Impress at Interview. Occupational Therapy Karen McNab Careers Adviser Semester B 2010

Transcription

1 Impress at Interview Occupational Therapy Karen McNab Careers Adviser Semester B 2010

2 Aim of Session To identify the purpose of an interview and to help you prepare for an interview by: Considering the purpose of an interview Identifying typical questions Practice interview session Practical tips Identifying useful sources of further information and advice Highlight Careers Team Support

3 Purpose Professional Conversation Their opportunity to meet you Your opportunity to meet them Discuss your written application Elaborate on personal statement Ask additional (job related) questions Aim Selecting the right applicant Creating a team Your opportunity to shine

4 Preparation Professional Knowledge Revise key knowledge Review your portfolio Hot topics (professional/nhs/local) Interviews Professional conversation Know your skills & qualities Anticipate their questions Prepare & practice answers / give evidence Write your questions down

5 The Interview Itself NHS/Local Authority panel interview (often 3 people) First impressions/be positive & enthusiastic Body language/eye contact Nerves are normal Questions may be general, topical to area or hypothetical/situational scored to a MATRIX (different for each job) be honest and positive about yourself be positive and diplomatic about others, previous jobs & experiences be prepared to talk BUT be concise and think about your examples/evidence examples don t over talk (non-verbal cues) Ask for clarification / moment s time if needed

6 Interview questions What made you decide upon a career as an Occupational Therapist & has it lived up to your expectations? If you had the power, which parts of the course would you change and why? What is your final year dissertation/mscthesis (why that topic-what were the challenges- what did you gain from it?) How does your placement experience & experience/skills gained help you contribute to this particular post? How will you explain to clients what an occupational therapist does? Can you tell me about a client you have worked with and made a real difference to, how, why..? What is your understanding of clinical effectiveness & how can you engage in that process? Demonstrating evidence based practice is important from your experience can you discuss one aspect of Occupational Therapy practice which you feel is evidence based? What coping mechanisms would you employ to make the transition from student to professional? What are your professional priorities for the next 6 months? What in your opinion are the necessary qualities for a good Occupational Therapists? What are your strengths / weaknesses? Which frame of (theoretical) reference do you feel most comfortable working in and why? How would you ensure your safety in a community post? How would you define good team work? Can you give me an example from your own experience & highlight the components that made it work well? What do you think the benefits of good team work are for patients? The job of an OT requires a high level of autonomy with distant supervision how would you handle this working pattern? What are your expectations of supervision and your supervisor? How would you find delegating activities to an OT assistant who is older than you with years of experience? What qualities do you possess that would convince us to hire you instead of the other candidates? Are there any questions you would like to ask me?

7 Scenario Questions What would you do if. How would you.

8 Practical Tips:Summary Before: Review your CV/Application Prepare for professional knowledge test paper, group discussion and practice answering interview questions Review your portfolio During: Enthusiastic, Concise, Positive and Diplomatic Write your questions down, focus on job practicalities such as induction, mentor provision, training, CPD, shift rotas After Personal reflection what did I do well areas for improvement Ask for feedback/consider comments and act on it

9 Occupational Therapy Core Skills Professional Expertise establish effective therapeutic relationships using a client centred approach Plan, carry out, evaluate & modify evidence based interventions across a range of practice settings (autonomous practitioner) Strong Communication Skills (written and oral) Interpersonal Skills Team work (Interdisciplinary) Assertiveness Problem Solving Adaptability/flexibility Good time management Commitment to Professional Development / Engage in reflective practice Produce novel insights into the occupational perspective in health or social care

10 Interview resources Occupational Therapy - specific links specific information > go to resources>top links>course Interviews (1 leaflet) available as a PDF on our website go to >home page>resources>top links>careers leaflets > go to resources>top links> Interview Skills DVD (general guide not health specific) Going for Interviews (Agcas booklet) available online at local Authority vacancies (England and Wales) (Scotland) professional issues/jobs (British Association/ College of Occupational Therapists) (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) (National Institute for Health & Clinical excellence)

11 Careers Service Support Individual careers interviews (30min appt) Review of CVs and application forms Practice Job Interviews Job Search Based in Saltire Centre Mon - Fri 9-5pm Drop-in service normally 12-2 daily no appointment necessary updated weekly, times advertised on website