1. Do you know about our hospital/facility/etc?
Before any interview, you should do your research. Flattering them will grant you brownie points. For example, tell them you learned about them being named the #1 rehabilitation facility in the region and would be honored to join such a winning team. Or, share a personal story about a friend or family member who got top-notch treatment there if you have one. They'll love your connection you feel with them. Just don't lie and don't kiss their butt too much or you will come off as insincere. There's a fine line there.
2. Tell us How Do You Handle Resistant or Difficult Patients?
Some occupational therapy patients might not be thrilled to be receiving your services, no matter how dedicated or devoted you are to providing the best possible treatment and care. You might be the nicest or friendliest therapy assistant, yet for some reason, certain patients will resist your efforts to help. Your interviewer might directly ask you how you handle difficult or resistant patients, or he may give you a case example and ask how you would work with a specific type of patient. You should be prepared to explain how you would handle a resistant patient, such as trying to gain insight into why the patient is refusing services or seeking guidance from your supervising OT.
3. Tell us which placements have you enjoyed most and least?
This has to be handled with care - you don't want to offend anyone and regarding placements - you want to show how your positive and negative experiences have informed you choice to apply for this role - for me a rotational post would extend the practice experience I lacked in my placements.
4. Tell us what types of patients or people do you have trouble working with?
What is the one thing people repeatedly commend you for? Think back to past performance reviews. What common themes have been there? Think about things your family has praised you for. What common things do they say you are good at? You will find your answer to this question in these things! Start off by telling the interviewer your strength, and share how other people have told you this is your strength. You might say, "My strength is organization. My past manager wrote this in my past two performance reviews, and my family always comments about how I am one of the most organized people they know!"
5. Where do you see yourself in five years time as Occupational Therapist?
Forward planning is always good to do - but they are looking for some commitment, not for you to be using this job as a mere stepping stone.
6. Tell me what do you like to do in your free time?
Isn't is funny how we would assume that no one would be better than us at knowing ourselves? But, it can get super tricky when put on the spot to share about our free time or interests. It seems so simple that many people neglect preparation on it. Many people feel like they don't have hobbies when they really do and have trouble remembering it when placed on the spot. Don't be too honest if you spend 5 hours on Facebook or Instagram a day, but don't be a liar and say you volunteer at soup kitchens when really you did that once 5 years ago. This question is to see what you're like outside of your professional role and to gain some insight about your personality. Maybe you are an avid golfer, spend weekends in the garden, love hunting for antiques, or even joyfully belt out karaoke every Friday night. Think about it ahead of time and you'll be fine.
7. Tell me what would you hope to learn from this post?
What opportunities can you gain - how would you expect to learn i.e. through CPD opportunities, experiential leanring?
8. Explain a situation where you did not agree with management and how did you handle it?
This question is hard because an ideal candidate would not be someone that could readily become confrontational with management directive. However, they want to know that you are able to stand up for what you know is right, but handle it in a positive way. One way would be to explain that in a situation where you felt their choice wasn't in the best interest of the facility or a patient that you hoped their decision would be reconsidered.
9. Why Did You Choose This Career Path as Occupational Therapist?
Occupational therapy assistants have a wide range of personal and professional reasons for entering the field. Many have a desire to help others overcome physical and mental obstacles to well-being and independent living, while others may have had positive experiences with occupational therapists in their private lives. The answer you provide to this question can give the interviewer insight about your personality, motivation and dedication to the profession. Think carefully about the reasons that you wanted to become an occupational therapy assistant. There's nothing wrong with sharing some personal information and history, if applicable, but you should also take care that you don't go overboard.
10. Tell me what are all areas where occupational therapist can work?
An occupational therapist can work in
► Community centers
► Educational establishments
► GP practices
► Hospitals
► Housing associations
► Clients homes
► Prisons
► Residential and Nursing homes
► Social services and council departments
► Schools
I would recommend reading an article - and to help it sink in, write a paragraph stating what it was about and what you learned or just make a few bullet points.
12. Explain how do you deal with a difficult patient?
This question is probably the most common and important things that will pop up in most any healthcare-related interview. Be sure to let them know that you're capable of patiently allowing the distressed client to express their feelings as you calmly provide feedback. A relaxed patient is a happy patient.
13. Explain what do you see as the main challenges of this post?
This one is seeing if you have actually read the job description but can also be an opportunity to bring up how your weaknesses may impact upon your work - if you do discuss this, make sure you can identify methods to overcome these potential challenges.
14. Do you have any questions for us regarding our tasks?
Sometimes the person conducting the interview is less prepared (or even more nervous) than the candidate. They might forget to give you the information you require to know whether you would be a good fit. You want to be sure you are well aware of a typical workday and ask them what kind of person would make their ideal candidate. Asking them about what they're looking for is a great way to assure them that you have those attributes and skills so they are left with a positive lasting impression.
15. Explain and give an example of when you had to deal with a confidentiality issue?
This one is seemingly tricky, but you can turn it around as confidentiality is something which must be dealt with daily so think how this has impacted upon your working.
16. Basic Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ What are the skills necessary to become an occupational therapist?
☛ What work experience do you have that is relevant to occupational therapy?
☛ What is your opinion on how an occupational therapy team should function?
☛ What do you think are the three most important skills necessary for success in occupational therapy?
☛ What contribution could you make to our team that other applicants cannot?
☛ What do you think the therapist's role would be like in this setting?
