Anyone can apply for a job, but only a few actually take the time to research the role and and to nut out specific points of interest that will really set themselves apart from all the other applicants. To help you get started here are six of my very own secret tips to ensure you stand out in the interview and get the job you want.

So where do you fit in?

You have just finished your ‘Medical Receptionist’ course and graduated with flying colours. Or you want to return to work after a long break, changing careers or have just lost your job! What ever your circumstance, you all have one thing in common and that is you all want a job as a medical receptionist.

Life in a medical practice is changing…roles are evolving and medical receptionists are no longer just the person on the front desk making appointments and answering phone calls. The job description includes a plethora of things ranging from meet and greet to patient billing, all providing service to customers and the practice. But away from the obvious skills and personality traits required to fill the role, what you really want to know is how to stand out from all the other applicants. So here goes…

Qualified vs. Experience…

Most practices look for someone who has completed a course in medical reception. If you haven’t completed a course then you will have to prove yourself above those that have. The only thing that comes to mind is experience. If you have worked as a medical receptionist or similar role for many years then, depending on what the employer values more, they might choose someone with many years of experience over someone who is just entering into the medical industry for the first time. Don’t be fooled though…employers come in all shapes and sizes and they all want different things, so it might come down to the luck of the draw or you could do your homework and ask around. Drop in and ask the receptionist on the desk if they are looking for someone with experience or like to train their staff in a certain way. Don’t laugh; there is good reason why many employers prefer someone who has never worked in a role before. Fresh faced and eager to learn, can be an advantage in that the person does not have any pre conceived ideas about the role and no set routine to performing certain tasks.

Behavioural Based Questions…

If you are new to the industry, make a list of the skills that you will bring to the role, any past experiences that you have had that proved you have what it takes to meet the challenges of the role as a medical receptionist and be prepared to answer questions on how you handled those situations. Employers these days ask ‘behavioural based questions’ to get a better idea on how you react in varying situations. For example, ‘Have you worked a front desk before, and had to deal with an impatient or angry customer. If so, how did you handle the situation?’ If you have never had a similar experience then answer how you think you would react. Try to keep the customer as the focus and provide a solution that will benefit the customer and the practice.

First impressions count so make it memorable…

A very experienced manager once told me that to leave a lasting impression you must be memorable. I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant at first, did I have to wear a hat or tell a good joke! After a couple of weeks with this in mind, I finally figured out how to make this work for me.

It’s about approaching business situations in a friendly professional manner. It is important to smile and express warmth when communicating to someone. To always dress smartly, look well groomed and take pride in your appearance. It will not only help to make a good impression on your interviewer, but it will make you feel good about yourself and help you to exude more confidence. It also tells your future employer that you are serious and mean business.

Be yourself…nothing worse than an over bearing egotistical person trying to make out that they are better than they really are. People want to know about you personally. What you like to do on your day off, hobbies, sporting endeavors and how many kids you have! It keeps things real and will give your interviewer an idea as to how you will fit in with dynamics of existing staff members.

Be assertive! Make sure that you listen closely to the questions being asked and answer them as best you can. Don’t be afraid to pause and think about what you want to say.  Try not to let your nerves get the better of you…if you can! Just remember that you have done your homework, you know the specialties of the practice, the types of patients that the doctors see, and any other tit-bits that you have managed to find out. So when the interviewer has finished asking you all the questions, you have some prepared to ask them. Surprise them! Ask a question that demonstrates that you have taken the time to find out about the practice and how it operates. For example, you could mention that you have a love for children and that the pediatric interest of the GP’s within the practice really interests you. Make a note of a few questions to ask and place them in a slim black cover incase you forget. You can even place a few copies of your resume in there for reference sake. Having taken the time to consider how you will benefit the practice and also what interest you about the role as a Medical Receptionist within their practice will demonstrate that you have a professional attitude that is sure to impress!

PracSoft preferred Medical Director an advantage…offer something of value!

