Should I apply for this job? (optometry assistant)

[mupreopt]

I was looking through yahoo jobs and saw that an optometry office is hiring an office assistant. Cooincidentally, this is the office that I was thinking of shadowing about 2 years from now. Then his office burnt down earlier this year and it was destroyed. So I didn't want to go in and ask after this devastation. Wonder if it's a sign for me to apply.

What do you think they mean by "office assistant"? Do you think I qualify?
I am an undergrauduate student and I am currently looking for a job because I failed my organic chemistry class and need to pay back my college.
I've never had a job and never volunteered for anything.

The description says to apply in person. What should I wear (show me some pictures rather than just a description)?

Should I go in and apply? Or should I just walk in and apply or should I just play dumb and pretend that I don't know about the job opening and ask to shawdow and hope they say "oh, we have an opening . . .".

My main question is, what do you think they mean by office assistant?

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[mupreopt]

Another question. The job was posted on November 3. It is December 1. Should I call first and ask whether they have hired someone yet?

 

[optEXTREME]

hi! definitely call first to see if the position is still available...i would feel a little silly to go in to interview and find that the job is filled.

wear a suit...or at least nice pants/shirt/shoes. ( i don't know how to post pics yet, but wear a suit or collared shirt for sure. when i go in for interviews, i wear slacks, heels and a collared shirt under a sweater.)

and to your main question...office assistant. that has to be the job i would have if i wasn't planning on doing optometry.

- the job probably includes filing, phone answering, appt scheduling, computer data input, contacting other offices/services, interacting with patients that come in, etc.

some of this is based on what i saw some girl doing while i was shadowing an optometrist, and some is from my experience as an office asst in different offices.

gluck! 🙂

 

[blueeyedOD]

Just call and ask what the job's all about. The main thing is that since doctor's offices are open during the day, they'll probably want you there all day - which is difficult if you're a full time student!

 

[Habitual Rx]

My job title is Optometric Assistant and I do everything from front desk work (booking exams, signing patients in, filing, data entry, etc.) to pre-testing patients to working with CL/lens distributors.

Best way to find out: Use those people skills you're going to need to succeed in Optometry.

 

[jaguilar]

i have an office assistant job and it is great. I work an evening and a weekend a week so it works really well around my full time school. Plus you'll get to know doctors and then be able to ask to shadow them. Even filing at one of those offices you learn alot about conditions and contacts and such. After you call and make sure it is still available i would go in and talk with the manager. Tell them that you are interested in Optometry. It worked really well on my interview. good luck

 

[mupreopt]

I am taking a break from college in spring 2008 and going back to college in fall 2008, so college wouldn't interfere with my job. I can work full time from now until about August 2008.

I am a guy. Are there men working as office assistants?

What type of clothes do I wear to the interview (just post the link of a site that has pictures)?

Do you think I would have a better chance of being hired since I am planning to go to optometry school?

I am kind of hesitant to apply for the following reasons:

- I am 24 years old and never had a job, so no job experience.
- I never had extracurricular activities.
- I never volunteered for anything.
- I am taking a break from college for 1 semester (is this seen as a bad sign to the employers?)
- I failed organic, 3 and possibly 4 times, but taking a break from college, so that I can take steps to do much better in college when I return. I failed due to procrastination. I can really kick my self in the butt now because I could have passed on this 4th attempt because when I look back at my last 2 exams, they were easy but I didn't study.

Note: this is the job description: two full time openings for a billing person and office assistant.
What do you think is meant by this description? Is this one job title or two? Are they hiring 1 billing person and 1 office assistant or are they hiring 2 "billing person and office assistant".

 

[blueeyedOD]

I am taking a break from college in spring 2008 and going back to college in fall 2008, so college wouldn't interfere with my job. I can work full time from now until about August 2008.

I am a guy. Are there men working as office assistants?

What type of clothes do I wear to the interview (just post the link of a site that has pictures)?

Do you think I would have a better chance of being hired since I am planning to go to optometry school?

I am kind of hesitant to apply for the following reasons:

- I am 24 years old and never had a job, so no job experience.
- I never had extracurricular activities.
- I never volunteered for anything.
- I am taking a break from college for 1 semester (is this seen as a bad sign to the employers?)
- I failed organic, 3 and possibly 4 times, but taking a break from college, so that I can take steps to do much better in college when I return. I failed due to procrastination. I can really kick my self in the butt now because I could have passed on this 4th attempt because when I look back at my last 2 exams, they were easy but I didn't study.

Note: this is the job description: two full time openings for a billing person and office assistant.
What do you think is meant by this description? Is this one job title or two? Are they hiring 1 billing person and 1 office assistant or are they hiring 2 "billing person and office assistant".

You have absolutely nothing to lose by calling the office and asking:
1. if the position is still available
2. and what your duties would be

It doesn't matter that you've never had a job. If you don't go after something that sounds somewhat interesting to you, you won't get one. Sometime, you have to go out there and get that first job. For an office assistant, they're probably not going to care that you failed organic or don't do extracurricular activities. They want someone organized and friendly to run their office and help patients. Just call them! I think you're better off to call and see if it's available, before you go strolling in there expecting to be interviewed.

 

[IcanSEEanOD]

.

 

[Habitual Rx]

I am a guy. Are there men working as office assistants?

Yes.

