PT Hot Topics/Interview Questions
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Study for an interview? That's a first. Just go in and see what they ask you. Know about the school and make sure you know your direction. I'd imagine the interview is the easiest part of the process.
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obamacare (careful on this one)
POPTs
DPT vs MPT controversy (careful on this one)
PT vs ATC turf wars
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Use the search function to find some useful advice; we had great conversations on here last year about the same thing, and they really helped me out. But other than what Truthseeker said, prepare yourself for some oddball q's, like "what cell in the body would you be and why," the ever popular "what animal would you be and why," scariest moment in your life, etc. I got asked q's like this, along with things like how I'd define success, how do I de-stress..things along those lines. If you have a group interview, it will most likely involve an ethics scenario- show that you're a team player but can also be autonomous or a leader when the group is lagging. And come stocked with q's for them as well, like board pass rates, what they do for the community, is program more geared towards manual vs. exercise therapy, etc. Congrats on the interview, b/c you're def. one step closer to your goals!
Also make sure you're not surprised by the questions that might seem obvious, or you might feel you already know the answer to, but freeze up when it comes time to answer them in the interview. For example:
Why do you want to become a PT?
What experiences in your life made you choose PT?
What is PT?
It really looks bad if you get asked a question like this and struggle w/ an answer.
Why do you want to become a PT?
What experiences in your life made you choose PT?
What is PT?
It really looks bad if you get asked a question like this and struggle w/ an answer.
I always "study" for interviews. I've been in the professional world for over 10 years now (ugh, I'm old) and I've done my fair share of interviews, both being the interviewee and the interviewer. Let me tell you it's really obvious as to who has prepared, and yes it does drastically increase your chances of being selected.
To the original poster: Practice practice practice the answers to the most commonly asked questions (do a search on these boards for PT specific questions and google for general job interview questions as well). Don't just run through them in your head, be sure to say them out loud. If possible get a friend or family member to interview you. Better yet, do a mock interview - your school should offer this service - and get feedback from people who do this for a living.
And don't forget the simple little things that make a very big impression: Smile, make eye contact, and give a firm confident handshake! 🙂
Good luck!
Why wouldn't you study for an interview? You worked so hard for 4+ years to get that interview, and you will risk blow it just because you couldn't spend a few hours preparing for it?
There have been several threads on here about interview tips, so if you do a quick search you can find something. Also, the APTA website is a great resource for a lot of information about the topics truthseeker recommended (which by the way were all really good). During my interview I was also asked a few ethical issues (ie. going out with a pt in a social environment, and what would I do if I caught one of classmates cheating). Finally, make sure you know how to answer the questions rcheeley posted because those are basic ones. I used the career center from my university for a mock interview and I believe it was really helpful.
Good luck!
I didn't have to interview for my position but I have had two professional interviews for internships/rehab tech. positions.
I used careerbuilder.com for advice-very very helpful stuff!! It may or may not apply to grad school interviews (I really am not sure) but it's good information in general-it gives examples how to answer odd questions, types of questions to ask, how to follow up with the interview, etc.
Good luck-you're already ahead of the game by trying to come prepared!!
I used careerbuilder.com for advice-very very helpful stuff!! It may or may not apply to grad school interviews (I really am not sure) but it's good information in general-it gives examples how to answer odd questions, types of questions to ask, how to follow up with the interview, etc.
Good luck-you're already ahead of the game by trying to come prepared!!