Browsing the advertised jobs for medical receptionist I came across a large number of practices looking for an ideal candidate that possesses experience in Medical Director and PracSoft. Stating that, ‘it is a must’, ‘is preferred’, ‘is an advantage’, ‘must have exposure’ and ‘have experience in or like programs’.

It seems pretty clear to me that if you want to stand out from your competition in applying for a role as a medical receptionist, it would pay to do your homework on the type of software the practice uses and if you where serious about getting the job, take the initiative and get trained up in it.

Medical Director and PracSoft stand out as they are used within over 80% of computerised practices around Australia. There are many other medical software programs around as well, again find out and add it to your resume. A good understanding of a medical software program such as Medical Director and PracSoft included on your resume would be a big tick in the eyes of your potential future employer. Think about it from their perspective. If you’re already trained in PracSoft and Medical Director, this is a huge cost and time benefit to the practice. As they do not have to fund your training and your ability to start working at a higher level of competency will speed up your ability to understand your role and the day to day running of the practice. You might even find that you know more than the other practice staff already employed in the centre, giving you instant credibility! Being an instant asset to the practice is much better than a possible liability and in need of training.

Being able to offer something additional to the job, something of value to the practice…will exponentially increase you chances of securing a Medical Receptionist job.

Money is important, but don’t count your chickens until they have hatched…

What I mean is, don’t discuss what the pay is until you are offered the job. Bringing up pay in an interview takes great skill to ensure you do not come across as ‘all about the money’. Show them your skills and all that you are capable of offering to the role as a medical receptionist. You might disagree, but I think that it is something you have greater chance of negotiating with them once they want you for the job. If they think that you are the person for the role, then most employers are prepared to discuss pay and conditions with you. Ask them about probationary periods (trial periods) and whether there is opportunity for additional training for other roles within the practice. The relationship obviously needs to be a win-win for both parties.

Make a mental commitment?

One last word of advice…make sure that you are fully committed to wanting the job before you apply for it and go for the interview. If you aren’t the interviewer will sense it. Body language is a big deal these days and most interviewers are well practiced. Many athletes use visualisation to help them focus and mentally prepare for a race. If they can’t see themselves winning, they more than like will be beaten. If you want to be successful in applying for a role as a medical receptionist, make sure that this is something that you really want to do, and make a commitment to do it well. If you have done all of your homework and prepared as fully as you can for the interview, try then to visualise yourself getting the job. Trust me…if you walk in like the job is already yours, it will be!

Good luck…let us know how you go!

This activity has been approved by the RACGP QA & CPD Program.

TOTAL POINTS: 40 (Category 1) Activity No: 744416.

This ALM has been designed to help you get the most out of your Medical Director software. To do this you will have opportunity to rate your competencies and confidence levels with the Medical Director software before your start the training and after you have completed all of the learning modules.

Brainbox Software Training would like to offer this QA & CPD program as a value added benefit to all of our Training for MD and Advanced Training for MD customers. There is no administration or enrollment fee attached to this activity. In return for this free service we hope that you will inundate us with valuable feedback and testimonials about our training product…and recommend the Training CD’s to your friends and colleagues.

Main Learning Objectives

1. Understand and use effectively the basic functionalities of Medical Director

2. Understand and use effectively the advanced features of Medical Director

3. Increase proficiency in record keeping and retrieval

4. Use Medical Director systems effectively to improve patient safety

Here’s a list of what you will need…

1 x copy of ‘Training for MD’ (3 CD Set/5 hours)

1 x copy of Advanced Training for MD (1 CD set/1.5 hours)

Total of 6.5 hours training (required by the RACGP)

To qualify…

…you will need to have purchased the training or not yet started.

…purchased and reviewed Training for MD (5 hours) after the 1 January 2008 (if you qualify here, you will need to purchase Advanced Training for MD and complete a separate form).

