Nail Your Hospital-Based OT Interview: 9 Tips to Prepare for Success

One of the most exciting parts of graduating from occupational therapy school is what comes next—getting a job! During the final month of my studies, I began applying for occupational therapy (OT) positions in acute care and inpatient rehabilitation, including a fellowship opportunity, and secured several interviews. Because I had never interviewed for an OT position before, I turned to the internet for advice and used various resources to prepare. I spent a few days before my first interview reviewing relevant content and practicing answers to common interview questions.

On the morning of my first interview, I was excited to learn more about the role and meet the team. Once the interview began, I realized that my preparations hadn’t been enough. Scrambling for answers left me disappointed and upset. That experience taught me a lot about what it means to prepare for an interview and how to navigate the hiring process. From the initial prerequisite Human Resources (HR) screen to the final interview, these 9 tips will help you nail your hospital-based OT interview.

The HR Screen

After you submit your résumé, especially if it is for a hospital-based position, you may be contacted by HR for an initial screening. This process is used to determine which candidates are best to move forward for an interview. During several of my screening calls, I was asked interview-type questions such as, “Tell me about yourself,” “How would your peers describe you?” and “What are you looking for in a job?” In addition to having a few answers for these types of questions, have a pen and paper or other note-taking method on hand during this phone call. You may receive information regarding pay, benefits, and the facility, which is beneficial to take note of!

Be Aware of the Details

Does your interview start at 9:00 or 9:30? Is the interview in-person or is it virtual? If it is virtual, is your platform software up to date and readily available for use if required? Where exactly should you park and enter when you arrive? Knowing the details is crucial to making a good first impression, arriving on time, and setting yourself up for success. Being aware of expectations can help make your interview day run smoothly and reduce anxiety.

Review Your Résumé

If you frequently update your résumé like I do, then you may be using a slightly different version for each application. That being said, it is important to review the specific résumé you submitted for the position before your interview. You will likely be asked direct questions based on the information you supplied on your résumé, so knowing exactly what is on the version the interviewer has is important. If your interview is virtual, open your résumé on your computer or have a printout handy and use it for a quick reference as needed!

Research the Facility

Understanding your potential employer is almost as important as understanding the role for which you are applying. Visit the facility’s website to learn about its values, mission/purpose, populations served, number of beds, specialty areas, and more. This research will support some of the answers to your interview questions, show that you are invested in the position, and help you identify whether your values and needs align with the facility’s.

Review Clinical Information

While you are completing your research on the facility, take note of any areas it may specialize in, such as cardiopulmonary, orthopedics, and neurology. OTs in the hospital setting typically work with those populations, so an interviewer may want to assess how you would handle or critically analyze a common clinical scenario. It’s beneficial to review information related to precautions, monitoring vital signs, common intervention approaches, patient/family education, and safety concerns.

Practice Answering Questions

While you can’t anticipate every interview question, practicing can help you answer with confidence. Try using the STAR method to prepare for in-depth scenarios or behavior-based interview questions. The STAR method highlights the Situation, Task, Action, and Result to help you be concise and make your point. For other types of interview questions, write or type out an answer and practice saying each one out loud. You don’t need to memorize your practice answers, but having a mental guide to reference during the interview is a useful tool. Here are some questions to help get your practice started:

• Why do you want to work here?
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake.
• What are three words a peer or friend would use to describe you?
• Tell me about a time when you were working with a patient and they had a sudden change in status.
• Tell me about a time when you received feedback from a supervisor and disagreed.
• What would you do if a patient were refusing to participate in a session?

If you are looking for more questions to practice, check out this OT Student Pulse article, which reviews the best answers to 11 interview questions.

Create a List of Questions

Create a list of specific questions to ask at the end of each interview. Asking questions shows your level of interest and that you value being proactive. For each interview, I arrive with 12 to 15 questions. These range from asking about a typical day, productivity, clinical ladder programs, orientation processes, mentorship, work culture, team dynamics, and the next steps in the hiring process. During the interview, some of my questions are usually addressed along the way. Having a robust list of questions is a good way to ensure you will still have some to ask at the end.

Send a Post-Interview Email or Physical Note

Take note of the names and contact information of the interviewers to send a post-interview note. Ideally, you should be prepared to send this email or note within 24 hours of your interview. This keeps you at the front of the interviewer’s mind for consideration and can help you stand out. In your note, briefly thank the interviewers for their time, express your interest and/or why you are a good fit, and let them know you are looking forward to hearing back.

Reflect on the Experience

We tend to be our own worst critics, so allow yourself to sleep on your thoughts and feelings after the interview. Take the following day to reflect on the experience and ask yourself some of the following: “Did I feel prepared?” “What did I like or not like about the interview?” “Will this role be a good fit?” “What would I change for next time?” Critically analyzing the experience can help you determine how to make improvements for your next interview and whether you would like to accept the position if offered.

Overall, remember to be yourself and to let your personality shine through! This makes you stand out from the other interview candidates and allows interviewers to have a more well-rounded view of your personal and professional skills.

I hope these tips prove to be successful in this part of your OT journey and I wish you the best of luck!

Mikenzie Hiler is the Editor-in-Chief of the OT Student Pulse and a recent graduate of the OTD program at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has career interests in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, assistive technology, and aerospace medicine. Mikenzie enjoys reading books, going for walks with her dog, and spending time with family and friends.