This is a 5 Part series on Interviewing Tips for Physical Therapists a resource available from PediaStaff:
Part 1: Preparing for the Interview.
Part 2: Phone vs. Face-to-face Interviews.
Part 3: During the Interview.
Part 4: Answering & Asking Questions.
Part 5: Following up after the Interview.
You have been offered an interview for a direct hire (permanent) position as a pediatric physical therapist, occupational therapist, or therapy assistant. Congratulations!
This 5 part series will help you prepare for this interview and improve your chances of landing a great job. Please note, that while some of the advice offered here may seem obvious to you, it might not be obvious to everyone, and we would rather share things that sound basic rather than omit something that we assume you know.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Research the hospital, clinic or therapy provider in advance so that you may be as informed as possible about them. Nothing is more impressive or expresses your interest more dramatically than being knowledgeable about the organization with whom you are speaking. Even if you live in the town where the job is located, and think you know all there is to know about the employer and the area, you might do well to do some extra homework.
Here of some of the things you should research. Those items below that you can’t find answers to ahead of time make perfect questions to ask during the interview. Most of this information can be found either by spending time on the client’s website, or by “Googling” the organization’s name and reading articles you find online. Your PediaStaff recruiter will be able to help you collect much of this information, but whatever else you can learn on your own will only serve to help you even more!
THE COMPANY/ORGANIZATION:
• By the numbers – the number of clients served, number of therapists, number of administrators, square footage of the facility.
• Reputation – How is this employer perceived in the city/town compared to other therapy providers?
• Administration – A visit to the organization’s website will generally be quite helpful.
• Recent awards and honors the organization has received.
SPECIFIC JOB QUESTIONS TO HAVE ANSWERED BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
• Why is the job available?
• Exactly where is the position located? Is affordable housing available within a reasonable distance of where you will work? Is the location where you will have to live in a safe environment? Is the location of the job accessible to public transportation?
• What is the client population makeup and caseload?
• Is there a supervisor over your area or will you report directly to the Director or Assistant Director?
• How many hours am I guaranteed (or can I expect) per week?
• Is paperwork done by computer or manually, and will you be provided with all the tools I need to succeed?
• Email address of the interviewer so you can send him/her a “thank you” note.
All of this will not only create a stronger image of you in the interview, but likewise will provide you with a better basis for evaluating the opportunity if an offer is made. In addition, there are some answers that if you have them ahead of time may cause you to decide that an interview is not desirable for you. Again, work with your recruiter to make sure you have all these answers before you decide to accept the interview. Your time and our client’s time are both quite valuable!
Be sure to subscribe to our blog to guarantee that you will not miss Parts 2-5 of this series. This is just one of the many PediaStaff resources available on their website.
