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Help with phone interview questions please? sm - cc

Posted: Mar 22, 2012

Hi,

I have not had a phone interview in six years. I was laid off in September and finally got a response to my resume. Anyway what questions should I make sure I ask. In an email that was sent to me I know the hours, the pay and that it is an IC position. This company found my resume on a board that I posted in 2010. I don't want to name the company yet. I have never heard of them.

Thanks in advance.

Some good questions to ask - SH

[ In Reply To ..]

Hi there!

You mentioned already knowing the pay, hours and what type of position (employee or IC), but here is a list of some other questions you could think about asking:

What type of work will I be doing?

How many doctors are on the account I will be transcribing?

Will I have the same doctors, or will I pull from a large pool of doctors?

Will I have access to samples?

How is my pay configured? (Lines? Pages? Characters?)

How often is my pay generated? Direct deposit?

How many hours will I be required to work during a pay period?

How are my hours recorded?

Are there performance reviews with increases available?

Will I receive training on the equipment? Software?

Are there any specific references you'd like me to have? (Books, etc.)

Are there any hardware or software requirements that I will need to purchase in order to perform the job?

Will I recieve PAID traning on the equipment? - IAMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Seriously - and what is that rate of pay?

Interview Questions - CB

[ In Reply To ..]
I just pulled up my list from last year's job search and in addition to some of the questions above, I also asked:

Differential for holidays/weekends/third shift?
Is OT available?
Cost of insurance per pay period?
Are incentives offered?
Can I access prior reports?
How is PTO accrued?
How is PTO paid out? (hourly amount for everyone, or an average of your production, etc.)
How many hours to get an 8-hour shift in? (for example, I interviewed with six companies and that ranged from an 8/1-2 to 12-hour block)
How many paid holidays? (this ranged from 0 to 10)
Pay for training and average length of training time? (this ranged from $9 to $12 an hour)
Ratio of VR to straight?

Good luck!

More questions - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Sorry this is so long. Please forgive me if I repeat earlier posts. Also, I probably wouldn't bombard a recruiter with ALL of these questions (LOL...they'd be offended and wouldn't hire you if you did), but I would have them on hand and organized so that, as the conversation drifts in a general direction, you'll be ready. They're probably talking to you from a script, so your questions may be annoying to them.

Do you have a specific client in mind for me if I come on board? Will I be assigned to acute care, clinics, or a mixture? Who will make this determination? Do I have any input whatsoever?

Any chance I could be assigned my favorite work type exclusively, or at least the majority of the time? (Might as well ask up front. A recruiter probably wouldn't have any idea how to answer this...but, if s/he tries to improvise, you'll at least know it.)

Is this an American-owned company?
Approximately how many FT/PT MTs do you employ? Do you offshore work? If so, would you know what percentage? Is this expected to increase over time?

If this is a straight-typing assignment: Has the client indicated its intention to convert to VR in the future? If so, is there a timeframe for the transition? If not, why not?

Will the account(s) to which I'll be assigned be full (exclusive) contracts, or is the work shared by multiple MTSOs? If shared, who controls the distribution of work?

Do you have work available? Will I have a primary account assignment with backups? What happens when/if I run out of work?

Do you require MTs to flex their schedules to meet minimum productivity requirements? Is this "business as usual," or does it happen only rarely?

Do you follow BOS and, if so, what version? Do you provide it, or do I?

What kind of communication will I have with QA personnel? Are their decisions final, or do I have any recourse?

Is the expander integrated into the dictation system, or do I need to purchase a product that will be compatible (e.g., Shorthand, Instant Text, etc.)?

Am I required to make any purchases whatsoever in order to work for you?

Can you tell me what my start date will be? Will training/working actually begin on that date, or do I have to wait for an unspecified period of time for you or the client to generate an ID/password for me? Does the client require personal information about me before I can start?

Generally speaking, would you say that your MTs find your system user friendly? Has anybody ever asked them?

Will your trainer and tech support personnel be in touch with me, or do I need to call them and set up an appointment? Are they available 24/7?

What is the audio quality on your system?

Is my computer setup compatible with your system?

Can I refer to archived reports to search for unfamiliar phrasing/words?

Is there a standard 90-day wait for benefits (start on the first day of the month following 90 days)?

Do you provide HIPAA training for employees? Do you have a procedure in place for violations?

Would you know the typical deductible on your major medical/dental insurance policy?

If you, as a recruiter, can't provide any information about benefits, can you let me speak with HR before I make a decision, or can you refer me to a web site where I can review it?

Are there high-productivity/high-quality bonuses?

Is the cpl you're offering negotiable, or are you offering the same flat rate to all applicants regardless of experience?

BTW, I've been in the business for 22+ years, and I've STILL BEEN DUPED REPEATEDLY. The very question(s) you fail to ask will often be your Achilles heel, and the recruiter will probably not volunteer information that has not been specifically requested. Remember that recruiters usually aren't MTs and rarely have a finger on the pulse of their companies and/or don't care whether the information they provide you is accurate.

Something I learned recently: HR people are NOT your friends. They may smile, shake your hand, and welcome you aboard enthusiastically, but they're frowning when you turn your back in anticipation of being inconvenienced by you in the future. This, of course, is just my opinion. Also, something I've learned through trial and error: Do NOT share with HR, your supervisor, the tech person, the receptionist, or anyone else in the company the details of your life, no matter what. In the first place, they don't care. In the second place, it's none of their business, but they're probably taking notes and depositing the information in your personnel file. No matter the circumstances, preserve your privacy.

I typed the above in a hurry. Please overlook typos. :)

Thanks to all that replied. Your questions are very helpful. nm - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
x

two categories important to me are inside. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
For RADIOLOGY -

Is the account full service or overflow? How many MTs inhouse or remote work on the account?

I need XXXX lines per pay period - is that possible on this account and can you supply this amount regularly, outside of the normal slow spells? (followed by) What is a ballpark average earnings for MTs on this account. (silence?) Just a ball park figure...(still silence? then) Let me ask you this - how many lines per day do you generate on this account?

Kind of lets you know if they overhire.

Too funny - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Loved your question about ballpark earnings. I've asked the same question for years: "I'm accustomed to earning in the range of $$$ annually. Would you know if your high-production MTs are earning this?" This is where you see pure genius in terms of recruiter creativity. :)

lol! Right you are. I try to avoid recruiters. Get close answers - from managers or owners tho.

[ In Reply To ..]
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