You completed your training program, earned your certification, and applied for a few jobs — now you’ve secured a medical assistant interview.
First of all, congratulations on getting this far. But you’re not over the line yet. The medical assistant interview is your chance to show a potential employer that you’re ready to thrive in a clinical setting.
Most interviewers are looking at three core factors:
- Your ability to perform the required medical tasks
- Your experience and education
- Your people skills
Interviews can vary: Some employers keep things more general, giving you room for your answers, while others get specific to test your knowledge.
If you prepare correctly, you’ll be fine regardless of the interview style.
1. Expect employers to ask specific questions about your skills and knowledge.
Employers want to know that you’re ready for the day-to-day responsibilities of a medical assistant. You might get questions like these:
- Are you able to draw blood effectively?
- Can you take patients’ vital signs and medical histories?
- Do you know HIPAA guidelines?
An interviewer may also assess your administrative capabilities, such as filing and answering phones.
Pick a few skills that you’re confident in and give concrete examples.
When the interviewer gives you a chance to speak about your knowledge, get specific about your talents.
Let’s say you’re especially confident in your ability to take vitals: Mention that you know how to take blood pressure manually and can get vitals done in under three minutes.
Some clinics will ask you to demonstrate your knowledge.
You may be asked to measure blood pressure, describe how you’d prep a room, or explain how to handle contaminated materials. Practice ahead of time if needed.
2. Be prepared to go over your entire resume; practice turning past jobs and education into a story.
If you’ve ever interviewed for a job, then you know you’ll be asked about your education and experience, but that doesn’t mean you have to let interviewers define how all of that information comes together.
So, instead of allowing the interviewer to turn your accomplishments into pluses and minuses, present experience and education as events in your story—all leading to employment.
If you attended a program like NTX Training Institute, now is your chance to emphasize the value of your practical experience. This is key to nailing a medical assistant job interview.
Make sure you know the company you’re applying for.
Every medical assisting role is different, so review the job description before your interview.
If you’re interviewing with a specialty clinic, brush up on your skills with anatomy and those particular procedures. Highlight your skills to meet the position’s requirements.
3. Come prepared to discuss your interpersonal skills.
Medical assisting is a patient-facing role. Clinics and hospitals are looking for workers who are comfortable with people, a quality that falls under the umbrella of “soft skills.”
Be prepared to talk about how you communicate with team members and whether you’ve worked with patients before (or even customers).
Remember that you can use anecdotes that “show” your facility (rather than “tell.)
Dress professionally and bring copies of your resume.
This advice might sound minor, but the details can make a difference if the employer is on the fence.
Wear business professional attire for your interview. Avoid scrubs unless you’re asked to wear them, and show up a few minutes early. It’s also a good idea to bring extra copies of your resume.
A great interview starts with great training.
At NTX Training Institute, our clinical medical assistant training prepares you for your first job with hands-on instruction and NHA certification testing. We’ll give you the skills employers are looking for, so you can walk into your interview prepared.
