PhysioGuru

With hundreds of physiotherapists qualifying each year, securing a job as a qualified physiotherapist is becoming exceedingly difficult and challenging. This article outlines some of the steps which can be used by physiotherapists to give them a competitive edge.

1. Informal Visit – Once you have been shortlisted for the interview, if the hospital allows, the interviewees can opt for an informal visit. Such a visit can offer you an edge by being able to portray your enthusiasm and friendliness. You may be remembered by the members of the panel. It also aids interview preparation by making you aware of the current issues and workplace information. You would also be able to meet your peer physiotherapists, juniors and seniors. It will help you ask knowledgeable questions during the interview. In addition, it can also confirm whether or not you would want to work in that hospital.

2. Preparing for the interview –

A. You should know the exact location and time of interview

B. You should know the interviewers name and title (if provided in the call letter)

C. Search for information about the hospital and your department. Always know of the caseloads and possibly the current team. Usually this information can be found on their website.

D. Subject preparation – NICE Guidelines, national policies and recent healthcare initiatives. In addition, clinical governance, autonomous practice and CPD need to be understood well. A lot of focus is also placed on working as a part of multidisciplinary team, record keeping and conflict resolution (with the patients and within the team).

E. Dress appropriately for the interview.

Some standard questions in the interview process –

Personal

1. What do you know about our hospital?

2. Why did you choose a career in physiotherapy?

3. What do you think you can bring to our hospital and department?

4. What are your strengths and weaknesses ?

5. What are your achievements so far?

6. Why are you leaving your present job (if working)?

7. How would your friends describe you?

Professional

1. What is meant by term ‘CPD’ and give some examples.

2. What do you understand by team work?

3. What makes a good communicator?

4. How would you prioritize treatment in a busy ward?

5. What priority would you give to paper work in an extremely busy period?

6. Can you give an example of when you assumed leadership within the team?

7. Please give an example of an incident when you disagreed with the diagnosis or management of a peer and how you handled it?

8. What would you do if a patient refused one treatment and advised you to use another?

9. How would you deal with a difficult patient?

10. What would you do if you disagreed with a consultant’s decision about treatment?

11. Provide examples of your relationship within the multidisciplinary teams.

In addition, various scenarios related to the patients that you could encounter can also be given. For e.g. for an interview for outpatient musculoskeletal post, you can be asked about low back assessment, outcome measures used for assessment of shoulder function or you may be asked to demonstrate mobilization for any joint. Similarly, for a neurological physiotherapist, questions related to stroke rehabilitation or other commonly encountered conditions may be asked. Therefore it is important that you know the caseload that the prospective department deals in and read about the latest research based protocols for the related conditions.

Some important points to be careful about –

1. Arrive on time

2. Greet the interviewer with a smile and a firm handshake

3. Do not slouch, relax or smoke in the interview – even if asked by the interviewer.

4. Think before you speak, be concise and structured.

5. If there are 3-4 members in the panel, look towards each of them while answering questions and not just the person asking questions. Usually interviewers divide the questions amongst themselves, so it is imperative that the people not asking questions are not ignored.

6. Don’t answer questions in a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Always relate your experiences to the question being asked.

7. If you don’t know, be truthful, don’t waffle.

8. When asked to tell about yourself, make sure to sell your abilities and experiences and make the interviewers see value in investing in you.

9. For clinical questions, remember to mention specific keywords and use of outcome measures.

10. Teaching to the patients and providing the patients with relevant information.

11. Do not lie to any of the questions.

12. Avoid discussing political, sports or religious subjects.

13. Never speak about your present employers negatively.

14. If unsuccessful, ask for feedback and treat it as a practice. Use the points gained for the next interview.

| More...