How Ophthalmologists and Optometrists Can Respond When Asked About Their Ideal Employment Offer.
Navigating multiple job interviews and offers of employment can be exciting for ophthalmologists and optometrists—but also challenging. Beyond salary and benefits, there are many factors to consider when evaluating a practice. Here’s a practical guide to responding thoughtfully when asked about your ideal employment offer.
Start With Gratitude and Highlight What You Liked
Always open by thanking the practice for their time and sharing a few specific things you appreciate about the people or the opportunity. This demonstrates professionalism and genuine interest.
Example:
Dear Dr. Jones,
Thank you for inviting me to visit your team. I really enjoyed meeting your staff, seeing the collaborative approach to patient care, and learning about your mentorship opportunities. I was particularly impressed by the collegial culture among the physicians, the teams commitment to high-quality care, the diversity of clinical and surgical cases, and the opportunities for professional growth.
Acknowledge Compensation, But Emphasize Priorities
It’s fine to mention salary and benefits but make it clear that other factors are equally important.
While compensation, bonuses, and benefits are important, aspects like mentorship, team culture, a partnership option and meaningful clinical experience are equally important to me.
Be Transparent About Your Decision-Making
Honesty about personal and family priorities demonstrates integrity and builds trust.
As you can imagine, I’m trying to make a long-term decision for my family, so we don’t have to move again—we want to settle down. Because of this, I’m actively interviewing with multiple practices and want to be transparent about that process.
Outline Your Specific Employment Expectations
After sharing your priorities, it’s appropriate to outline tangible aspects of an offer.
Example:
After researching current market trends for ophthalmology compensation (talking with co-residents, peers and recruiters) Here’s what I’m looking for in a strong employment offer:
Compensation: $X guaranteed base with a solid productivity bonus.
Relocation Assistance: Support to transition smoothly to a new location.
Time Off: 4 weeks PTO, plus 1 week for CME.
Career Development: Information about a well-defined partner track or growth opportunities.
Key Takeaways
- Start with gratitude and highlight specific things you liked about the team or practice.
- Acknowledge compensation, but emphasize professional priorities and meaningful work.
- Be transparent about family and long-term decision-making.
- Clearly outline tangible expectations, including compensation, PTO, CME, relocation, mentorship and partner track options.
- Maintain a professional, collaborative, and informed tone throughout.
By following this approach, you demonstrate thoughtfulness, professionalism, and a commitment to joining a practice where both you and your patients can thrive.
Thanks for reading.
Questions or comments about this article? Reach out to us at info@ojorecruitment.com