☛ What are the factors of effective occupational therapy?
☛ What are the benefits and the challenges for each of these factors?
☛ Describe a time when you delivered a positive experience for the patient.
☛ Tell me a situation where you managed risk effectively, explaining the situation, the opportunity you had to manage successfully, the action you took and the results.
☛ How would you respond to someone who was verbally hostile towards you?
☛ Describe how you address concerns from a frustrated patient or the patient's family.
☛ Tell me about a standardized assessment you have used.
☛ How do you cope with an overwhelming workload?
☛ Do you mind being supervised?
☛ What kind of management style suits your personality and your work style?
☛ Describe what you learned from your previous job.
☛ What is an effective method you have used to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients?
☛ How have you helped coach or mentor someone? What kind of improvement did you observe?
☛ How would you apply new technology or information to your position? How do you stay up-to-date on new technology relevant to occupational therapy?
☛ Do you enjoy working in a rapidly evolving workplace?
☛ Do you deal well with change?
☛ What kind of feedback do you prefer from your supervisor or manager?
☛ How do you balance cooperation with others and independent thinking?
☛ Tell me about an effective health promotion program you developed and/or participated in.
☛ Are you comfortable communicating realistic goals and progress with a patient and his family? Describe a time when you communicated what you believed were realistic goals, and the patient expressed different goals. How did you resolve the differences between your goals and the patient's goals.
☛ Tell me about the most recent seminar you attended.
☛ Does any particular type of patient interest you more than others?
☛ Would you be comfortable supervising assistants and aides?
☛ Describe a particularly difficult challenge that you helped a patient to overcome.
17. Operational and Situational Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ How would you handle a client who didn't want to cooperate during a therapy session?
☛ Imagine you have to work with a patient who can't communicate properly with you due to physical condition. How do you overcome this?
☛ If a patient has difficulty moving around the house, what equipment would you consider prescribing? What criteria would you use to make a choice?
☛ Imagine you have to interview a patient to gather necessary health information. Where would you start? How would you proceed?
18. Role Specific Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ What are critical skills of an occupational therapist?
☛ How do you make a difference in people's lives?
☛ What ADL evaluation tools are you familiar with?
☛ How do you keep abreast of new techniques? Is there any recent development you find interesting?
☛ Have you ever worked with groups? Tell me about your experience
☛ What do you need to consider to develop a treatment plan?
19. Environmental Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ How many therapists do you have on staff?
☛ What's the ratio of PT/OT/ and SLP therapists?
☛ Who will be my supervisor?
☛ What is your policy concerning continuing education?
☛ When will I be orientated for this position?
☛ What does your orientation involve?
☛ How many hours are allotted for orientation?
☛ How do you record documentation? Do you have a computer system, or a paper system?
☛ How long does it take the average therapist to become proficient with this system?
☛ What is your therapist salary range?
☛ Please explain the benefits that you provide.
☛ Are there any ways that your compensation package is unique or unusual?
20. Work Shift Based Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ Will I be expected to work overtime?
☛ Will I have any evening hours?
☛ Will I be a part of a weekend rotation?
☛ Will weekends be paid at time and half, or compensated with time off during the week?
☛ Will I receive overtime pay for working holidays?
☛ Are there any days during my placement that will be considered holidays?
☛ How long will it take to travel between the facilities that I'm expected to cover?
☛ How will time and mileage for travel between sites be reimbursed?
21. Treatments And Evaluations Based Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ Is therapy performed at bedside or in a gym?
☛ What are your productivity goals?
☛ How many units a day do you expect your therapists to bill?
☛ What constitutes one unit? (For example, are units calculated in 15 minute increments?
☛ How many evaluations do your therapists perform each day?
☛ How much time do you expect an evaluation to take?
☛ How does an evaluation count towards productivity?
☛ What responsibilities will I have that do not contribute to my productivity? For example, team meetings, patient transport, or documentation.
☛ What percentage of your staff members are meeting your productivity expectations?
22. Behavioral Occupational Therapist Interview Questions:
☛ Tell me about your most successful occupational therapy. How did you manage to help you client?
☛ Recall a time you created excellent rapport with a client's family. How did you do it?
☛ What previous work have you done as an occupational therapist?
☛ What other relevant experience do you have?
☛ Of your placements which did you enjoy the most and least? Why?
☛ If you do group work, what is the largest number of clients you have worked with?
☛ What supervisory structures are you accustomed to?
☛ How organised are you when it comes to paperwork?
☛ Have you ever had to deal with a distressed or hostile client?
☛ Have you ever had to deal with a complaint from a client?
☛ How do you approach client confidentiality?
☛ What do you like best about being an occupational therapist?
☛ What is the role of an occupational therapist play in a multidisciplinary team?
These examine how you deal with situations, both expected and unexpected. How do you act under pressure - it's okay if your previous experiences proved to be the 'wrong way' but identify that you need to change this.
24. Do you know with whom an occupational therapist can work with?
Occupational therapist can work with
☛ Mental health services
☛ Physical rehabilitation
☛ Learning disability
☛ Primary care
☛ Research posts
☛ Environmental adaptation
☛ Care Management
25. Tell me the preventive occupational therapy intervention with stroke survivors?
The preventive occupational therapy intervention with stroke survivors are
☛ Abnormal changes in postural alignment
☛ Pain related with immobility or abnormal joint alignment
☛ Injury due to falls
☛ Depression following stroke
☛ Aspiration during eating, feeding and swallowing
