Asking the right questions

It's difficult to really know what a job offers until you've been there a while (Catch-22!), but a little astute questioning can help. Use these questions as aids. Don't read them to prospective employers as a list of demands--gently work them into interviews when appropriate.

Hours and income

• What exactly are my hours (not the clinic's hours)?

• Will I get a lunch hour?

• Will I be on-call?

• How is my on-call time compensated?

• Will I have help when I'm on-call?

• Do you refer to a local emergency clinic?

• How do you compensate for overtime?

• Will I receive a guaranteed base pay and be paid on production?

• Will you teach me the basics of practice economics?

Mentoring

• How interested in mentoring are you?

• Do you enjoy mentoring?

• What day-to-day procedures reinforce mentoring?

• What role does the practice team play in mentoring?

• Who can I call when the boss is out of town?

• How easy is it to refer to or consult with specialists when needed?

• For how many and what types of surgery will I be responsible?

• How much time will I be allotted for surgery?

• Will help be readily available during surgery should it be needed?

Infrastructure

• How many staff members do you have?

• What's their training and experience?

• How many credentialed technicians work at the practice?

• How many staff members will I work with every day?

• What are their responsibilities?

• What are my responsibilities?

• What types of equipment will I have access to?

• Can I order drugs and supplies as I need?

• What are my responsibilities for boarding animals?

• When will I have time to do my callbacks?