The Training for MD3 ALM package includes…

1. Predisposing Activity – Training for MD Questionnaire (10 min)

2. View ‘Training for MD’ and ‘Advanced Training for MD’ (6.5 hours total)

3. Reinforcing Activity – Training for MD Workbook

4. Training Product Satisfaction Survey (5 min)

5. Post Questionnaire – Training for MD (10 min)

Time Line and Structure of activities…

Step 1: Complete the Predisposing Activity (10 min). This Activity will help you to rate where you perceive your competencies and confidence level is now with various aspects of Medical Director before you start the Training CDʼs. Once completed and returned to Brainbox Software Training we will register you for the ALM and put you on a three-month time line to complete the training.

Step 2: Decide on the best way for you to review ʻTraining for MDʼ and Advanced Training for MDʼ CDʼs (6.5 hours). The training will need to be completed in order of modules presented from CD1 to CD4 to enable you to complete the Reinforcing Activity Workbook. We will be here to help you with any questions you might have, and to email you timely reminders along the way.

It is highly recommended to complete the questions from the Reinforcing Activity Workbook as you go along, to save you time backtracking and having to find the answers once you have finished.

Step 3: Complete the Training Product Satisfaction Survey (5 min) and send it along with your completed Reinforcing Activity Workbook to Brainbox Software Training.

Step 4: Brainbox Software Training will then send or email you a Post Questionnaire (10 min) in 6 weeks time. The Post Questionnaire includes similar competency questions as the Predisposing Activity and will allow us to compare how you perceive your level of confidence using MD software now that you have had time to implement and reflect on learned skills. When completed send this to Brainbox Software Training.

Step 5: Itʼs our turn now! All you need to do is sit back and let us process all the paperwork for you. Once we have submitted your ALM to the RACGP we will send you a Certificate of Achievement and credit you with 40 Category 1 Points.

How do I enroll?

All you need to do is to email erica@brainboxtraining.com.au that you would like to recieve your Training for MD3 pack and we can get you started straight away.

If you have any questions about the Training for MD3 ALM, please go to ‘contact us’ tab at the top of this page or post a comment below.

We look forward to hearing from you!

From the Brainbox Team

The MYOB program itself is not an intuitive program so it can take a bit of getting used to. The problem is if you make a mistake in setting it up, then you have to hope your accountant picks up the errors at the end of the year (at a fee of course). Unless you take the initiative and complete some MYOB learning and training to save yourself a truck load of time and  improve your productivity.

So what are your options to learn MYOB?

1. MYOB run courses. MYOB the company runs MYOB training in Brisbane and other locations around Australia. These courses are offered face to face or online and cover the essentials of setting up and using MYOB. Training courses cover all aspects of MYOB and all types of MYOB releases including MYOB training for Premier v9-12. They are intensive sessions designed to get you up to speed fast.

The main problem with group classes is you cover every aspect of the software, even bits you don’t need and will never use. You also cram the information into a short time period, which means that you will leave the class in a state of overwhelm and forget a lot of what you have been taught. Your ability to apply the knowledge depends on how good your notes were during the session (when you were trying to listen, practice and write all at the same time).

MYOB courses tend to be run only in major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane. MYOB training on the Sunshine Coast and other regional and rural centres is hard to locate.

2. Private provider run courses. Many private training providers and accountants run MYOB education courses. These courses range from one day to four days in duration. While many courses are run by registered training providers, the quality of MYOB courses can vary dramatically between the MYOB trainers.

3. Read a book. There are many excellent books on the market if you like to learn from books. The top seller on the market is MYOB for Dummies. The main drawback with using a book is you can’t see precisely which button to click on to get to a section on the software. This can be very frustrating and cause unnecessary errors. MYOB books are a great adjunct to learning MYOB but you might find that you need more details than a book can provide.

4. Online course. Online MYOB learning courses are occasionally available. Depending on the provider, the style of the course will vary from simple PowerPoint style presentations to more interactive sessions. Often there are limits to how often you can access online training without incurring additional fees. In addition, depending on your internet plan, access into the course may incur costly excess charges.

5. One-on-one training. Some book-keepers and accountants offer one-on-one MYOB training for small business at your site. This generally costs more, but is a good option if you need a higher level ofMYOB training setup and support. Most accountants and book-keepers prefer that you have a basic understanding of MYOB and its functionalities before contacting them. This way you can ask more specific questions that will be more meaningful to your business.

