate will be.
Being able to show a good grade point average or perfect attendance at a job interview will let potential employers know that new medical assistants mean business and that they intend to bring that amazing work ethic with them when they accept their position.
Candidates should be proud of what they have accomplished and show off those accomplishments as they let the employer know how they can improve their organization.
Relevant Work Experience
Hiring managers will often give preference to interview candidates who already have experience in the field that they are hiring for. Plenty of volunteer positions exist that are suitable for students studying to become a medical assistant.
Consider taking one of these positions while attending a medical assistant program. This additional on-the-job experience will set medical assistants up for success as they obtain their first position as a medical assistant after graduation.
Demonstrate Knowledge of Other Languages
There is a strong need for medical assistants who can communicate in more than one language. Being able to communicate with people in Spanish, for example, is a great benefit.
Right now, there are a large number of people living in the U.S. who speak many different languages. Knowing how to bridge the gap and assist patients for whom English is a second language will be helpful to any type of work environment.
Indicate Willingness to Relocate or Travel
At the interview, medical assistants should indicate their willingness to move or to commute. Those who aren’t tied down to a specific geographical location will be likelier to get hired than those who must stay in a certain area.
Going where the demand for qualified professionals is high will give the medical assistant a higher probability of obtaining a position right out of school. Areas where demand is high may also have better hiring packages.
Show an Interest in Further Training and Education
Medical assistants should take advantage of the opportunities presented to advance their skillset and receive more specialized training. They should accept every challenge given to them while studying, training, working, or volunteering.
Getting experience can help during medical assistant interviews by telling potential employers that candidates are interested in and passionate about their work. It also shows that medical assistants intend to serve the patients they care for with integrity.
With every demonstration of acquired knowledge, medical assistants can help themselves stand out amongst the competition.
Be Brutally Honest
It’s better not to hide anything from the employer during an interview. Medical assistants should try to express areas of uncertainty or weakness while letting the employer know that they are willing to learn.
If there are conditions to the position that medical assistants are unwilling to take on, or if there are demands on the job that they aren’t sure they can fulfill, it’s better to get it all out in the open rather than be hired under false pretenses, only to fail on the job later.
If the first job interview doesn’t seem like a good fit, then move on.
There will be other positions, there will be other interviews. Being honest will save everyone a lot of disappointment in the end.
Demonstrate Skillsets
A medical assistant may be required to demonstrate certain clinical skills on the job interview. Medical assistants may be nervous, so they should take a deep breath and show what they know. The medical assistant’s attention to detail and a steady hand will be an asset with regard to patient care.
Ask Them a Few Questions of Your Own
During this question/answer session, there is an opportunity for the interview candidate to ask some questions, as well. Here are some things to consider asking while determining if a job as a medical assistant is the right one.
- How long have some of your medical assistants worked here?
- Are there opportunities for advancement and additional training?
- What are your mission statement and workplace values?
- What do you enjoy most about working here?
Asking questions during an interview helps the employer know that the medical assistant is interested in the position. It also helps medical assistants demonstrate their research efforts and knowledge of the industry. Knowing these basics about the company helps medical assistants decide if this is a place they can see themselves working at.
You are embarking on an incredibly exciting journey as a medical assistant. Remember the drive and passion that drove you to pursue this career and look forward to the many satisfying days helping others achieve health and wellness.
Do you have what it takes to shine during a medical assistant interview? Ready for an exciting new career in the medical assisting field?
The Medical Assistant program at Hunter Business School prepares competent, entry-level medical assistants in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains required for professional practice.
The Medical Assistant program provides hands-on experience in a real medical setting where you can foster professional relationships with actual patients. Medical Assistant students spend 160 hours in an externship in an true medical work environment where they are supervised and taught in order to gain valuable on-the-job training.
Contact us today to find out more about how to become a medical assistant on Long Island.