what makes a good optician??

[obxeyeguy]

Since finding this site a few months ago, I have interacted with some very smart opticians. Since joining, the info on here I have gained is unbelievable the professionals only site has been great also. Heck, the tip from Johns would have cost me $500.00 from a consultant. So what in your opinion makes a good optician? Someone who can sell? Fit? Technically capable?? Good in the lab?? Good businessman? What makes us good at what we do??
Disclaimer: Only a question to start a dialogue, not directed at anyone. I find that we are all different in our thinking, and I know I have changed some of my thoughts on my business from being educated here.

[edKENdance]

All of the above.

[Judy Canty]

Add "good listener" to your list. Ultimately it will save you money and headaches.

[obxeyeguy]

Add "good listener" to your list. Ultimately it will save you money and headaches.
__________________

Great point! One of my pet peaves over the years is WE don't listen to what our patients are telling us. We assume that they are nuts, but if you sort thru what they say, they will usually tell you what the problem is.

[HarryChiling]

We are the jack of all trades.

[DragonLensmanWV]

We have the ability to sweetly take care of an unreasonable customer, then heap invective upon them here in this forum.:D:D

Nothing to see here, that is not a giant vat of acid in the back room.

[Mikli_Mouse]

The inability to get a better job.

[icyou]

Milki,
Either you had a really bad day at work or you really don't like your job/profession. Life is to short to have such negative feelings about somethng you do for 8 hours (or more) a day. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate you career/life.

[icyou]

back to your original qusetion... What makes a good optician?
Caring about what you do and how well you do it. It doesn't matter if you're a plummer or an optician, if you like what you do and find joy in helping people you usually will be sucessful.

[HarryChiling]

might as well be plumbers some days as we often deal with crap.

[obxeyeguy]

The inability to get a better job.

Have to disagree here, I have been an optician for over 33 yrs, never unemployed, not rich by any means, but have made a decent living. If your that unhappy with our profession, Leave. Simple solution. Walmart is looking for greeters all the time..

[Johns]

Being a problem solver.

[Johns]

might as well be plumbers some days as we often deal with crap.

For Christmas, I bought my 9 year old a bunch of plastic pipes, 45 & 90 degree joints, and showed him how he could set them up all over the house and run
water through them (much to my wife's dismay).

I have already told one of my best friends (a plumber) that when my son is 14 yrs old, he WILL be his apprentice.

My friend has a high school education (barely), is a plumber, works 11 months a year, and pulls down over $300k per year. He has one part time employee, and we share the same accountant.

He says he makes the big bucks because everyone else is afraid to stick their hands down a toilet. He's right. He's also getting ready to retire at the ripe age of 47.

[obxeyeguy]

He says he makes the big bucks because everyone else is afraid to stick their hands down a toilet. He's right. He's also getting ready to retire at the ripe age of 47.

I new I should have dropped out of high school.

[cocoisland58]

What makes a good optician?

Knowledge and the interest to aquire more. Integrity and good work ethics. The ability to problem solve, let's face it you have to be somewhat intelligent. It helps to be optimistic with a touch of realism. If you are going to be out of the lab at anytime you will need a natural ability to interact with the public, and if you do not enjoy this go back to the lab. An artistic brain and an eye for symmetry helps. Above all, a sense of humor is essential to survive in this wonderfully interesting but endlessly quirky business.

[optigrrl]

I new I should have dropped out of high school.

I did drop out of high school. Still not making 300k though....

[optigrrl]

What makes a good optician?

Knowledge and the interest to aquire more. Integrity and good work ethics. The ability to problem solve, let's face it you have to be somewhat intelligent. It helps to be optimistic with a touch of realism. If you are going to be out of the lab at anytime you will need a natural ability to interact with the public, and if you do not enjoy this go back to the lab. An artistic brain and an eye for symmetry helps. Above all, a sense of humor is essential to survive in this wonderfully interesting but endlessly quirky business.

