Most job search advice is written for everyone. Optometry hiring has its own quirks, and knowing them upfront saves you time, stress, and a few bad surprises at the offer stage.
1. Apply Selectively and Know What You Want First
Before you send a single resume, get clear on your non-negotiables: setting, location, schedule, and patient mix. A focused list of 5–10 practices you'd genuinely be excited to join will get you further than 50 generic applications.
Tailor your resume to each setting. A medical-model practice cares about your ocular disease rotations. A private practice with a strong optical may care more about how you connect with patients and support the business.
2. The Interview Process: Usually Three Stages
Screening call. This is a 15–30 minute phone or video chat covering basics, availability, and whether you're in the right ballpark on expectations.
In-person interview. Expect to meet the owner or lead OD, and often the office manager. They're assessing fit as much as skill, and you should be too.
Working interview or shadow day. This is common in optometry. You'll spend part of a day in the clinic, sometimes seeing patients. Pay attention to the flow, the staff, and how the doctors talk to each other. This is your best look at what the job actually feels like.
3. Questions You Should Be Asking
This is where many candidates leave information on the table. Ask:
How many patients per day, and how long are exam slots?
How much support staff is there per doctor? Who does pretesting?
What does the medical vs. routine patient mix look like?
Why is this position open?
What does growth look like here in 2–3 years?
The answers tell you more about day-to-day life than any job description.
4. Understanding the Offer
This is the stage most new ODs are least prepared for. Look closely at:
Compensation structure. Is it a flat base, straight production (a percentage of your collections), or base plus production? Ask how production is calculated and what's included.
Non-compete terms. Check the radius and duration. These vary widely and can matter a lot if you plan to stay in the area long-term.
Benefits beyond salary. Look at CE allowance, license and association dues, malpractice coverage, PTO, 401k, student loan forgiveness and health insurance.
Sign-on bonus terms. If there is one, find out what happens if you leave early.
Everything is more negotiable than most people assume. We have a handful of other blog posts on this topic if you're wanting to dive in even deeper!
5. The Timeline: Plan for Longer Than You Think
From first application to start date, a few weeks to a few months is typical. Two optometry-specific factors stretch it out:
State licensure. If you're moving states, start early.
Insurance credentialing. After you accept, the practice needs to get you credentialed with vision and medical plans before you can see many patients. This often takes a few months, so ask where the practice is in that process.
6. Follow Up Like a Professional
Send a short thank-you email within a day of each interview. If you haven't heard back by the timeline they gave you, one polite check-in is completely appropriate. If you're weighing another offer, say so. Practices would rather know.
A Smarter Way to Search
On Eye Catching Jobs, you don't have to cold-apply at all. You build an anonymous profile with what you actually want, and practices that match come to you. Your identity stays private until you choose to connect. It's always free for ODs.