PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW

As an occupational therapist

Your resume and cover letter are excellent

Now you have been called for an interview!

Picture source: http://www.jobinterviewtechniques.n

Tips on how to prepare for

interview

Review your resume and cover letter

Do some more research on the organization
and department
Prepare to answer interview questions
Prepare your questions to take to the
interview
Prepare your job interview kit

Tips from the professionals

Decide what to wear one week before the

interview

Dressing for a successful job interview

(http://youtu.be/a5F43Fp5nMQ)

Be certain that your outfit is pulled together and

appropriate for the job
Ensure you are well groomed

Book a hair cut if its overdue!

Dont forget nails!

TYPES OF INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS
Simple tricky impossible!

The following information is from

Oliver, V. (2005). 301 Smart Answers to
Tough Interview Questions.
Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks, Inc.

Your job interview kit

Cell phone (which is off during the interview)

Directions to your appointment including the name of the
contact, full address (room number) & phone number
A few extra copies of your resume
Key excerpts from your portfolio if relevant
A pen and notebook
Breath mints
Picture ID in case you need it to get in the building

Top 10 tips for being a brilliant

interviewee
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.

Be polite, organized and enthusiastic

Plan interviews around their schedule
not yours
Do your homework
Ask contacts for the inside scoop
Smile at the interviewer and shake
hands, thank them for the opportunity

Top 10 tips for being a brilliant

interviewee
6.

7.
8.

9.

10.

Avoid canned answers to questions. Practise your answers

so they sound natural on the day
Dont use words such as like, kinda, sorta, awesome
Follow the news. There might be a story about this
organization.
Dont leave the interview without having asked at least 3
questions
Follow up with a thank you email or letter within 3 business
days of your interview

The four Ps of performing at interview

Be PREPARED
Look PRESENTABLE
Sound POLISHED
Stay POSITIVE

Dont subtract from the

interview

Rest well before the interview

Make a great first impression

you will look healthy and be mentally focused

be early (make sure you have been there before)
be polite to all staff (they will be asked for their impressions)

Be gracious

Your interview may start late

The interviewers phone may ring
Someone may accidentally barge in to the meeting

Dont subtract from the

interview

Give it your best

Work with the interviewers style

Dress conservatively but dont become invisible

Empathize dont criticize

Meld your style to theirs

Embrace the middle

Avoid canned answers or generalizations

If you are asked to comment but you dont want to sound critical, be
diplomatic

Be present

Concentrate on what they are saying, listen, reflect, clarify and stay
focused

Types of interview questions (basic)

1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

Do you know what we are looking for?

What are your dreams and aspirations?
Do you know your strengths?
Have you done your homework about
us?
Do you know your preferred working
style?

Do you know what we are looking for?

If you were hiring someone for this position,

what qualities would you look for?
What would you like me to know about you
that is not on your resume?
Lets say we offer you the job, tell me how
this organization will benefit?
Why should we hire you?

What are your dreams and aspirations?

Can you tell us a little more about yourself?

(Focus

on your OT story, your passion for the profession

and where you see yourself heading keep it to 3 or 4
points)

Can you describe your dream job?

What are your short-range and long-range goals?
What are two or three things that are most
important for you in a job?
How do you set and manage goals?

Do you know your strengths?

(AKA: Sell yourself)

What is the most difficult thing that you have ever accomplished?
Can you tell me about a recent achievement that youre proud of?
What do you like to do on weekends (in your spare time)?
What special traits do you have that make you well suited to this job?
Can you describe a time when you felt under pressure to perform?
What was the outcome?
Please tell me about a time when you had to work independently
What would you say is your most outstanding achievement so far in
life?
Whats your passion?

Have you done your

homework?

Why have you applied for this position here?

Why

us, why now?

What do you like about occupational therapy?

Your first degree was in _____, how did that prepare
you for this career?
What have you done in addition to your degrees to
learn about occupational therapy?
Tell

them about other ways you have learned about the

importance of occupational therapy

Do you know your preferred working

style?

Do you prefer to work alone or in teams?

What motivates you to put forth your
greatest effort?
Who was your greatest role model?

Trickier interview questions

1.
2.

3.

4.

Give us one good reason not to hire you?

You seem to have more experience than we are
looking for, dont you think you might be bored in this
position?
In what ways is a Masters degree better than a
bachelors degree?
You are young and passionate and your academic
credentials are a great, I worry that there is no
substitute for life experience and youre a little light.

Impossible interview
questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Pop essay questions

Questions that have no correct answer
Ethical questions with a twist
Pigeonhole yourself questions
Questions that send you to confession

Pop essay questions

If you could change occupational therapy

in any way what would you change?

What changes are happening in health

generally or occupational therapy
specifically?
What is happening in your community that
occupational therapy could get more
involved with?