Exactly my sentiments. Now that I am interacting with opticians on a daily basis I can tell you that our profession seems to have been taken for granted by the powers who would employ opticians. For example, when an applicant was asked in an interview why they have been dispensing for 5 yrs and didn't have their ABOC they replied "it didn't seem important and the Dr.'s didn't require it."

Last week I met with a dispensary manager of a LARGE practice and was quite surprised to find out that they had been an optician for only a year now. And was training another person to become an optician for the first time. They did not have any desire to become certified, let alone licensed because "those tests are hard and they don't have anything to do with my job."

I'm not judging these people, but if the employers aren't in touch with the job description, aren't concerned about patient care and feel that anybody with retail experience can do the job then in the next generation or so opticianry will be no more a career than clerking at a department store - except you get to buy stuff for the office.

[ziggy]

An Optician takes care of PATIENTS. If you are not taking care of patients, you are at best a sales clerk.

[Cindy K]

Add to the list of attributes of a good optician the desire to be involved in the industry. Don't just go to work, do your eight hours, and wait for that miraculous white envelope at the end of two weeks. Get out there, be an industry player; increase your motivation by talking to others in the industry who have made a difference in the day to day lives of opticians in your area/state/country.

FWIW

(PS: I have immense pity for people like Mikli Mouse. I think a career change is in order!)

[kmc]

This has been one of the most enjoyable threads that i have come across lately. I personally think that if you are not happy everyday that you go to work and miss it when you leave in the evening, then something is wrong. I started out in a small independent lab at 19 and have done nothing but optical since.. That was 15 years ago. Yes, we sometimes deal with kooky patients, customers, and employees. But how many other people do you know that can say " i helped a 4 year old see better today". This is a profession that not only do we have to be on our game every second of every day, always analyzing, pleasing, taking crap from meanies, and cleaning face cheese, WE HELP PEOPLE SEE!!!! I would live at work if i could. I love it that much. I am not one to give out compliments, pick up stranded hitch hikers,or donate money for special causes. I look at my job as my contribution to making this horrible world a little better. I gave blood today for the first time so maybe there is some hope for me after all.

[chip anderson]

I can't believe you say the things you say about your patients. I thought all patients meeting these discriptions were referred to me in order to get rid of them.

Chip

[kmc]

come on Chip, you know you love your patients. why else would you do it for all of these years. Face it, underneath all of the grumbling, venting, and complete hysteria, you wouldn't have it any other way. YOU MY FRIEND ARE A "GOOD PERSON". Sorry to have to be the one to let you know.

[OptiChick21]

This has been one of the most enjoyable threads that i have come across lately. I personally think that if you are not happy everyday that you go to work and miss it when you leave in the evening, then something is wrong. I started out in a small independent lab at 19 and have done nothing but optical since.. That was 15 years ago. Yes, we sometimes deal with kooky patients, customers, and employees. But how many other people do you know that can say " i helped a 4 year old see better today".

I doubt that very many people in here could whole-heartedly say they too are happy everyday to be at work and miss it when they leave!! That is a rare disposition in today's society, but you're very lucky if it's yours!

I'm not saying I hate my job, but it's still work nonetheless, something I have to do to survive. I'm just lucky enough to have a decent job with nice people and am able to help see people daily. Unfortunately, those days where a little 4 year old gets their first pair of glasses and is overjoyed are too far and few between at our office... mainly I feel I see indifferent patients or uncaring ones... you know those: "I really dont care, you just pick em out for me!"

Sigh, I guess this is just our chance to shine, huh?!

*I just have one (multi-tiered) question for you, have you stayed in the same small independant lab for 15 years? Or did you move around from place to place?? And if so, how often and to what kinds of places?? Which were your fave and why??

Just getting ideas... ;)

[chip anderson]

If any of you were married to my ex you would be happy to go to work and hate to leave. Week-eds would be entirely too long.
It all depends on what you do on your work time and what you do with non-work time.
If work is selling, I hate it. If work is being inventive at a particular problem, I love it, especially if it works.

Chip

[Traciangela]

One thing I have noticed about your posts, Chip is you are a really funny guy!:D