What makes a successful eye care professional at Vision Express?

Many people choose a career in optometry because they believe it's a job where they have a purpose - ensuring people have access to the best eye health possible. So how can you make sure that it's a successful career?

When looking for new team members, we keep an eye out for a few traits, and then we invest in the people through training, support, and continual professional development. We give you all the tools you need to make decisions that are right for our customers, colleagues and the business.

Here are just a few traits that we believe every eye care professional needs to succeed:

People skills

Communication is an essential skill for an optometry career. How you interact with others - both verbally and nonverbally - will influence the practitioner-patient relationship, improve team morale and, ultimately, ensure first-class eyecare.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to put your people skills to the test:

1. Do I display the same standards of behaviour that I expect from other people?
2. While actively talking with someone, do I compose an answer before they finish speaking?
3. Do I think about how others perceive a problem or issue?
4. Do I pay attention to other people's body language?

If you answered 'yes' to the majority of the questions above, there's a good chance your people skills are better than the average person's, and you're well equipped to build meaningful relationships.

A passion for creating joy in vision

At Vision Express, we believe in creating joy in vision. To do this, we need to fill our teams with people who share this belief. So what do we mean by creating joy in vision? Not only do we look after our customer's eyes, but we invest in those relationships and make sure every interaction leaves them feeling special.

Drive

When we asked Optometrist Store Manager (OSM) Hasnain what it takes to be an OSM, he said it all comes down to a person's drive.

"Any OSM needs to have drive because there will be times when you're not meeting your KPI targets, and it feels a bit rubbish. It can happen for weeks and weeks, and you can get very demotivated."

The internal drive that Hasnain is referring to can also be called determination. There might be times when you're not hitting your goals. A high-achieving eye care professional will remain positive and remind themselves that they can achieve those goals.

Follow the latest industry developments

At Vision Express, we take great pride in delivering the absolute best for our customers, which means keeping an eye on development in the industry.

In fact, that's exactly why Professional Development Tutor (PDT) Pom enjoys his role so much. He wears a few hats, one is making sure all pre-registration Optometrists have the tutor support they need to become a Newly Qualified Optom. He explains, "To provide support, it is important not only to use my experience but also to understand current developments and guidelines."

How can you keep up with the latest developments? Check the latest optical technology news, follow insightful accounts on LinkedIn like Optometry Times and strive to be a mentor to junior Optoms.

Do you think you've got what it takes to be a successful eye care professional?

If you read through the list and mentally gave yourself a tick read for each point, you might be just what we're looking for at Vision Express.

We're proud to have a high-achieving culture where everyone is supported to reach their goals, whether that's passing your OSCE examinations, becoming an Optometrist Store Manager, or simply growing your confidence. If you're interested in becoming a part of the team, browse our eye care professional roles and find out more about the optical opportunities at Vision Express.