Questions that have no correct answer

What is the real impact of occupational

therapy?

Break it down into sections

Show your ability to pull apart a puzzle and
analyse it
Show your resourcefulness and problemsolving ability
Show that you dont believe you are an

Ethical questions with a twist

When have you confronted unethical

behaviour and chosen not to say anything
in order not to rock the boat?
What if you were working with someone
who managed to take credit for your good
ideas, how would you handle it?

Are you able to act cautiously and ethically?

Pigeonhole yourself questions

Are you better at visioning or

implementing?
Have you ever been so firm that people
would describe you as stubborn or
inflexible?

Questions that send you to confession

Is there anything that would prevent you

from giving 110% in this job right now?
What are the biggest risks you have
taken in recent years? Which ones
worked out best and which ones failed?

What would you do if

You are likely to be given a scenario

question that describes either an
unethical or an unsafe situation and then
asked how you would manage it
They are looking at your ability to
recognize what is actually going on AND
your capacity to manage it.

Personality questions

Tell me about the last time you made a major

change. Why did you do it and how did it work
out?
What were the least enjoyable aspects of your
last job?
Tell us about a time when you experienced
conflict at work, what was it and how did you
manage it?

Polishing your persona

Choose 5 adjectives that describe your ideal work

persona

Intelligent
Perceptive
Hard working
Empathetic
Creative

Take temperament test and think about how to talk about

your strengths and how you manage your weaknesses

http://www.keirsey.com/sorter/instruments2.aspx?partid= 0

Questions to test your Political Prowess

Please give an example of a difficult

political situation you have dealt with on
the job.
How aware are you of internal politics
that may affect your performance?

Questions that ask you to take off your

work mask

How would you describe your sense of humour?

Do you have any commitments outside the
office that might take you away from work?
Tell me about a time when you were in a
personal situation that made you feel insecure?
What do you do for fun?
What do you daydream about?

Questions you cant be asked

Marital or relationship status

Beliefs
Children
Ability to deal with people who are not
the same as you
Financial or lifestyle questions

Your turn to ask some

questions
Five types of questions that you should ask:
1. Get the conversation going
2. Show you studied the employer
3. Internal structure of the employer and/or job
description
4. Checking if the employer is a good fit for you
5. Questions that put the ball back in the
interviewers court

Get the conversation going

What are some of the problems your

company faces right now and what are
you doing to solve them?
What type of employee tends to succeed
here?
How would you describe your
management style and what are you
looking for in an employee?

Show you studied the employer

How has the new management structure

impacted the day-to-day processes
here?
I saw in the news recently that the
occupational therapy services here are
expanding, can you tell me more about
this?

Internal structure of the employer and/or

job description

Who would I be reporting to? Are these

people on the same team and what is
the pecking order?
How does this team manage ongoing
professional development?
Is there an annual review process? How
does that work?

Checking if the employer is a good fit

If I decided to undertake further training

in ______ would this advance me more
quickly?
I enjoy learning with my colleagues,
does the occupational therapy
department run a journal club?

Questions that put the ball back in the

interviewers court

I have my resume and portfolio here with me, do

you have anything else that you would like to
ask me?
Well, I think its pretty clear, I would love to work
here, so what are the next steps?
How long do you think it will take to make a
decision about the position, is there anything
else I can do to help you make it?

Charm can never be

underestimated

Be playful without being frivolous

Befriend your interviewers
Answer thoroughly and keep on track
Shine: be the best candidate
Show some of the you your friends know (language
and gestures)
Rephrase key points to show you are listening
Promise yourself a reward for a job well done

Sending thank you emails after interview

It is becoming common to send a follow-up
thank you
Thank you for the opportunity to be
interviewed
Mention a topic that was discussed in
the interview that you enjoyed
discussing with them
Reiterate what they said would happen

If only I had said

Maybe you wish you could change what you
said in the interview because:
You didnt really answer the question
You said too much
You were too general
You have new information
You messed up your answer completely

Send an email

Thank them for the opportunity to be

interviewed
Explain that you were unhappy with one
of your answers (and a quick reason)
Give your improved answer but dont go
overboard

You have a job offer

This is the only time that you are in the drivers seat

Use it but dont abuse it

You dont have to accept immediately!

Thank them, tell them that you are excited and would
like to discuss the offer with your family
Ask if you can have 24 hours and you will get back to
them
Ask additional information you need at this point

After you accept they will ask

When can you start?

Tomorrow: if you are presently not working

Two weeks from tomorrow: if you are presently
working and somewhat junior
I can give notice tomorrow and start in 3 weeks:
if you are currently employed and somewhat
senior
Four (to 12) weeks from tomorrow: if you are
relocating to a new area to take the job

More resources

Nine essential job inte

rviewing tips

(http://youtu.be/M5ZiuPsb5Zs)