What type of clothes do I wear to the interview (just post the link of a site that has pictures)?

Google image search: Dress Shirt and Tie.

Do you think I would have a better chance of being hired since I am planning to go to optometry school?

Optometrists love to see students interested in the field they have dedicated their lives to. I would say yes.

I am kind of hesitant to apply for the following reasons:

- I am 24 years old and never had a job, so no job experience.
- I never had extracurricular activities.
- I never volunteered for anything.

This will give others an advantage. There's no time like the present to get a hobby, volunteer and get our to help your community.

- I am taking a break from college for 1 semester (is this seen as a bad sign to the employers?)
- I failed organic, 3 and possibly 4 times, but taking a break from college, so that I can take steps to do much better in college when I return. I failed due to procrastination. I can really kick my self in the butt now because I could have passed on this 4th attempt because when I look back at my last 2 exams, they were easy but I didn't study.

Optometry schools will not like this, I don't know about employers.

Note: this is the job description: two full time openings for a billing person and office assistant.
What do you think is meant by this description? Is this one job title or two? Are they hiring 1 billing person and 1 office assistant or are they hiring 2 "billing person and office assistant".

See: bolded, italicized and underlined words.

Overall: APPLY FOR THE JOB!

You can't be scared and passive to do something that is going to benefit the rest of your plans of becoming a successful practitioner.

 

[mupreopt]

I would like to clarify that I meant office assistant, not optometry assistant.

Also, by dress shirt, do you mean a solid shirt and tie or do you mean a button up shirt with khaki colored pants?

How many hours a day did you work as an optometry assistant? Let's say that the office opens at 8AM or 9AM, what time do you have to be there?

 

[artiSUN]

I would like to clarify that I meant office assistant, not optometry assistant.

Also, by dress shirt, do you mean a solid shirt and tie or do you mean a button up shirt with khaki colored pants?

How many hours a day did you work as an optometry assistant? Let's say that the office opens at 8AM or 9AM, what time do you have to be there?

Office assistant or optometry assistant. Both get you in the office near a doctor and I'm sure with your interest in the field, the doctor may take some time when they're not busy to talk to you about their work and answer questions. That's much better than sitting at home, no?

I worked 8 hours a day with a half hour lunch. As for what time to get there, common sense dictates that you arrive early rather than late. If you can get there at 8AM or 9AM on the dot every day, then go ahead and do that. But more often than not, if you try for that, you may show up late and upset your employer (depending on how they regard poor punctuality). During the interview, you can ask about the proper apparel and such. Some offices have stricter dress codes than others. You should be able to wear a nice clean looking button-up shirt with colored khakis.

Best thing to do is be pro-active. Get out there and start getting that experience! don't be scared, be polite, and be enthusiastic.

 

[mupreopt]

Crap. Just went to yahoo jobs and the listing is no longer there . The job listing was posted Nov. 3, so it probably expired and he hasn't reposted.

I understand that you are supposed to get there early. What I meant by what time do I get there is, let's say the office opens to patients at 9AM, how early are you supposed to get there? 30min before they open, 1 hr before they open?

What I meant by clothes is, what clothes do I wear when I go into the office to apply for the job (solid shirt and black pants or patterned button up with khaki color pants)? If solid, tie or no tie?

I've never applied for a job. Is applying to this type of job different from applying to a fast food type job? When you go in to apply, you fill out an applicatoin, correct?

 

[artiSUN]

Don't worry about the job listing. You can visit other local offices and see if they're hiring or willing to let you shadow. You can always shadow and work part of the time if possible. Who knows, the office you shadow at may even pick you up as a part-time or full-time employee if they feel you're very helpful to them.

At our office, we all arrive around the time we open. Different offices vary on this policy so it'd be something to ask during your interview.

Same outfit applies when you go apply for the job. Most offices, you don't need to be super dressed up, but don't go in completely casual clothes either. Just something clean-cut and nice looking will do. No tie necessary but if you want to, you can include one. And if you're not sure, suit and tie is a standard default 🙂 I don't really care too much about how our applicants dress as long as they look clean and well kept (cut your nails, clean up, etc). small private practices that i've been to aren't so nit-picky about their applicants dressing in formal wear. Not sure what larger practices prefer.

I dunno if i'd say applying for this job is the same as applying to flip burgers. Why? Have you applied to a fast food type job before to compare? haha. Anyway, the interview experience may vary from office to office. They mainly want someone they feel they can trust, someone with good people skills to help patients, someone who will be around for a while (they don't want to train you for a month only to have you leave right after), a quick learner, someone who can handle a lot of responsibility and doesn't require their supervisor to constantly tell them what to do. At least these are some of the qualities I look for when I'm interviewing applicants 🙂 Be polite with your questions, show some enthusiasm, and try to relax for your interview.

Yes, you'll usually fill out an application form. Ours also asks for your schedule and such to make sure you're available during all the times we need you. Being unavailable during our office's busiest times or only being available for just part of the day doesn't really fly with the manager here. So first of all, make sure you're available all the days and times that would be required of you. I've had applicants coming in demanding certain days and certain hours before I've even interviewed them. I just tell em we'll call if we're interested, but most likely not. Once they know you're available, then they'll look at your other qualities. Being the best optometric assistant is useless if you're not there when they need you 🙂 I'm sure you won't have this problem if you're taking a break from school though.