6. Training CD’s. CD-ROM training for MYOB is a great option to help you learn the basic fundamentals and advanced features of MYOB , in your own time and at your own location. It doesn’t matter if you live in a capital city or on the Sunshine Coast;MYOB training can be accessed using your CD-ROM.

CD training for MYOB means you can skip the bits that aren’t relevant, and replay the bits you need to top up your knowledge. Modules are short, snappy and directly relevant, so you fit the training in around your busy work schedule.

Training CDs are an affordable alternative to MYOB classes and means you can learn at your own pace. You can also replay your MYOB CDs as many times as you need without additional fees, which also means all of your employees can access the MYOB training for just the initial purchase cost.

One of the best features is you can toggle between the MYOB CDs and your own personal MYOB database so you can instantly apply what you have learnt to your accounts. This gives you almost the same level of support as one-on-one training, without the price tag.

There are many options available to learn MYOB – you just need to select the best option for your budget, timeframe and location.

1. Budget. MYOB classes range from just a few dollars to buy a book to a few thousand dollars for more detailed MYOB seminars and MYOB courses. You need to know your budget before you start to look to ensure your preferred MYOB instruction is within your financial means. You also need to factor in additional costs for other employees who need to be trained. MYOB training CDs mean your entire workforce can be trained for just the initial purchase price.

2. Time availability. If you are looking for face-to-face MYOB classes and courses, these involve a significant time commitment. Most MYOB classes are between 1-4 days in duration. This means you need to be absent from your workplace for the duration of the course, as well as take into account travel time to the MYOB course. You need to ensure you can attend the MYOB class at a time that suits your diary and other commitments.

If you require more flexible training, then MYOB training CDs are great time- management options. Modules are short – generally no more than 10 minutes at a time which means you can easily fit MYOB training into your schedule.

There are a range of quick training courses for MYOB, but these tend to cram a lot of information into a short space of time which means a MYOB short course may be an expensive investment if you cannot recall the information you have been shown. MYOB training CDs are a great alternative, as you can take part in the training and then replay it as you need.

3. Location. The majority of MYOB classes are held in major capital cities. This is great if you are looking for MYOB classes in Brisbane, but if you need MYOB classes in the Sunshine Coast you may find it more difficult. In addition, you generally can access higher quality trainers for MYOB courses in Brisbane, whereas for rural and remote locations such as MYOB courses on the Sunshine Coast, the quality of the trainer may not be of a suitable standard.
CD training from MYOB means you can access the highest quality trainers at your location, for no additional cost.

4. Formal qualifications. You need to also ask yourself if you require a MYOB certificate at the completion of the course (if you are an accountant for example). If this is the situation, then you will need to be selective in the MYOB course you choose.

5. Ongoing MYOB support. Many MYOB classes are a one-off event. You pay your money, attend the training and then leave. But if you have areas where you need revision, or where you have a question you need answered, then one-off MYOB courses generally do not provide that support. MYOB training CDs provide ongoing support which means you can revise any topic at any time you need without additional fees. They provide the bridge between MYOB help and your training – giving you detailed information to help you resolve any issues.

6. Pace. Many people need time to practice a new skill or technique in order to be able to confidently apply it. If this is your preferred learning style, you may need to consider whether the MYOB courseallows you to work at your own pace, revising as necessary.
MYOB CD training allows you to pause, replay and fast forward through training, allowing you to learn at the pace that is right for you.

7. Application. With any learning you need to apply your new knowledge quickly in a real situation in order to embed your learning. When you attend an off-site MYOB course you learn on their system and their data-files, only being able to apply your knowledge at the end of the course. If you have been off-site at the training for any period of time, usually there is a back-log of work that has to be dealt with before you can look at your own data-file and begin to apply your knowledge.�
MYOB Training CDs allow you to toggle between your training and your own MYOB file, so you can instantly apply your learning to your real life situation.

If you ask yourself these seven key questions before making any decisions relating to MYOB training, then you are sure to select the right MYOB training to meet your needs, budget and personal learning style.