A chance to work directly with the public and to see at first hand the progress being made by a patient makes physiotherapy jobs quite popular. Getting such a job requires a dedicated degree or approved postgraduate qualification. It also requires a passion for helping people, patience, good communication skills and a lasting interest in anatomy and physiology.
Some physiotherapists work in hospital environments whilst others work in smaller clinics or visit patients in their own homes. It helps to be able to co-ordinate well with other specialists who may be treating the patient.
This article is designed to help people who are approaching physiotherapist job interviews for the first time or who have struggled with them in the past and need some extra advice.
Top 6 physiotherapy interview questions.
- What particular techniques are you trained in?
- How do you hope to develop your skills in future?
- How familiar are you with the equipment used in this job?
- How familiar are you with the type of patient encountered in this job?
- How would you reassure a worried patient?
- What do you do when encountering an unfamiliar medical condition?
Phsyiotherapy interview tips.
It is important to arrive for an interview looking smart and alert so candidates should ensure that they get a good night’s sleep the night before the appointment. To be sure of making a good impression, the job description should be re-read as should the initial application and candidates should always do some background research on the prospective employer. It is also a good idea to be up to date on current affairs and au fait with any recent news relevant to the profession. This can help not just when answering questions but also when asking them.
In a physiotherapy job interview (including for a physiotherapy assistant role), the hiring organisation wants to find out not just what a candidate understands about the job but also their approach to it. Every physiotherapist has a different way of working and it’s important to establish - from both parties’ perspectives - whether or not this will be a good fit for the position. This means that there will be questions on experience of different techniques but also on what the candidate actually prefers and interviewers will be aiming to get some measure of the candidate’s personality.
As well as technical questions about how different types of physical problems might be resolved, interviewees can expect questions about how they would deal with a confused or reluctant patient or how they would resolve an ethical dilemma. Something that is more important than having brilliant solutions is showing an understanding of the issues - both intellectually and emotionally - and knowing when and how to seek advice from others.
As physiotherapy is a profession largely based on appointments and one in which there can be quite a lot of paperwork, candidates can also expect to be asked about schedule management and organisational issues.
General interview questions.
- What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses?
- Can you give examples of successful teamwork you have been involved in?
- What are your career ambitions?
- Why is this job appealing to you?
Possible physiotherapy interview questions.
- What particular techniques are you trained in?
- How do you hope to develop your skills in future?
- How familiar are you with the equipment used in this job?
- How familiar are you with the type of patient encountered in this job?
- How would you reassure a worried patient?
- What do you do when encountering an unfamiliar medical condition?
